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honor, and wanted me to meet the King.
And that chance meeting with my daughter is the manner in
which the l 1/2 hour visit with the King of Thailand, this past
February, came about. I did not seek it -- I was invited!
This particular visit may lead to important results. For 1 1/2
hours King Bhumibol pleaded with me to help him with his problem
of getting education to his mountain people. His government's
program is not working. He said nobody can help him but me. He
needs a complete new program, and the personnel to implement it. We
have a number of graduating students this year we are unable to
absorb in the Work. We may be able to work out a program that will
help his people -- get the TRUTH to them -- and provide the needed
employment to many of our graduates.
One thing more I will tell you, and then I must not make this
letter longer.
Last November King Leopold, his wife, Princess Liliane and
daughters -- the Princesses Daphne and Esmeralda -- visited us in
California. They were dinner guests in my home. After dinner that
evening the King and Princess Liliane asked for a private talk. We
excused ourselves from the other guests and retired to a private
room.
Then in subdued, solemn and hushed tone they told me that,
after World War I had ended, the King's father, King Albert, had
visited one of the battlefields. He was appalled, and emotionally
sick at heart at the realization of the human slaughter that had
occurred there. It moved him deeply. He had one of the iron
cannonballs remaining on the field melted and cast into four watch
cases -- pocket watch size -- to encase four fine watches. It was
his intention to present these to the four men whom he felt had
made the most significant contribution toward world peace.
World War I was the war supposed to "make the world safe for
democracy" -- the war to END ALL WARS! King Albert therefore felt
the chief generals, and French Premier contributed most, and gave
one watch to Field Marshal Foch, Supreme Commander in Chief over
all allied armies. The second watch was given to General Pershing,
Commander in Chief of all United States forces. The third went to
Georges Clemenceau, Premier of France during World War I. King
Albert apparently found no one he felt qualified for the fourth
watch. It was passed on to his son, King Leopold to give.
In solemn and subdued voice the King said he felt the fourth
watch, in a red leather case now showing age, should go to me.
Both the leather case and the watch are embellished with a gold
design with a royal crown in the center.
I feel it was the very highest honor the King could have paid
anyone. Whatever contribution to world peace I may have made you
have shared with me, and it has not been through war, but through
EDUCATION, teaching millions worldwide THE WAY to PEACE! And I
believe King Leopold feels, and that he SAW here, that we have SET
AN EXAMPLE by the REAL PEACE that we do have on our three campuses!