The following are excerpts of President Kennedy's December 17, 1962 address to the nation:
This morning I had a meeting in the White House which included some of our representatives in the distant lands of Asia. They were returning to their posts for the Christmas holiday. Talking with them afterwards, I was struck by the fact that in that far-off continent Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists, as well as Christians, pause from their labors on the twenty-fifth of December to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Peace.
