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WARREN R. AUSTIN, Representative of the United States of America to the Security Council of the United Nations:
“Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the tragic death of Mahatama Gandhi on January 30th evoked instantaneous expressions of regret and high tribute throughout the world. These expressions confirmed — if indeed confirmation were necessary -- the greatness of his role. Mahatma Gandhi not only was a national leader; he was also a symbol of the aspirations towards which men everywhere strive.
“One of the most solemn of the many tributes paid to Mahatma Gandhi was that which took place in the Security Council of the United Nations immediately after his death. It was appropriate that this Council which has primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace should hold a special meeting to honor the memory of this great apostle of peace.
“Every member of the Council spoke feelingly about the contribution which Mahatma Gandhi had made to the cause of cooperation among peoples and nations, and the members of the Council expressed the hope that his martyrdom would spur, not only his fellow countrymen, but men everywhere, to work even more steadfastly for a better and more peaceful world.
“Although the circumstances prompting this tribute were sad, the universal hope revealed by Mahatma Gandhi's death is a heartening sign. It shows that great men can, through their example, elevate the human spirit for the achievement of ideals that so-called realists may term impossible.
“I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Gandhi. But I, like millions of others, nevertheless felt the impact of his personality and his philosophy. He stood for principles which have long animated the political consciousness of the American nation. His writings reveal that one of the most notable influences on his thinking was that of Henry Thoreau, the New England non-conformist who emphasized in all his writings the transcendental
