American History TV - Reel America, C-SPAN 3 January 31, 1960
A Conversation with Herbert Hoover [1 hour video]
A Conversation with Herbert Hoover is a 1960 film in which Ray Henle interviews the 31st President of the United States. Among other topics, President Hoover talked about the Hoover Library on War [War, Revolution and Peace] and presented items from the collection.
Transcript [below video at the site] - Intro and opening:
REPUBLICAN, HERBERT HOOVER, SERVED AS PRESIDENT FROM 1929 TO 1933. REMEMBERED MOST FOR HIS TIME IN THE OVAL OFFICE AT THE START OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, HOOVER ALSO SERVED AS THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE UNDER PRESIDENTS HARDING AND COOLIDGE. IN THIS HOUR-LONG 1960 NBC INTERVIEW, HOOVER DISCUSSES HIS LIFE BEYOND THE PRESIDENCY. SPEAKING WITH REPORTER RAY HENLE, HE DELVES INTO TOPICS INCLUDING HIS CHILDHOOD, HIS TIME IN CHINA DURING THE BOXER REBELLION AND [HIS] INVOLVEMENT IN SUPPLYING FOOD TO CIVILIANS IN GERMAN OCCUPIED BELGIUM DURING WORLD WORLD WAR I. THIS [PROGRAM] IS PART OF THE STANFORD LIBRARY'S DEPARTMENT OF [SPECIAL] COLLECTIONS AND UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES.
RAY HENLE [NBC News Commentator]: THIS IS THE CAMPUS OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY, ONE OF AMERICA'S GREAT SCHOOLS. THIS IS THE MEMORIAL CHURCH. THIS IS [THE] MEMORIAL THEATER. AND THIS IS THE LIBRARY ON WAR, REVOLUTION AND PEACE. [...] I AM MEETING A GREAT AMERICAN AND AN OLD FRIEND. I AM HERE TO HAVE A TALK WITH THE 31ST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, MR. HERBERT HOOVER.
HERBERT HOOVER: SIT DOWN, RAY.
RAY HENLE: THANK YOU, SIR. [COULD] YOU TELL US WHAT IT MEANS?
HERBERT HOOVER: WELL, IT IS THE LIBRARY ON WAR, REVOLUTION AND PEACE. THE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO PRESENT THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THIS WORLD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF FIRST WORLD WAR I. IT HAS MANY OBJECTIVES. ONE OF THEM IS TO AID IN [THE] DEVELOPMENT OF MEASURES OF PEACE [OUT OF A DISPLAY OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD IN THAT QUARTER]. IT COVERS ECONOMIC, MILITARY, OTHER QUESTIONS. IT IS NOW THE HAVEN OF HISTORIANS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. BECAUSE THE GERMAN WAR LIBRARY WAS DESTROYED IN THE LAST WAR, THE FRENCH WAR LIBRARY WAS DESTROYED AND THE BRITISH WAR LIBRARY WAS GREATLY DAMAGED, THIS IS PRACTICALLY THE ONLY COMPLETE STORY OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. [CONT. at the site]
Poster Comment:
Highlghts: Voluntarily took no salary for his years of government service and retired with no Presidential or other gov-pension -- just a gift of an office flag of the Presidency that he appreciates. He's addressed as Mr. Hoover, not President Hoover or Mr. President, and speaks of his Relief work during the World Wars, famines and disasters. Speaks about Communism, Stalin's armament of Germany against France, then Soviet Russia's invasion of Poland prior to Germany's, Soviet prison/work camps, China, American Communists, the increase of U.S. government officials and the budget through wars, Presidents and fishing, and his affiliation with mentoring programs like the Boys Club of America [now the Boys and Girls Club, I think]. Much more. A riveting video, I thought, for its historical perspective.