Hello friends. Over the years you've shared my adventures on the side of law, order and peace
in the exciting days of the old west. This time I want you to go along on a real life,
present day adventure in the cause of world peace.
This is the most worthwhile thing I've ever tackled, and I need the help of every friend of the Lone Ranger.
Every one of you. It started when the United States Treasury invited me to launch a nationwide
Peace Patrol for US saving stamps and bonds.
This was a Sunday afternoon, and the big reception was to come later.
I was met at the airport by Treasury representatives and their children,
who presented these miniature flags of our country and of the savings bonds volunteers.
These youngsters represent the 6.5 million students who were able to buy savings stamps at school.
And the Peace Patrol began. Mr. James Stiles, the national director of the savings bond division,
told me the Treasury expects our Peace Patrol to recruit more millions of school savers.
And with your help, we will. I'll tell you how a little later.
That Sunday afternoon I went out to the National Institutes of Health near Washington to visit the
400 children who are special patients, helping Uncle Sam to find ways to prevent and cure diseases of childhood.
When I went into the wards in this wonderful clinic, you should have seen those youngsters' eyes shine.
We didn't take pictures inside the hospital because setting up lights and equipment would disturb
the patients. But youngsters who were visiting the patients followed me everywhere I went.
You'd have thought I was the Pied Piper. They kept asking me, "Where's Tonto? Where's Silver?"
So now I know who the real stars of our program are.
I sure wished I could have brought Tonto and Silver along.
Monday morning after being given the key to the city of Washington, I walked down Pennsylvania Ave
to the post office department to talk over our Peace Patrol plans with the postmaster general,
Arthur Summerfield. I showed him this giant sized copy of the Peace Patrol membership card.
He told me 20,000 US Post Offices would have supplies of these cards to give to everyone who buys
US savings stamps at the post office or at schools.
When I went up to the Capitol to meet some of the members of Congress, I got a wonderful thrill
when I looked at the statue of Freedom on top of the Capitol dome. And I know you would too.
Being an American means being free, and our freedom is worth any price we're called upon to pay for it.
This Peace Patrol is one way every young American can help to defend our freedom
and build our power for peace. We talked about that when I went in to pay my respects to Vice President Nixon.
The vice president told me his two daughters are eager followers of the Lone Ranger's adventures.
They are just as faithful in putting their savings into US savings stamps at school,
and exchanging them for US savings bonds when the stamp album is filled.
I gave him membership cards to the Peace Patrol for his daughters,
and then we posed with the big copy of the card. It says, "US Savings Bonds Peace Patrol, Treasury Department".
There's a picture of me, the Lone Ranger, the Treasury seal, and spaces for your name,
address, age, school, and date. It's signed by the Lone Ranger, and by the national director of the
US Savings Bonds Division. Every young American will be proud to carry one of our Peace Patrol cards,
because it stands for something big and important. Our love for our country,
and our love of freedom and peace. Then my friends met the vice president.
I want you to know them too. On the left is Jack Rather, a man who makes the Lone Ranger program possible.
Behind him is the vice president of the Lone Ranger company, William Shay.
Over on the right is Mrs. Shay, next to Savings Bond Director Stiles.
And on the right of Vice President Nixon is Mrs. Rather, the movie star Bonita Granville.
In back on the right is Jack Rather III.
Leaving the Capitol, Mr. Rather and I were talking about the big event of our visit:
The Peace Patrol Rally on the Washington Monument grounds the next morning.
The monument commemorates the man who was first in war and first in peace.
It is a reminder of the responsibility we all have as Americans to work for peace and security
in tomorrow's world. It's a big job, and that's the real reason for the Lone Ranger's Peace Patrol.
Finally here we are at the big patriotic rally to launch the Peace Patrol.
The flags at the base of the Washington monument are waving in the breeze as
thousands gather for the rally and the bands play patriotic airs.
Americans of every sort and every age are here to cheer us on.
The Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guards back up our Peace Patrol.
The Mounties of the National Capitol Parks Police are my escort of honor.
Hi ho, Silver!
Welcoming all these boys and girls, mothers and dads to our first Peace Patrol rally,
I told them we were here for an important job. That poster behind me tells the story.
To help strengthen America's peace power.
That's Gill Rankin, our ranch foreman.
But first a few tricks with the shooting iron, just for fun.
Next a young man representing the American Legion Boy's Nation presents a scroll of honor
to the Lone Ranger as a wholesome influence on young citizens.
A high honor which I was proud to accept for our program.
Now I read the pledge on the Peace Patrol membership card to the charter members of the
Peace Patrol from the national capital. To buy US saving stamps regularly on stamp days at school.
I ask all of you who believe with me that each of us has the power to help make this a better world.
Who believe that we should be prepared physically, mentally, and morally to stand up for right.
Who believe that more knowledge and understanding will help keep peace in the world.
Boys and girls, I ask you to join our Peace Patrol at school.
Teachers, parents, postmasters, we need you too.
Get behind the United States Saving Stamps Program. The Peace Patrol is for everyone.
The strength and glory of the land we love.