stands in the way of their progress, their cooperation, the renewal of their being, and the revival of their hopes?

This is a soft note that I whisper into the ears of the devoted, on the margin of this address, which comes from a devoted heart hoping to enter wise hearts of real consequence, so that they make their first aim the hearing of voices raised from the platform of the press in sincere criticism, to correct the errors that hold back our national edifice, our dignity, and our development toward the better.

Ah, my sister — let me con-gratulate the medal on you, as it mounts a generous, resolute breast and a free, active heart whose stands have revealed zeal and will. You won it by your intelligence and your diligence; it is the Cedar Medal, emblem of our beloved flag, which impels you to carry out your mission in its most perfect form.

And let me congratulate the man who has begun to awake, to see the merit of his second half, so that he strengthens her and confirms the standing that woman possesses by her place at his side in calamities, the generous hand she has in the building up of the country, and the longing and ardor in her soul to share in paving the road for precious Lebanon, for whose reform the hopes and programs have been so many and so various.

And the need is for the two part-ners who know its points of weak-ness, and who work hand in hand to repair them and to uproot what is harmful in them — and peace.

The address of Miss Ibtihaj Kaddoura

It was the will of the excellent sisters, members of the Lebanese Arab Women's Federation, that I should stand in their stead on this occasion to perform the duty toward the gracious friend honored today — not that they might hear from me anything new, nor become acquainted with some side

of her character and her struggle that is strange or obscure to them. Rather, perhaps their choice of me rested on two grounds: the first, my name, which is no doubt a true expression of the gladness and joy in their souls on this happy occa-sion; and the second, their claim that I am a page from the reg-ister of the women's renaissance, preserving for the generation and immortalizing the memory of what is great and noble, so that I might recite to your ears a young history filled with great deeds. I could wish the occasion had been given to each one of them to stand where I stand, to do better than I, and to extol the friend's merit more than I can — unconcerned by her reproaches once this party is over; for I, truth be told, reckon with her a thousand reckonings. So forgive me now, my friend; let me free myself from the courtesy of friendship, if only for a while, and discharge the trust committed to me; and do you shield me from the companions' blame for falling short.

Honored assembly: what can I say in a few minutes, in which to review a gracious personality who performed great deeds with the courage of faith and the firmness of conviction — faith in self and in the right, and the conviction of performing the duty laid upon the human being if he is to live a life of dignity, freedom, and indepen-dence; a courage that sprang from high culture and sound thinking. She saw the right and followed it; she came to know the struggle in all its kinds and embraced it; and out of all this she formed a sincere patriotism which made the homeland's claim binding upon men and women alike.

Yes, my friend: you have performed, and will perform, the sacred duty; you have cherished, and will cherish, a principle in which you believed and for which you strove. By this work of yours you have proved that woman can

be, at one and the same time, the virtuous and wise wife, the tender mother, and the dutiful daughter of a dear homeland and a noble people. You have demon-strated that woman has a national consciousness and a real share in building the homeland's glory. Sacrifice is your watchword, patri-otism your banner, independence your goal; and behold, Lebanon records a virtue to your credit; behold, the master of Lebanon con-fers on you the medal of its immor-tal Cedar, in esteem for your strug-gle and in acknowledgment of your merit; and behold, the Lebanese Women's Federation raises to the government of Lebanon expres-sions of thanks and gratitude for its repeated acknowledgment, time and again, of women's efforts, its kindness toward their projects, and its answering of their demands. It is said: to every age its state and its men. But our esteemed government, by this act of hers, seems to wish to say: to every age its state, its men — and its women.

My friend: in sacrifice there is delight, gladness, and contentment; in patriotism, glory, greatness, and pride; and in the reward, a per-formance of duty, an appreciation of merit, and an acknowledgment of favor. Sacrifice and reward are two equal honors — nay, two equivalent virtues. You performed the first and were granted the second; so take your pleasure in both together, and accept the congratulations of your sisters, who admire your character and are proud of your deeds. Forward, through all the days!

The address of the honoree, Mrs. Najla Saab

Your Excellency the Prime Minister, Madam President of the Federation, Ladies and gentlemen:

Allow me to offer the sincerest sentiments of thanks and gratitude to His Excellency the President and to our government, who were pleased,