18.09. - 1 - Speech Of The Day - Address TO THE NATION 18.09.1959

On Friday, September 18, 1959, His Imperial

Majesty Haile Selassie I delivered the following

address to the Nation, over Radio Addis

Ababa:

"The development programme that We have outlined

to you on Our return from Our recent visit to

friendly countries, has invoked an enthusiastic response

from you and We are happy to say that We are satisfied

of the unflinching support you have given to Our decisions

on this matter. As you are anxiously awaiting to see the

implementation of these programmes started, We would

like you to share with Us the high hope that We have

for the achievement of Our objectives relating to these

programmes.

We would like you to recognise that unity is in

itself strength. Form cooperative systems and work in

unity with your fellow-men for the benefit of the common

good.

Your eagerness to see the programmes implemented

has given Us great encouragement for carrying out Our

development objectives successfully for the benefit and

welfare of Our beloved people.

Therefore, out of the programmes that have been

worked out to be executed during the course of the year,

We have already selected those which should be given

priority, and the necessary arrangements have already

been completed for their realisation.

As we have already made it clear to you in Our

previous statement, capital is an essential prerequisite

for initiating all undertakings, whatever their nature.

We have, therefore, made credit available for

you which, when properly used, would enable you to

achieve your development objectives in the fields of

agriculture, forestry, stock breading, health services,

and in the sphere of other development programmes.

For those of you who possess the land and labour

but lack capital, We have made credit available at low

interest. For those of you who have' the necessary

finance but do not possess land to work on, We have, in

accordance with Our Proclamation which entitled every

Ethiopian to ownership of land, established offices in

every province through which you may be able to acquire

land. Those who have neither land nor money will be

granted land and a financial loan at low interest. For

those of you who posses land, who have financial resources

and manpower We have made experts available to

furnish you with the necessary guidance and advice in

your various undertakings. With the knowledge that

unity and cooperation are in themselves strength, take

advantage of the possibilities that We have opened to you.

You have now to choose in your respective provinces,

up to the end of Hidar, twelve people who are known

for their integrity, loyalty and responsibility, who will

be charged to give out the financial loans and who will

collect them as they mature. The procedure which

would be the basis for your selection of these officers

shall be sent to you through the Governors of your

respective provinces. We shall appoint three persons

for each province to make preparation for the selection

which you are going to make and to supervise the execution

of this programme. The persons to be chosen by

you will be provided with a Development Bank regulation

which they would use as a guide in their work. The

interest on your loan would be 2 1/2 % and the loan is

repayable in five years time.

Therefore, We exhort you to follow the guidance of

your Creator; not to waver from the goal which We have

designed for your progress and well-being, and to labour

diligently for the early realisation of that goal.

We want the year E.C. 1952 to be a year in which

Our nation being aware of Our readiness to promote its

progress and advancement, appreciates the value of selfhelp

through co-operative labour.

         The abundant resources of Our country - its

virgin land, its mighty rivers, its minerals and its fertile

soil guarantee our nation a better and more prosperous

life. These natural riches and the prospect of exploiting

them should be the major driving forces in your endeavours.

Aside from this national wealth, each of you is

endowed with human energy and intelligence which you

should employ for the achievement of these goals.

It is a natural obligation for mankind to live by the

sweat of his brow. "He that laboureth not, neither let

him eat". Labour and nourishment are equally essential

for human well-being. Did not Our Lord Jesus Christ

Himself give us the parables of the ten virgins and of the

lazy man who burried his gold, just to teach us the fruits

of diligent labour? He called his servants and entrusted

to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to

another two, and to another one, to each according to his

ability. He who had received five talents went at once

and traded with them, and made the five talents more.

So, too, he who had the two talents made two talents

more. But he who had received the one talent went and

dug in the ground and hid his master's money".

So use this available capital in the most profitable

manner. Study your project; discuss it with specialists;

and have the perseverance to see it accomplished. If,

on the other hand, the capital remains unused; if laziness

and indifference is diverted to selfish and personal gains;

do not forget that you will have incurred upon yourself

and upon your country a debt of the heaviest kind.

There is no rose without thorns; there is no profit without

labour.

We have promised you specialists and technicians to

assist you in carrying out your projects. But the leadership

and initiative must always come from you. Do

not expect them to do for you more than you can do

for yourself.

Every labourer is a father - his labour is his child.

Choose your project carefully, and achieve it worthily,

so that neither yourself nor your country may be ashamed

on your account. You, who have left your home towns

and have fled to the cities in search of work, now is the

time to go back for there is work waiting for you. We

warn you in advance that those who are physically able

shall not be allowed to loiter about the cities.

Let us all follow the golden rule - "do unto others

as you would have them do unto you". Let the officials

follow it closely; let them serve their people and their

country with humility and diligence.

But diligence and humility and service to one's

country are not the tasks of officials only - they are not

the tasks of anyone alone. The present projects will

demand close contact and co-operation between all of

us. Officials to whom We have entrusted various degrees

of responsibility, guided by the example of Jesus Christ

Who, having declared "I came to serve you but not to be

served by you", brought Himself low and washed the

feet of His disciples, must render service to the people

without charge for these services. As We have repeated

many times over in Our last pronouncement, We would

like again to emphasise the value of time and urge you to

dedicate yourselves to hard work - and profitably

utilize your time.

There is no energy in the world, including that of

the atom that can not be controlled. However, there is

no scientist on earth who could control, even for a second

the flow of time. For this reason never idle away your

time, however, briefly.

Is it not you, her children that are referred to as

Ethiopia? Our lasting hope has ever been, with the help

of the Almighty, to help promote the interest and wellbeing

of Our people - not to get disillusioned by remote

hopes and wishful thinking.

May the Almighty God help us in the fulfillment of

all our undertakings."

Speeches delivered by His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie Ist Emperor of Ethiopia on various occasions - page 162 -