At the fifth anniversary of The Washington Times, Dr. Bo Hi Pak, Chairman of the Board, delivered the following remarks on May 17, 1987.

Senator Baker, Senator Boren, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen; I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of you for joining us to celebrate the fifth anniversary of The Washington Times.

The Washington Times is indeed greatly honored to present both the Honorable Howard Baker, Chief of Staff for President Reagan, and Senator David Boren with the first Washington Times Distinguished Service Award.

We certainly could not have picked more worthy individuals to receive this award. Our two Distinguished Service Award recipients represent the best principles of American public service. Both individuals have sacrificially employed their talent and intellect in distinguished service to their home states of Oklahoma and Tennessee and to their country.

And they built over the years their distinguished careers of superior service; they demonstrated over time an unswerving commitment to excellence in public service; they, in short, embody the theme: "Better every year, but not yet the best we can be or will be!"

And may I say that because of their determination to be the best of public servants, I believe their most effective and influential years of service are yet to come!

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we are here also to honor The Washington Times' five years of accomplishments. In 1981 when Time-Life, Inc., closed down the Washington Star, no one had the nerve to start a new newspaper in Washington. Then on May 17, 1982, The Washington Times emerged and it emerged as a crusading newspaper.

It did not come about because there was a great financial opportunity; it did not come about because there was a chance to gain great popularity and honor, but it did come about because there was a commitment to freedom, democracy, and traditional values.

We knew from the very beginning it would be a sacrificial effort. Yet our commitment to provide this most important city of the world with an "alternative voice" was unshakable. The founder of our newspaper felt that there was value in committing resources and effort in such an enterprise, and no amount of sacrifice could override the importance of the mission because hanging in the balance was the survival of our civilization.

Many people predicted it was a mission impossible, and others predicted the newspaper would fold in less than six months. Yet from day one, there was a vision, excitement, and incredible dedication on the part of our staff. We did indeed upset the doomsday predictions. Today, five years later, no one denies that The Washington Times has emerged as the alternative voice in our nation's capital. As the National Journal stated in its December 1986 issue, ". . . The Washington Times, to the surprise of its critics and perhaps its friends, has not only survived, but has established itself as a worthy rival to the Washington Post."

It has become one of the four most influential newspapers on Capitol Hill and after all, we became the newspaper that the President of the United States reads every morning.

And that's not all. Since its beginning the Washington Times Corporation has developed two additional publications; Insight, a weekly magazine, which the 1987 Media Guide cited as one of the major press developments of 1986, and The World & I, a monthly academic journal for worldwide circulation.

All of these publications represent, for me, not a small miracle! The Washington Times not only rewards but corporately represents its own unique dedication to public service, an unequivocal commitment to be the very best newspaper we can be today, and an even better paper tomorrow.

And because of our unswerving determination to be the best we corporately can be, we have not only survived our own mistakes but also survived the attacks of our adversaries, the prejudice of the bigoted, the passive detachment of fair weather friends, and the competition of the market place.

Today, as we celebrate our fifth anniversary, The Washington Times is stronger, more battle ready, and directed by greater leadership in the persons of Editor-in-Chief Arnaud de Borchgrave and Senior Vice President Ron Godwin and their respective teams, than at any previous time in our history.

By early fall the 900-plus professionals that serve this great corporation will once again prove their commitment to excellence by introducing a dramatically better Washington Times to our readers.

And like Senator Baker and Senator Boren, we believe with total confidence that our best and most effective years of service to our nation's capital are yet to come.

Senator Baker and Senator Boren have served as the best of role models to our newspaper through their superb contributions to the preservation and enhancement of American freedoms and values.

Tonight as President of the Washington Times Corporation it is my joyful duty to first salute the 900-plus dedicated professional individuals who toil and strive to make history and who have made our newspaper what it is today. They are my heroes and heroines. I want to honor them tonight.

I would like also to salute Mr. Arnaud de Borchgrave, Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Times, who is indeed a rare and uncommon leader. He has brought together a most excellent and professional team of men and women in the editorial department. As a leader Arnaud exemplifies what a dedicated journalist should be like.

We appreciate his service so much that on this occasion of our fifth anniversary, we have renewed Arnaud's contract for three additional years! We want to let the world know how happy we are to have his continued service in the years to come.

Arnaud, your request for early retirement has been flatly denied. It may be bad news for you but good news for all Washingtonians, except perhaps a few. I say this from the bottom of my heart. Our country needs your service for many more years to come. A rare breed like yourself cannot be retired easily. Sorry, Arnaud, the bed we installed in your office cannot be retired either. I hope it will give you many more years of faithful service. It will become a museum piece.

I would like to also salute another remarkable leader of our newspaper, the head of our business team, Dr. Ronald S. Godwin, our Senior Vice President. He is indeed a management genius who has put together a competent business team, a team that is determined to bring profit to our corporation in the forseeable future. Ron, you have our trust, admiration, and love, and we are looking forward to working and winning with you for many years to come.

Finally I would like to salute Reverend Sun Myung Moon, our Founder whose generosity have made this newspaper possible. The Washington Times: "Better every year, but not yet the best we can and will be!"

Today we are making a new beginning and I can assure you in the next five years, with God's blessing and with your support, our paper and magazines are going to be first in Washington, first in the world, as voices of reason, conscience, and freedom for all.

Remember, it's coming: The New Washington Times, designed by and for our readers. As President Reagan promised, "You ain't seen nothing yet!"

Once again congratulations, Senator Baker and Senator Boren, and may God bless you all.

Thank you very much.

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