赫伯特·克拉克·胡佛/Herbert Clark Hoover
People often wonder why historians go to so much trouble to preserve millions of books,documents and records of the past.Why do we have lib raries?What good are these documents and the history books?Why do we r ecord and save the actions of men,the negotiations of statesmen and the campaigns of armies?
Because,sometimes,the voice of experience can cause us to stop,lo ok and listen.And because,sometimes,past records,correctly interpret ed,can give us warning of what to do and what not to do.
If we are ever to create enduring peace,we must seek its origins in human experience and in the record of human idealism.From the story of the fortitude,courage and devotion of men and women,we create the insp irations of youth.From stories of the Christian martyrs,right down to Budapest' s heroic martyrs of today,history records the suffering,the self-denial,the devotion and the heroic deeds of men.Surely from these records there can come help to mankind in our confusions and perplexitie s,and in our yearnings for peace.
The supreme purpose of history is a better world.History gives a wa rning to those who would promote war.History brings inspiration to thos e who seek peace.In short,history helps us learn.Yesterday's records can keep us from repeating yesterday's mistakes.And from the pieces of mosaic assembled by historians come the great murals which represent the progress of mankind.
人們常常不能理解，曆史學家為什麽要千方百計地去保存數以百萬計的曆史書籍、文獻和史實？我們為什麽要有圖書館？這些文獻和史書又有什麽用處？我們為什麽要記載並保存人類的行為、政治家的談判和軍隊的征戰？
因為經驗之音可以幫助我們駐足、觀察和傾聽。還因為過去的記載經過正確的檢驗，可以給我們以警示，告訴我們該做什麽，不該做什麽。
假如我們想要營造永久的和平，就一定要從人類的經驗和人類追求理想的記錄當中去探究其淵源。從男男女女的剛毅、勇敢和奉獻的故事中，我們獲得了青春的靈感。遠自基督教殉道者的故事，近至當代布達佩斯的英勇烈士，曆史記載著人類的苦難，以及克己、忠誠和英勇的事跡。當然，這些記載一定會給處於困惑、茫然之中並渴望和平的人們帶來益處。