Dole Speaks at Business School Class Day

Potential presidential candidate and Harvard Law School (HLS) graduate Elizabeth H. Dole delivered the Class Day address at Harvard Business School yesterday, emphasizing the importance of free enterprise and democracy in world affairs.

Dole said it was necessary to "unleash the power of a free economy" to effect change in states throughout the world.

She specifically singled out China, Serbia and Latin American countries.

Dole, who graduated as one of two dozen women in the HLS Class of 1958, mentioned her presidential aspirations only in passing, quipping at the beginning of her speech that since resigning from her post as president of the Red Cross, she found herself "looking for work."

"I have identified a job in which I am interested, and have begun a rather lengthy interview process," she said.

The remainder of her speech focused almost entirely on issues of global affairs and finance.

Dole spoke about the need for a "coherent, cohesive China policy."

She said the next U.S. president--"whomever she may be"--should use the power of free enterprise to open Chinese society. She advocated the inclusion of China into the World Trade Organization, but said, "We cannot avert our eyes from human rights violations in Beijing."

"We can say no to human rights violations and yes to jobs," she said.

She also said the U.S. president should meet with the Dalai Lama and Chinese dissidents, moves which past commanders-in-chief have been reluctant to make.

Dole also lamented the loss of nuclear secrets to Chinese espionage.

"The loss of weapons secrets is an appalling breach of national security [and represents] a lapse of leadership that puts every man, woman and child in danger," she said.

In line with previous Republican presidential candidates, Dole also advocated greater American military strength, specifically a more advanced missile-defense system.

"It's not enough for the U.S. to respond when there's trouble," she said. "We need the defense capability to respond quickly for the future."

In addition to discussing China, Dole also spoke about the situation in Yugoslavia.

She said she was in favor of a "strong, NATO-led force" to reinstate Kosovar refugees in their homeland, and advocated a harsh punishment for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

"Milosevic must be captured and tried as a war criminal," she said.

Dole also spoke about the need to remove barriers in trading with Latin America.

She said all of the Western Hemisphere should be declared a free-trade zone, and she declared her support for the inclusion of all Latin American nations into the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Dole also touched on more personal issues, emphasizing the role that business acumen played in her tenure as Red Cross president.

As president, Dole standardized the cataloging and testing of donated blood, which she said required business experience.

"I turned to the business community to bring in the finest minds possible," she said.

But, Dole said, the parallels between the Red Cross and other business organizations did have a limit.

"How many corporations can get employees to work for free and then ask for their blood?" she quipped.