Message to the Congress Transmitting Annual Report of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

To the Congress of the United States:

I am pleased to transmit the Seventh Annual Report of the National Endowment for the Humanities, for fiscal year 1972.

It is essential that the disciplines of the humanities--languages, history, philosophy, literature and ethics among others--be brought to bear on problems of contemporary concern, both national and international. The Federal Government recognizes this need--and has been responsive to it.

I particularly commend to your attention the program of "Youthgrants in the Humanities," begun in fiscal year 1972, which provides needed support for young people doing scholarly work in the humanities. Another impressive effort is the Endowment's State-Based Program, which, in less than two years, has established committees in 38 States to encourage public education. The "Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities," aimed at bridging the gap between humanistic learning and public affairs, is also successfully underway.

The public's response to the work of the National Endowment for the Humanities may be measured in part by the fact that public contributions to the Endowment have exceeded federally appropriated funds for the third year in a row. This is clear evidence of broad public support for the objectives of the National Endowment and, I believe, gives added justification to the steadily increasing funding which I have requested and which the Congress has provided for its very worthwhile endeavors.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House,

March 27, 1973.