Proclamation 3654—Mother's Day, 1965

Whereas the rapidly changing nature of our world requires more than ever that the American home shall be a haven of stability in which our people can develop their spiritual, intellectual, and physical capacities to the fullest; and

Whereas the mothers of America, in their devotion to their families, seek unselfishly to encourage in our homes, an atmosphere in which the traditions of our Nation can flourish and the highest values of our civilization can be continually nurtured; and

Whereas the respect, gratitude, and love which the mothers of our Nation earn each day should be publicly and specially commemorated each year; and

Whereas by a joint resolution approved May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 770), the Congress designated the second Sunday in May of each year as Mother's Day and requested the President to issue a proclamation calling for its observance in accordance with the provisions of that resolution:

Now, Therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, do hereby request that Sunday, May 9, 1965, be observed as Mother's Day; and I direct the appropriate officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on that day.

I urge the people of the United States to give public and private expression on that day to the abiding love and gratitude which they bear for their mothers by display of the flag at their homes or other suitable places and through prayer and thoughtful acts of affection and devotion.

I urge all mothers to be ever mindful of their responsibilities for assuring that their children develop into mature men and women prepared to assume the duties and privileges of American citizenship.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this 27th day of April in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and eighty-ninth.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

By the President:

DEAN RUSK,

Secretary of State.