Proclamation 3719—World Trade Week, 1966

Expansion of world trade is the principal objective of the liberal foreign trade policies our Nation has followed for more than thirty years.

This two-way trade between the United States and other nations has resulted in many benefits for our country:

—It has advanced the peaceful progress of our Nation and the well-being of all Americans by strengthening the growth of private enterprise and employment.

—It has provided the American businessman with increased opportunities to export more United States products and services.

—It has given the American consumer a wider choice of products at competitive prices.

—It has promoted the cause of peace by broadening the scope of our cooperation with other nations.

—It has been of great importance in helping the developing nations modernize their economies.

Much remains to be done if we are to achieve a balanced international economy where all nations, developed and developing, can share the fruits of freer trade:

—We must continue to work diligently this year to bring the Kennedy Round of trade negotiations to a timely conclusion in a manner that assures the realization of the hopes and expectations with which this great effort at trade liberalization was launched.

—We must intensify our efforts to reduce the United States balance-of-payments deficit and reach our goal of equilibrium in our international accounts.

Progress towards accomplishing these objectives is the aim of World Trade Week.

Now, Therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning May 22, 1966, as World Trade Week; and I request the appropriate Federal, State, and local officials to cooperate in the observance of that week.

I also urge business, labor, agricultural, educational, professional, and civic groups, as well as the people of the United States generally, to observe World Trade Week with gatherings, discussions, exhibits, ceremonies, and other appropriate activities designed to promote continuing awareness of the importance of world trade to our economy and our relations with other nations.

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 29th day of April in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and ninetieth.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

By the President:

DEAN RUSK

Secretary of State