Remarks at the Opening of the Federal Science Exhibit.

Mr. Macy, ladies and gentlemen:

I am very proud to come here this evening to participate in opening this very distinguished and significant exhibit here in this very beautiful hall. It was just 2 nights ago, I think Sunday evening, that Mrs. Johnson and I were returning from Camp David to the White House by helicopter. The approach to the South Lawn gave us an unusually impressive view of this beautiful building. Mrs. Johnson, who I am sure you know is devoted to the beautification of this Capital City, pointed out this beautiful building and said, "Now that is a perfect example of the kind of beautiful architecture we ought to have here in Washington, and I want you to take notice of it."

Her comment gave me the kind of opportunity that every husband probably dreams of, at least now and then. I turned and looked her straight in the eye and said gently and as sweetly as I knew how, "Yes, my darling, I know because I helped to build it."

I am very proud of my association with the Smithsonian--just as I am proud of the close association I have been privileged to have with many of our Federal Government programs in the field of science and engineering.

Throughout our entire history, American respect for science and our devotion to the freedom of the scientific community has had much to do with our evolution as a Nation and our success and our happiness as a people.

From Lewis and Clark to Grissom and Young, the Government of the United States has been a partner of major efforts to extend man's knowledge of this earth and the realms above it.

All along, there has been one distinguishing feature of this relationship between the state and science, and that distinguishing feature is our unwavering determination that the end of science shall be the betterment of man rather than the aggrandizement of the state. Likewise, it is our determination that benefits of our gains in human knowledge shall serve all of mankind and, above all else, shall contribute to the cause of peace in the world.

We cannot foresee tonight what the future may bring for any of us. We can believe, however, that we are at the edge of an era of history when science and technology may well revolutionize life on earth not for only a few nations but, we all hope, for all people. I hope and I pray every day that the time may come when nations will lay aside aggression and war as instruments of national policy and turn to joint endeavors of compassion and construction to make life richer and happier for all men, East and West.

And so I want to leave this thought. I hope that we may have the wisdom and the foresight and the sense of responsibility in the field of political science to realize to the fullest the advantages that will open to us all from the works that are being done now in the fields of physical science and technology.

Our American commitment remains firm. We shall use our science and our technology only in the service of peace and in devotion to the cause of man. This is our vision-"The Vision of Man" to which this exhibition is dedicated.

I think it is appropriate then for us to remember the words of the man who--before his time--foresaw the meaning and the potential of space, Dr. Robert Goddard. For it was Dr. Goddard who said, "It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and it is the reality of tomorrow."

So it is our vision that we can and that we must make the dreams of both yesterday and today into the realities of tomorrow for all mankind.

The reality of today that brought me here alone was that Mrs. Johnson had to be in New York tonight for another appearance and my two daughters, who I thought I'd sandbagged and were ready to go, both informed me at the last minute they had midterm exams. But here I am and I am so happy to see all of you and I look forward to the chance to visit here for a little while. Thank you so much.