Remarks Upon Presenting the Harmon International Aviation Trophies

Captain Lovell, Lieutenant Colonel Aldrin, Mr. White, most distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

It was 64 years ago next December, that two brothers from Dayton, Ohio went down to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina--and gave wings to the human race.

That first flight lasted 12 seconds and covered only 120 feet. Today, here in the White House Rose Garden, we honor one man for flying three times the speed of sound. We honor two others for spending more than 94 hours in space.

Nothing, I think, better symbolizes the incredible pace of change which challenges this generation. Within one lifetime, we have soared from the sands of Kitty Hawk into space itself.

Aviation is perhaps the most dramatic symbol of change, but it is not unique. Everything in our lives--agriculture, industry, science, education--is changing equally fast.

Many of the problems that we all face today are essentially the result of our failure to anticipate and to prepare for the astounding pace of change.

It often appears, as the Queen said to Alice in Wonderland, that we must run faster and faster just to stay where we are.

Colonel Harmon created this award to honor individual excellence. People often see the amazing developments occurring all around them in terms of things, rather than people. Yet, there is nothing that we have, whether an airplane, or a spaceship or a city park, that did not really begin as some man's dream. And there is no economic system, or science, or code of laws, which can carry us forward on our human adventure in the absence of excellent men.

Many of the previous winners of this award, like those men whom we honor here today, began their careers in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Our country owes an unpayable debt to the aviators who have worn the uniform of their country. And at this very moment, thousands of them are risking their lives to turn back aggression in Vietnam.

These men, flying mission after mission, flying through every kind of weather, meeting every kind of resistance, are writing new chapters in the annals of freedom--as well as in your profession.

Those of you who have mastered flight-whose bravery in war and peace has inspired your countrymen and the world--belong to a very special breed of human being. A great philosopher once said:

"There are but few persons, in comparison with the whole of mankind, whose experiments, if adopted by others, would be likely to be any improvement on established practice. But these few are the salt of the earth; without them, human life would become a stagnant pool. Not only is it they who introduce good things which did not before exist; it is they who keep the life in those welch already exist."

So it gives me great pleasure to participate here, as I have on other occasions, in recognizing the excellence of those with us, and honoring three such men here today.

I am very proud to join with this most distinguished company here on the steps, as well as those in the audience, in recognizing these most unique and unusual achievements.