Remarks With David McDonald Recorded for the United Steelworkers Convention at Miami Beach

THE PRESIDENT [following an introduction by Mr. McDonald]. Gentlemen, I am very grateful to President Dave McDonald for giving me this chance to express to you my very best greetings to you all. I was a guest at your convention, I remember, some years ago in Los Angeles, then in Atlantic City. Your President has been kind enough to invite me to your next convention in 1964, and I will be with you then.

I did want to have the chance, speaking to you as we are today from the White House, to express my very best regards to all of you. I have the greatest respect for the Steelworkers Union, for the effort that they have made to take care of their people, to raise the standards within the industry, and also to speak for the United States. I therefore do not want to miss this opportunity to assure you that those of us who work here in Washington are as committed to the welfare of your membership today and in the future as we have been in the past, and to tell you that we will take every possible step to make sure that the steel industry and the workers in this country are moved steadily forward. So I am glad to be here, Dave.

Mr. McDonald: Mr. President, that was very kind of you--your kind words--and I just want to say that we have tried to help you in this most terrific job you have. We know what your problems are on the Hill; we are critical of your critics, believe me. They do not realize what a real tough job you have with the Congress of the United States, so I say to you that anything at all we can do to help you advance your most wonderful program on behalf of the people of the United States, and, in fact, on behalf of the people in most of the world, we are with you.

THE PRESIDENT We are trying to pass legislation and we hope by the time this Congress ends, it will be substantially moved ahead. If not, to carry it to completion next year in the new Congress. Programs which will help our people by providing an opportunity for them--those who are out of school and who cannot find work--which will help some of our workers in their industries who cannot find work to be retrained, which will provide decent standards of unemployment compensation for those who may be between jobs, to provide assistance for health care of the aged and to those who have retired, to provide assistance through public works programs and by other means to our economy to stimulate it forward, to rewrite our tax bills to provide an upward movement to our economy, to deal in a dozen different ways with our domestic strength so that there is an opportunity for all people. I think the Steelworkers this year have made a real contribution to strengthen our country.

The agreement which was made, which was a responsibility, which was made 3 months ahead of time, which was made without a strike, I think, was an example of the kind of responsible unionism with which the United States--Steelworkers have been long identified. I am glad that it was possible for the company, finally, and the union to work together in this matter. I just want to say that I think there are a good many things still left to do in this country. We are committed to try to do them. We seek the support of a House and Senate that will join this effort and not prevent us from taking action on these vital measures which make the difference between prosperity and recession--between a man having a decent job and not having one--between a man being able to send his children to college and not being able to do so--between a man being able to retire with a decent expectation of dignity and not being able to do so. These are the issues--they may not be perhaps as dramatic as they were 30 years ago, but they are just as important. We have just as many unfinished things to do and I want you to know that we are going to try to do them. We are going to work with the House and Senate to do them and we ask your help in electing a House and Senate with standards for progress and not one that wants to sit still and look to the past rather than the future, because I know how strongly your membership believes in the idea of progress for our country and has throughout all of its years. I just want to say that I consider myself privileged to come to this convention even from long distance and speak to you from the White House.

Mr. McDonald: Well, we are certainly sorry that you couldn't be with us in person. We are looking forward to '64 and in the meantime, Mr. President, I assure you that the Steelworkers political action committee forces will be working--ringing doorbells, doing all those zillion things which have to be done to supply a good Congress for you so you can put over your program.

THE PRESIDENT. I appreciate that, Dave. After all, the Steelworkers have helped elect me and now we are going to help elect a Congress that will help us to do the things that need to be done. I want to thank you and wish you every success with the convention.

Mr. McDonald: Thank you very much, Mr. President.