Remarks of Welcome to the Vice President Following His Mission to Asia

Mr. Vice President and Mrs. Humphrey, Secretary Rusk, ladies and gentlemen:

We are very happy this afternoon to welcome the Vice President and Mrs. Humphrey back to Washington and to the White House. The Vice President has visited eight or nine countries in areas of the world that are very important. He has carried the message of all Americans to the people of free Asia, and today I think there is much better understanding among the people of the United States and the people of Asia than was true before he left. I have read your reports, Mr. Vice President, daily. I have been encouraged by the manner in which you presented the viewpoint of this country. I have been heartened by your understanding of the viewpoint of the countries you visited. Tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock we will ask you to meet with the bipartisan leadership in the Cabinet Room. At 9 o'clock you will meet with the leaders of the Armed Services, Appropriations, and Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Relations Committees of the House and Senate in the East Room of the White House to hear your report.

We are delighted you are back. We think you performed a most useful and constructive service. The years of experience that you have devoted to public life in Minnesota, and in the United States Senate in a position of leadership and as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, have certainly served you in good stead in your mission of peace that you have just completed.

I know the people are eager and anxious to hear from you. I hope that you say what is in your head and your heart, and then, if you will, I would like to go over to the office with Secretary Rusk and Mr. Bundy and others, and to stay with you as long as we can this evening before I have to go to New York.

THE VICE PRESIDENT. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you for your expression of faith and confidence.

Mr. President, on this journey of some 43,000 miles, I have been very fortunate to have as a counselor, adviser, and as one of your most trusted advisers and diplomats, the distinguished Ambassador, Averell Harriman, and also of course Ambassador Hand, Mr. Valenti, and other members of our Government that have given us encouragement, guidance, and strength wherever we have been in the presentation of our views and policies.

At your request, we have traveled long and we have traveled far--as I have said, in fact, some 43,000 miles. And it is great to be home to our own beloved America.

Everywhere we were received with warm friendship and cordial hospitality. We have had the privilege of visiting with the people and the leaders of nine countries in Asia and the Pacific--in South Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, and Korea. In each country, Mr. President, we reviewed with the leaders of government the decisions of that historic Honolulu Conference. We came to these countries to learn and to observe. We came to discuss matters of mutual concern and interest, and we did so with frankness and with candor.

Of course, I shall be reporting, as you have indicated, to you, sir, in detail and to the Members of Congress whom you have mentioned here today.

Mr. President, we return from this journey with renewed confidence and with determination and renewed encouragement. I am encouraged because the tide of battle in Vietnam has turned in our favor. The spirit of our fighting men and those of our great allies is good. Their courage and their performance in battle is superb. Their humanitarian assistance to a war torn country is an inspiration. They bring honor to themselves and to our country. They deserve, and thank goodness, Mr. President, from you and the Nation they are receiving support and justified praise.

Then, too, there are other Americans of equal courage and skill and determination fighting the battle against man's ancient enemies of disease and hunger, and of poverty and ignorance. Yes, as you have stated it yourself, we wage two battles. One is to prevent the success of aggression, and we are succeeding in that battle. The other is to help rebuild a new society of new promise and new hope based on justice and opportunity. We shall succeed in this, too. This is the meaning of the Declaration of Honolulu.

I am encouraged by the determination of the Asian people and their leaders to help themselves to build a better life. I return with a profound sense of appreciation--appreciation of our comradeship with the peoples of Asia and the Pacific in their struggle against aggression and subversion and tyranny, and an appreciation of our partnership with the nations of this troubled region in the creation of their own far-reaching social revolution, and, Mr. President, an appreciation of our leadership, your leadership, and of our unity in the pursuit of a just and honorable peace.

It should warm the heart of every American to know that we have staunch friends in all of the countries that we visited. Rightfully proud of their own history and culture and with a deep sense of self-respect and self-determination, they look to America for understanding, for help, and for assistance in their fight against the wrongs of the past, and the threat of subversion and aggression.

The challenge that we face is widely understood as a test of free men everywhere, and the leaders of free Asia and the Pacific are confident of success, just as we are confident of success. They are increasingly eager to give of their resources to the wider battle for a better life for their people. They, too, Mr. President, want their "Great Society."

In short, I return with a deep sense of confidence in our cause, and in its ultimate triumph. I have been singularly honored, Mr. President, to be your emissary and to observe what I hope can be and will be the cause of peace, the peace that you relentlessly pursue in your leadership and your statesmanship.

Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT. The success of the Vice President's visit was contributed to a great deal by the presence of a man who is always there when the decisions are being made and wherever the problems exist. He has been a distinguished public servant for decades in this Government. I want to publicly thank Ambassador Averell Harriman for being available and making the contribution he did in connection with this mission.

I also want to thank Jack Valenti and Ambassador Hand, Mr. Connell, and Mr. Rielly, and others who contributed so much.

Secretary Rusk, would you like to say something?

SECRETARY RUSK. Mr. President, I have had many echoes from the Vice President's trip. I think you and this country are both fortunate in having this spokesman to go to Asia and take the message of determination--both in resisting aggression and in building a peace--and also the message of hope in building a better life, just as soon as our resources can be fully committed to that great task of building a decent society with the peoples of that part of the world.

It is a great privilege for me to be here to help receive the Vice President.

THE PRESIDENT. Ambassador Harriman, would you say a word?

AMBASSADOR HARRIMAN. Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to be with the Vice President. I can say that he is a very fast operator. He moves very rapidly, and it takes quite a little energy to keep up with him.

But in all seriousness, he was extraordinarily well received everywhere, not only because of his own warmth of personality and the message that he brought, but it was in respect for you, sir, the President of the United States, for whom he was the emissary, and for the American people.

This trip was important and useful, and I think will contribute to an understanding in Asia of your objectives, Mr. President, and those of the American people.

THE PRESIDENT. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. We will go into the office of the White House now.

Thank you.