Proclamation 3718—National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation. Week, 1966

America's vast system of transportation is a monument to what free men can achieve in a free and enterprising society.

The United States is the only nation which maintains a system of transport that is both privately-owned and privately-operated.

That system has met every challenge, in war as in peace. It was created by farsighted men and private capital. It flourished with the encouragement of their Government. From that partnership has emerged the mighty and farflung transportation network that gives Americans the greatest mobility ever enjoyed by any nation.

In the past 20 years, the number of automobiles and trucks in this vast network has increased threefold, from 31 million to 90 million.

In two decades, our paved roads have grown from 1.5 million miles to twice that much today.

Twenty years ago, there were 38,000 private and commercial aircraft in our skies; today there are nearly 100,000.

Our inland waterways now carry 150 billion ton miles of freight across the nation every year, and our system of pipelines move 284 billion more.

Our railroads have also rejoined the ranks of expanding industries. Since 1961, reversing a period of long decline, railroads have been catching up with the steady and uninterrupted growth of the Nation's economy.

Today, transportation accounts for one in every five dollars in the American economy. In 1965, that amounted to $120 billion—more than the entire Gross National Product of this Nation in 1940.

Yet, great as our transportation system has become, it must grow still faster in the years ahead.

Our population is growing.

Our economy is expanding.

Our trade with other nations continues to increase.

And all depend on fast, efficient and safe transportation. During the next two decades, we must prepare to meet a demand for transportation which will be at least twice what is required today.

A fast, modern, and coordinated transportation network—by land, air, and sea—is also essential to our national defense. If we are to remain strong, transportation must keep abreast of our ever-changing military technology.

In recognition of these facts, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 22 of May 16, 1957 (71 Stat. 30), has requested the President to proclaim annually the third Friday of May of each year as National Defense Transportation Day, and by House Joint Resolution 628 of May 14, 1962 (76 Stat. 69), has requested the President to proclaim annually the week of May in which that Friday falls as National Transportation Week, as a tribute to the men and women who, night and day, move our goods and our people throughout the land and around the world.

Now, Therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate Friday, May 20, 1966, as National Defense Transportation Day, and the week beginning May 15, 1966, as National Transportation Week.

I urge our people to participate with representatives of the transportation industry, our armed services, and other governmental agencies, in the observance of these occasions through appropriate ceremonies.

I also invite the Governors of the States to provide for the observance of National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week in a way that will give the citizens of each community the opportunity to recognize and appreciate fully the vital role our great and modern transportation system plays in their daily lives and in the defense of our Nation.

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 twenty-second 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