I thought you might find this interesting.
John F Kennedy’s Speech…
5-11-1961.
E K S.F-A.
I just watched “Wonderstruck”
W.S connected to the New York power electrical Black Outs. “B.O”/ O B. 15 2. 152.
111 Perfection and 41 H O M E
152.
I paused as I was wonder-struck by what the film was revealing. *scene at 41s Street.
I saw on my page- code 1 6 on my computer, noting Sabrina “Mel” had made a post, as well as Axel Love. I investigated Sabrina/Anirbas page and saw a post from Evan Kennedy… E.K. I make my comment and search for a film “The Post” is what I am watching – and it connected me to the world of Vietnam. V.I E. T. NAM.E- which was a big part of my childhood in Canada.
The thread brought me to …
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Due to the coronavirus public health emergency, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum will be closed until further notice.
NEWS CONFERENCE 11, MAY 5, 1961
President John F. Kennedy
State Department Auditorium
Washington, D.C.
May 5, 1961
3:30 P. M. EDST
389 In Attendance
Listen to this news conference.
THE PRESIDENT: I have several announcements to make.
This week Ambassador Arthur H. Dean has reported to me upon the status of the nuclear test ban conference at Geneva. On the opening day of the resumed conference, the United States, in closest cooperation with the United Kingdom, presented a series of new proposals; and on April 18, 1961, presented a complete nuclear test ban draft treaty. The new U.S. position represents an earnest and reasonable effort to reach a workable agreement. It constitutes a most significant over-all move in these negotiations. Unfortunately, the Soviet Union has introduced a new proposition into the negotiations which amounts to a built-in veto of as inspection system.
The Soviet proposal calls for a three-man administrative council to direct inspection operations and other activities of the control arrangements. This proposal reverses a position to which the Soviet Union had previously agreed. In earlier negotiations before this session in Geneva, it had been agreed that the inspection system would be headed by a single administrator, operating within a mandate clearly defined in the treaty. The Soviet Union would substitute a directorate, representing the Communist Bloc, the Western nations, and uncommitted countries. Each member of this triumvirate would have to agree with every other member before any action could be taken; even relatively detailed elements of the inspection system would be subject to a veto or a debating delay.
We recognize that the Soviet Union put forward its proposition before it had considered our new proposals. It is now considering our draft treaty, and we hope it will do so in a positive manner, as of course we are most anxious to secure an agreement in this vital area, a responsible and effective agreement.
Ambassador Dean is leaving for Geneva today to resume the negotiations. The United States will continue to strive for a reliable and workable agreement. I have asked Ambassador Dean to report to me within a reasonable time on the prospects for a constructive outcome.
Secondly, I have asked Vice President Johnson to undertake a special fact-finding mission to Asia. The Vice President has agreed to do this. I consider this an extremely important assignment, and I will be looking forward to receiving the Vice President’s first-hand reports when he returns. The Vice President will report directly to me upon his return. It is expected that the State Department will make public the itinerary and the technicians who will accompany the Vice President as soon as possible. It is anticipated that in the course of his trip the Vice President will consult with top governmental officials and conduct discussions on the highest levels relating to the situations in those countries.
Next, I have today instructed the United States representatives on the Council of the Organization of American States to propose the convocation on July 15th of an extraordinary meeting of the Inter-American Economic and Social Council to be held at the ministerial level.
The purposes of this meeting should be to initiate and develop planning and arrangements related to realistic economic development in the Americas, as well as to elaborate the objectives of the Act of Bogota in all key areas of economic and social betterment. This will be an important aspect of the cooperative program which I have set forth in the concept of the Alliance for Progress.
And then finally, I was asked at a previous press conference what the government was going to do about the aluminum extrusion plant that it owns in Adrian, Michigan. I am pleased to announce that the General Services Administration has completed negotiations for the sale of the plant to the Harley Aluminum Company of California, and one of the conditions of the sale was that the plant be kept for production.
QUESTION: Mr. President, you said earlier today that todays Space flight should provide the incentive to everyone in our nation concerned with this program to redouble their efforts in this vital field.
Do you have any specific proposals as to how these efforts should be redoubled, and would you want more money for Space now than you have already asked from Congress?
THE PRESIDENT: The answer to the question is Yes, we are going to send an additional request for appropriations for Space, which I hope will have a beneficial effect on the program. We are going to make a substantially larger effort in Space.
QUESTION: Mr. President, in the speech prepared for delivery in Chicago last Friday, which you did not read, you said that the principal adversary was not the Russians, but rather our own unwillingness to do what must be done. Could you clarify for us your thinking on that, and indicate some field in which the American people have not done what their governmental leaders asked?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, the latter is not the correct — I said “our,” which did not make a distinction between the government and the people. I was talking about the common problems of our free society.
I do wish that some of the speeches I give would get as much attention as the speeches which I do not give. (laughter)
I do think there are a number of things that can usefully be done. We are going to require a larger effort in Space. We are going to require a larger effort in other areas of the national security, and we will be making our suggestions to the Congress.
I will say that this is a free society and it really requires a good deal of voluntary effort. On the matter of Space, I have asked Secretary Goldberg to cooperate closely with Senator McClellan, to see if we can get a responsible, consistent effort by labor and management in the field of production of our missile program.
What is true there is true of other programs essential to our national defense. We have meetings at the White House under the leadership of Secretary Goldberg and Secretary Hodges, a panel composed of the leading business and labor leaders of this country and public members, to see if we can persuade labor and management to come to useful national conclusions on problems of price and wages, which will affect our balance of payments, and also address themselves to the problems of automation.
Now the Federal government cannot compel that. All we can do is indicate the need. We are asking the people of this country to spend a good deal of money on mutual security and foreign assistance which is not a popular program, but which I believe to be essential.
We have asked the people to support a greater effort, both the national government and in their own communities, to improve education.
We are asking the people of this country to try, regardless of their own personal views, to come closer to the Constitutional concept of equality of opportunity for all Americans, regardless of their race or creed.
There are a good many of these areas which are within the private sector where each person can contribute usefully, to strengthen education, to improve the opportunity for all Americans, to pay heavy burdens as they do in taxation to maintain programs which they may not always wholly agree with, but which at least many of us feel to be in the national interest. In their own private work they consider the national needs, and we will continue to try to point out where we need a national effort.”
4:15 a.m.
D O.
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