Jan 18 1964
From The Space Library
Current revision
At ceremonies dedicating the new National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., President Lyndon B. Johnson called for international sharing of knowledge: "The last four centuries of human experience have been centuries of exploration, discovery and advancement of the frontiers of man's knowledge . . "America, as we know it-freedom, as we know it-could well not exist tomorrow for our children and their children if we should lose from our national life that confidence in the future and that enthusiasm for exploration which has brought us to this high moment of history and hope. "All the seas have been sailed-all the continents explored. "The highest mountains have been scaled-the darkest jungles penetrated. "We have reached into the realms of space-and outward toward the domain of the stars. "This generation of Americans is challenged to live a life of high adventure. If we are to keep our trust of freedom, we must-in these last four decades of this century-undertake explorations in many realms which dwarf all those of the last four centuries. . "Scientific exploration and research know no national boundaries. Human knowledge is never the captive of international blocs. "Common sense dictates that all nations lend their learning to all other nations. This is a loan in which the science of all nations is the beneficiary and the good of all mankind is advanced. The more we share with each other, the less we misunderstand each other .. . "This Nation is committed now to the most intensive effort ever made by any peoples to advance the frontier of human knowledge. "We shall remain committed .. . "The United States shall welcome any who wish to join with us in seeking to serve the common good of mankind. But if others are not willing-or if they are not able-to join with us our own endeavors will not slacken . ." (Text, Wash. Post, 1/19/64, A6)
President Johnson sent letter to Soviet Premier Khrushchev, replying to Khrushchev's Dec. 31 letter which declared "the use of force for the solution of territorial disputes is not in the interest of any people or any country." President Johnson said: "Let us emphasize . . . our agreement on the importance your letter places on preserving and strengthening peace, and on the need to accompany efforts for disarmament with new efforts to remove the causes of friction and to improve the world's machinery for peacefully settling disputes. In this spirit, let us both present new proposals to the Geneva Disarmament Conference, in pursuit of the objectives we have previously identified; To prevent the spread of nuclear weapons; to end the production of fissionable material for weapons; to transfer large amounts of fissionable materials to peaceful purposes; to ban all nuclear weapons tests; to place limitations on nuclear weapons systems; to reduce the risk of war by accident or design; to move toward general disarmament. . ." (Text, CR, 1/22/64,812-13)
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