Remarks of the President During Secretary Dulles' Television Report on His European Visit.

[Broadcast from the President's Office at 7:00 p.m.]

FOSTER, it is good to have you here to tell us something of the significant events that took place during your recent visit to Europe. You realize that through the cameras in this room your report will go to the entire nation. And so I hope that in addition to the details of that trip, you will tell us something about the developing scene in the international field as you see it, and something of the prospects for real progress in our incessant search for peace.

[At this point Secretary Dulles stated that the week was so crowded with events he hardly knew how to start. The President then resumed speaking.]

Well, I will tell you, Foster, I think that it might be well to go clear back to 2 years ago. Then you will remember with our colleagues in the legislative branch in both parties the administration was developing the policies intended to produce, and basic to that policy was the belief--the conviction--that only through cooperative strength developed in the free world could we really face up to this threat that the communist dictatorship posed to all free men. We believed, as you know, that until Western Europe had been united, until there were some German forces joining the NATO organization, and until we had some confidence in the Russian word through deeds rather than mere protestation, that it would do little good to have talks with them. And you will realize that you and I finally decided that I should make some pronouncement along this line, and did so, on April 16 of 1953.

Now we agreed at that time that if we could through the kind of steps I have just mentioned, arrive at the point where we had a real basis for going ahead, even if only with faint hope of real progress, that we might finally develop between ourselves and with the Soviets a new relationship that would at least allow some hope of progress toward this great goal of peace that is of course the great dream of every American.

So, against that kind of backdrop, I think you could relate the events of recent times and on your--just your recent trip to Europe, to tell us about the story as you see it.

[At this point Secretary Dulles discussed Germany's membership in NATO, his talks with NATO Council members regarding Asian problems, and the signing of the Austrian State Treaty. He also discussed the proposed 4-power talks and the dangers as well as the opportunities in such a meeting, in particular the danger that hope would be raised so high that it couldn't be realized. The President then resumed speaking.]

Foster, I don't believe that danger is quite so great as it was once, because my mail shows this: that the American people are really pretty well aware of what is going on. They realize this is merely a beginning and not an end. I have taken tremendous hope and confidence from the tenor of the remarks I have seen in our newspapers, and commentators, and everybody else--I am sure that there is greater maturity than we would have expected several years ago.

[At this point Secretary Dulles discussed the implications of the Soviet policy shift, and spoke again of the proposed summit meeting. He stressed the need [or adhering to established policies having bipartisan support in undertaking the solution of problems at the meeting. The President then resumed speaking.]

In a word, we want to stay strong and will stay vigilant, but we are not going to extinguish the hope that a new dawn may be coming, even if it rises--the sun rises very, very slowly.

Thank you very much, Foster. It has been a real privilege to hear such a brilliant report on a very significant two weeks.