Statement by the President on His Annual Manpower Report.

MUCH REMAINS to be done, especially in four critical areas:

--persistent unemployment among the disadvantaged;

--problems of young jobseekers;

--growth of labor force in categories already experiencing high unemployment; and

--rising demand in service fields.

These challenges to an active, aggressive manpower policy can be met by a continuation of the efforts of 1964 and their enlargement and improvement where necessary:

--economic expansion and prosperity must be sustained and strengthened;

--the education program now before the Congress must continue to have the highest priority;

--the war on poverty must be redoubled and funds made available to enroll 600,000 disadvantaged young persons in work and training programs;

--the Manpower Development and Training Act should be made permanent and improved as a durable instrument for salvaging careers and opening employment doors;

--the job development program in the service industries must be pushed forward;

--the Area Redevelopment Act must be improved; the Appalachian program must be passed. Both are vital to prevent permanent community blight;

--the public employment service must be underwritten in larger measure;

--minimum wage and overtime protection must be extended to additional millions of workers; and

--the unemployment insurance system must be brought up to date.

It is my hope that these programs will be implemented without delay. Their success can move us closer to our manpower goal: that no human talent shall go to waste; that every American shall have full and equal opportunity to develop himself to the limit of his abilities.