Remarks at Ceremonies Honoring George W. Norris on the 100th Anniversary of His Birth.

FIRST, let me tell you that I am sorry to keep my former colleagues waiting. Secondly, I am glad to have this visit from the Board of Directors of the TVA because of TVA's national and international importance. Perhaps Mr. Vogel would like to say something to us here.

[At this point Herbert D. Vogel Chairman of the Board of Directors of TVA, paid a tribute to Senator Norris and announced a reduction in the TVA rate schedule to be known as the Norris Centennial Rate. The President then called on Senator Lister Hill of Alabama and Representative Clifford Davis of Tennessee for remarks, after which he resumed speaking.]

I want to express again my appreciation. I always thought it was a most interesting thing about Senator Norris, that he actually lived so far from it that he would get no benefit at all for his own State, but he and the people of his State still made this great effort.

The second thing is, I am conscious, sitting here, of the tremendous international implications of TVA and the fact that the TVA effort not only affects TVA but also reflects similar efforts in Pakistan, India, Iran, Colombia, other parts of Africa and Latin America. Every economic mission that comes here from Africa always comes first to see what they can do about a dam and power, and the TVA has always been their great inspiration. So that this is one of the most important international assets, as well as national assets, that we have.

And I want to say, General, that this Government, and the Members of both parties, this administration is extremely anxious to see TVA go forward, not rest on its laurels. For instance, we have' had correspondence about certain tributaries of the Tennessee River, and it seems to me this should receive greater attention in the TVA, as well as by the national Government. Local flood control projects in the Valley can be emphasized. Experiments in conjunction with the Atomic Energy Commission can be worked out to see about cheaper power from atomic energy at rates that will make it competitive, and that more intensive effort will now be made in soil conservation, particularly coal mines.

I want to express my thanks to Members of Congress for coming, because this is not only a substantive act in honoring Senator Norris, but shows our continuing interest by the Valley people and also by the people of the United States in further development of the TVA.

We have here Members almost all of whom served--and Mrs. Reece--who have been responsible over a period of many years in securing support from the Congress for the TVA. And this announcement from the TVA today, I have become more and more conscious of the role it plays. So that we are delighted to have you all here, and the Members of Congress, and to tell you that I hope when you next have a Norris Day, that additional progress will have been reported.

I happen to have one of my staff members here who was a former employee of the TVA, therefore I hear a good deal about it. I want to thank you--I don't want to hold anybody up, because I know many of you have Committee meetings, it's just that I appreciate your coming. Sorry I kept you, but I want to say that I think this matter is much more important than just an ordinary White House ceremony, because of the significance of this project in many different ways o