Remarks at the Presentation to President and Mrs. Kennedy of Copies of a New White House Guide Book.

Dr. Finley, Dr. Grosvenor:

I want to express our thanks to the National Geographic Society for the work that they have done, the members of the staff, Mrs. Pearce who was the Curator and who supervised the drafting and drafted most of it and who, I think, has done an outstanding job.

It is, I think, an extraordinary document. It will be sold to those who visit the White House and the profits from the selling will go to buy additional treasures for the White House so that we can constantly enrich the White House and make it more important to us as Americans.

We are freeing ourselves somewhat from annual appropriations in this regard and setting up business on our own, and this has been made possible by the generosity of the National Geographic Society and others who have participated.

I must say it is a beautiful book. The White House, it seems to me, is becoming of greater and greater interest to Americans. Last year was the first year we had over a million people visiting. This year we hope to have 1.5 or 1.6 million, and in another year or so we will be up to 2 million. And I think when they all go home, if they can take this book with them, it is a most fascinating story of the White House, filled with most interesting historic details. And as I say, everyone who buys it will also be, in a sense, contributing to the White House and contributing to making it more beautiful for those who will come after them.

This started out, as Mrs. Kennedy tells in her foreword, to be, in a sense, a book for boys and girls so that they would get more out of their visit to the White House. And then I think, quite rightly, she says, "It was planned--at first for the children. It seemed such a shame that they should have nothing to take away with them, to help sort out the impressions received on an often crowded visit. It was hoped that they would go over the book at home and read more about the Presidents who interested them most. Its purpose was to stimulate their sense of history and their pride in their country.

"But as research went on and so many little-known facts were gleaned from forgotten papers, it was decided to make it a book that could be of profit to adults and scholars also."

And I think it is. It is for scholars, it is for grownups, it is for boys and girls; it is for Americans and it is for visitors to our country. So I am grateful to all those who participated in a very important public service, and they are to be congratulated.

And I also want to express my warmest congratulations and appreciation to my wife.

Thank you.