Excerpts of Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy, Lawrence Hotel, Erie, PA - (Advance Release Text)

I look forward to the development of the port of Erie as a thriving center of international commerce.

The avenue for that development is the St. Lawrence Seaway. It holds the prospect of attracting new industry to Erie. In new industry lies the prospect of revenues to meet other, pressing local needs, such as education.

I was the first Member of Congress from my State to support the seaway. At the time it was not popular in the port of Boston. There was a feeling that it would hurt local interests. But my feeling was that the seaway was a great international waterway, of potential benefit to the whole country. My feeling was that it was good for Erie and the other Great Lakes ports, that it was good for Pennsylvania, and good for Minnesota, and good for the Nation. As a matter of national interest, I supported the seaway.

I also supported, this year, the bill which authorized the dredging and expansion of the Erie Harbor to accommodate oceangoing vessels.

What we must do now is to go full speed forward to complete the port project, and thus bring the seaway to Erie as a commercial reality. You may be sure of my support for this project in the future as in the past.