Message on the Observance of Labor Day

Each year, we Americans set aside the first Monday of September to commemorate Labor Day. On this occasion we celebrate the achievements of our Nation's workers. It is the sweat, toil, and ingenuity of individual Americans that have insured the success of our great experiment in self-government.

The United States is the country that works. We lead the way in building, innovation and technology. We've put men and women into space, and we've walked on the Moon. Our farmers feed millions of people here at home and throughout the world, and our engineers and scientists have helped to usher in the computer age. We have built a free, strong, and prosperous Republic, one that is serving as a model for emerging democracies around the globe. Indeed, many U.S. labor organizations are helping to provide technical assistance, training, and other forms of aid to these countries.

We've done much, but our task will never truly be done because it is in the American spirit to reach higher, to do better. That is why we are engaged in a concerted effort to restore excellence to the Nation's schools. Our America 2000 strategy will help to ensure that our Nation's workers have the knowledge and skills, including the technical skills that are needed to enjoy full, productive lives in our increasingly competitive world.

This Labor Day, as we consider all that we have accomplished, let us rededicate ourselves to achieving the goals that still lie ahead. Let us continue to show the world how a free society works for its people. And let us remember that each of us, regardless of our occupation, has the power to contribute to a better America, a better world.