Remarks Following a Visit With President and Mrs. Truman at Their Home in Independence, Missouri.

MRS. JOHNSON and I always renew our strength and our faith by visiting with the President and Mrs. Truman.

They have walked the same path that we are now walking. They have rendered a great service to their country in many capacities for many years. I think it is especially appropriate that we could be here at this period of the year because next week is President Truman's 84th birthday.

We are all so grateful and so thankful that we have had the benefit of his wisdom and patriotism with us all of these years.

One of the first men to call me when I undertook the awesome responsibilities of the Presidency was this great leader and this friend of mine of many years.

He has been with me all the way, all the time. And he has given us strength and comfort.

Today, I talked to him about his experiences in the Pacific, his leadership in the dark days of the Korean conflict as well as the latter days of the European struggle and the Pacific struggle.

I reported to him on the developments in NATO, in Europe, in our trade negotiations and the developments that are taking place in the new Asia.

I talked to him about my conversations with the leader of the Republic of South Korea, the nation who enjoys its freedom and its independence today because of the courage of Harry Truman and the wisdom of Harry Truman supported by America's fighting men.

I talked to the President about the oncoming peace talks in Paris and the problems that we would encounter there.

I asked for his suggestions, his advice, and as always he gave them to me frankly and with the bark off.

I am leaving refreshed and reinvigorated and happy at what I have seen and what I have heard, and eternally thankful that Mrs. Johnson and I have been privileged to know greatness and to witness it again here today in this typically American home with these typical American people.

One of my great friends, Eric Hoffer, had breakfast at my bedside a couple of mornings ago. He was telling me of his great admiration for President Truman. He said, "The reason I think so much of him is because the whole United States is full of Trumans. He is so much like all of us."

That is why I enjoy President Truman so much. As I told one of his old friends yesterday, Smitty of the United Press, "The country is made up of Harry Trumans. He is so much like all of us."

Thank you, Mr. Truman, for letting us come in here. Thank you, Mrs. Truman. We hope we can come back often.