Remarks to a Group of United States Attorneys.

Mr. Attorney General, Mr. Deputy .Attorney General, Assistant Attorneys General, District Attorneys, ladies and gentlemen:

When we met together here a year ago, I appealed to you to make a very special effort. I have come back today to personally thank you for the credit you have brought to your Nation, the diligence you have brought to your job, and the great satisfaction that you have given your President.

I asked you to do everything that you could within the limitations of your office and your personnel to reduce your case loads. I am very grateful for your response.

I know that it is through long hours and hard work that you have reduced that load and chipped away substantially at that backlog.

I know that you feel as I do that we must not rest on our past performance because the problem of controlling crime and the problem of achieving justice is about as important a problem as we have in our Republic. We have a big job to do in the months ahead and with your help, we are going to do it.

So, this afternoon, I wanted to ask you to make an even greater effort for your country, for your Attorney General, and for your President to try to clear your dockets this year. I ask this even though I am fully aware that your workload increases as the cause of justice is advanced.

I have asked the Congress, upon the urgent recommendation of your Attorney General, to extend to you more help. We have requested a 14 percent increase in the number of Assistant United States Attorneys.

This is the biggest increase that has ever been sought in any 1 year from the Congress. But never before in our 178-year history has the office of the United States Attorney been so burdened with such great responsibilities.

Only a few years ago, a United States Attorney would not be concerned with protection to the consumer or with the many aspects of civil rights, or with the major disorders in the streets.

But today, this Government has taken a stand and it has taken that stand against the sale of dangerous fabrics. It has taken a stand against the sale of unwholesome meat to our citizens.

It has dozens of laws on behalf of the consumer that have been passed that must be enforced and executed and dozens more that are now being considered.

The Government has said that no longer can a man be denied work because of the color of his skin, nor can he be denied his vote, either.

We have set our face against lawlessness, and with all of these commitments, it just means one thing--your workdays are longer and you are away from home a good deal more.

When riots flared in our cities recently, I know that some of you worked around the clock to keep yourselves, your Attorney General, and your President here in Washington fully informed.

I don't know whether you realize it or not, but I doubt that there are any individuals more responsible for the rather remarkable record, with thousands upon thousands upset and restless in the streets of the Nation--the big metropolitan areas--with dozens of thousands of troops there attempting to stop the burning and the looting and things of that nature. There was not one fatality as a result of a Federal gun.

I think a large part of that was due to the cool judgment, the wise counsel, the sober and able leadership of the Justice Department from the top to the bottom. And I am grateful for that.

Lives were spared. Lives were saved. We can rebuild property. We can replace the loss of money. But a life taken can never be restored.

In your districts, I think that you are the outstanding representatives of the Federal Government. As a representative, you have a very important function to perform for this majestic Government because you are the living symbols of the United States Government's dedication to what we like to refer to as justice in this country.

You are the living symbol of order under the law. So many people look to you, not only for advice and for counsel, but they emulate you and they learn from you--both by precept and example.

There will be some things in this administration that will not be remembered long. But if there is one thing that our children learn from our service here, I hope it is this: that I don't think there was ever a period when there were more dedicated people, more diligently discharging their duties, earnestly and genuinely seeking to do the greatest good for the greatest number.

For whatever progress we may have made, whatever semblance of justice that we may have brought about, we are deeply in the debt of those of you who have come here this afternoon.

I did not ask you to come here to try to stimulate you or try to inspire you. I just asked you to come here to let you know that we cared about you.

I see one or two of you out there whom I have been able to recognize and in a measure reward for your outstanding service by elevating you to one of the most precious honors that can come to a citizen--to become a member of the judiciary of this country.

The only thing that I regret is that I just don't have a judgeship for each of you because you deserve it.

You have been faithful to your trust and you have reflected credit on your President. That is a good way of saying that you have served your country well.

Thank you so much.