Remarks at the Eastern Regional Meeting of the National Council on Aging.

Mr. Meyer, Mr. Shelley, Mrs. Mathiasen, Mr. Secretary, Mr. Commissioner, my good friends:

Something very remarkable happened all over America this last weekend that you have had a lot to do with. Before you left for home and your meeting broke up, I had hoped that I could get under the wire and get some of the engagements of the White House behind me and come over to talk to you about what happened--and express my appreciation to you, and through you, to the other good people in this country who helped us.

On every street in this Nation--on Main Street, on Elm Street, on Fifth Avenue--the day-to-day life of tens of millions of Americans was changing because it was on Saturday that 24 million social security checks went into the mail boxes. The dollar amount of those checks was on an average of 16 percent higher than it had been just 1 month before.

You know, and I know, that that was the greatest single increase in the entire history of social security in America since our great President first brought it to the American people, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

In a single stroke, more than 1 million Americans were lifted above the poverty line. Of course, the great majority of the people who benefited were elderly people. A retired couple receiving maximum benefits now gets $234 each month instead of the former amount, $207--$234, Up from $207.

A typical couple on benefits now gets $169 a month, up from $139--$139 to $169.

Now, all the 200 million people do not know that. They should know it--but all the people don't know how some of the people actually live. That is one of the big problems that we have in this country. But these 24 million know it--and those are the numbers.

Now, what those numbers mean in terms of day-to-day experience for millions of Americans is heartening. Our studies show that much of the dollar increase, actually all of it, goes for necessities--for food, shelter, and clothing.

But the studies also show that the money is used for the amenities of life--for the things that make the difference between living and just existing.

--Enough money, for example, so that occasionally a grandparent can travel to see his grandchild.

--Enough money to buy a gift for a grandchild instead of going there without any little present at all.

--Enough money for a man and his wife to take an adult education course, or to plant a new flowerbed, or to improve a new driveway, or to put some flowers in the backyard instead of the front yard.

In all, in the last 2 1/2 years, social security insurance benefits have gone up in this country by 35 percent. The aged have more than a third more to live on today than they did in 1965. Now, these are the men and women who, in their working years, made this country. They made it what it is. They made it great. They made it prosperous. They made it the envy of all the world.

You wouldn't think it should be when you read about what terrible shape we are in according to some people today. But there are not many anywhere who would not want to trade with us.

No one is more deserving of a share of that praise than these people. The Bible tells us, "Honor thy father and thy mother."

That is the goal of our activity for the aged in this administration.

An elderly parent has the right to dignity and independence. He has earned that right.

We live in a society that we think is prosperous enough so that no old person must feel that he is a burden on a son or a daughter--to say nothing of a son-in-law.

We have been working toward that, and I believe we are succeeding.

In 1960, the Federal Government spent $13 billion for all of its programs for all of its pensions for the aged. By 1963, when I came into office, that amount had moved from $13 billion to $17 billion.

This year's budget asks for not $17 billion, but $33 billion--almost twice as much as in 1963. Now, that is not because of the Vietnam war; that is in spite of the Vietnam war.

The social security increases that went into effect on Saturday were substantial. But I came across the river today for this 5-minute appearance to tell you that they are not substantial enough in my judgment.

I recommended to the Congress. I pleaded with the Congress. I urged the Congress to pass a 20 percent increase with a $70--$70 minimum for individuals.

We didn't get a 20 percent increase. We got only a 16 percent increase. We didn't get a $70 minimum. We got a $55 minimum. And I got a little heck en route.

Well, I don't think $55 and 16 percent is enough. It is not enough. It is not enough for the people to live on. I thought so last year and I think so this year.

If all goes well we are going to get that additional increase or keep on fighting for it.

There is a reason for all of us to be here. Some of us have different views. Some of us look at things differently. Some of us are tall and some of us are short. Some are slender and some are fat. It takes all kinds of people to make up a world. But the best justification for any of us being here is what we are ready and willing to do and what we are able to do to better humankind.

People with financial statements are not long remembered because of that statement. There are a few who have perpetuated their memory, but they are not remembered very long. But what you do for your fellow man is never forgotten.

So, in the limited time allotted each of you here in the richest nation in all the world, there is nothing that can occupy that time to a better advantage than to try to bring peace in the world and peace and good will at home.

The best way to have peace in the world and peace and good will at home is to make it possible for every human being to have at least the bare necessities of life:

--a roof over their head,

--clothes to cover their body,

--food to sustain themselves,

--a modicum of recreation now and then.

The American people don't ask much--school for their children and a place to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.

But Franklin Roosevelt said in his time, "One-third of our people are ill-clad, ill-housed, and ill-fed."

We have moved things along considerably since that time. But we still have people who are ill-clad, ill-fed, and ill-housed. And we should not be satisfied with ourselves for one minute until poverty is banished from this land, until our ill-clad are clothed, until our ill-fed are fed, and until our ill-housed have a roof over their head.

Now that is what good people like you work for. You work for it in the group that needs it the most.

Somehow those of us in between can kind of "root, hog or die" and get by as best we can. But the elder citizen needs a little more attention and the younger one needs a little more attention.

I am so glad that you invited me to come over here and be with you because I like to be with people who give our older folks the kind of attention that you do and the kind they need. And I am going to be working with you in the days ahead to see that we realize our objectives and that we attain our goals.

Thank you and goodby.