Remarks at the Opening of final Negotiations in the Railroad Dispute.

GENTLEMEN, I welcome you today here in a house that belongs to all of our people for your efforts to settle a long-standing dispute which, unless it is settled by reason, could have very grave consequences in our national life.

I am aware of the fact, of course, that this controversy has dragged on for a long and dreary 4 years. So we start with the premise that up to this point all efforts to achieve a workable solution have failed. We begin as failures. We will finish, I hope, as successes.

However, it is a deep-seated principle with me that has been entertained by me through more than 32 years of public service, that so long as men try conscientiously to resolve their differences by negotiation, so long as they will follow the philosophy of the prophet Isaiah to "Come now let us reason together," there is always a chance. And I want to give every chance to the prospects of negotiation.

We must constantly keep in mind that negotiation to settle disputes is the hallmark of a civilized and democratic society. It is this procedure that separates us from many less civilized or more barbaric or less understanding societies.

You will have with you some of the ablest men in this field from both Government and private life. They are here to be helpful and not to cast their weight on either side. The objective is an honorable solution and not a solution that is imposed by decree.

I want to present Mr. George Taylor, former chairman of the War Labor Board. Mr. Taylor received the Presidential Medal of freedom last December 6 here in the White House for outstanding and distinguished service to his country. Mr. Taylor received the Bok prize as the outstanding Philadelphia citizen. He is one of the country's senior mediators. The Secretary of Labor, Mr. Wirtz, tells me that his career for more than 30 years has been outstanding in this field. When I called him last night, although he had just taken his wife to the hospital, and she had been operated on yesterday, he agreed to be here at 9:30 this morning to serve his country. That speaks more eloquently for his selflessness than I can do.

On my right is Mr. Ted Kheel--Theodore Kheel, a lawyer, a mediator, a great American. He is a former president of the Urban League. He was a member of the board that worked on the maritime case last year. He is a longtime friend of mine who has never refused to give me his counsel and assistance in controversial problems beginning with the civil rights bill of '57 and the many other controversies that have engaged my attention since then. Mr. Kheel said last night that he would be here this morning and stay here as much time as needed to resolve this dispute.

Personally, I approach this matter free of any preconceptions other than the determination that the democratic rights and privileges of labor, management, and the public must all be protected. The national interest in all cases must be overriding, but the national interest is never truly served if individual rights are suppressed.

I am convinced from last night's session that you gentlemen are patriotic and honorable. An important national problem is now in your hands.

And to the press, I would say this: Both sides, I know, had great problems arriving at the decision that we came to. The railroads said that they would accept the President's proposal, and the brotherhoods said that they would yield to give us this chance.

I was never so proud to be an American as when I left the White House last night to go to my quarters, realizing that men of strong conviction who had labored for

4 years without a solution, who had already made decisions, were willing to revoke those decisions in the interest of what is good for all America.

So here we are. We start from here. Where we will go we know not. We will have a long, winding, rough road. But we are optimistic and we believe that the interests of all Americans will prevail over the interests of any single group. By the end of the 15-day period, if not sooner, we expect to resolve these differences. If we are unable to, we will follow the democratic processes and find other means. But we are encouraged and we are optimistic.

We thank you for your indulgence, and now we will start with our negotiations.