Remarks at the Swearing In of Arthur S. Flemming as Special Consultant to the President on Aging.

Ladies and gentlemen:

I welcome Dr. Flemming as an old friend in swearing him in today. I recall during the years he served on President Eisenhower's Cabinet how ably he served his country. As I bring him into this special position, I should point out to those members of the press corps who did not follow him then that he had several attributes: One, he is a man who is tremendously popular in the Government, and two, despite that very calm exterior he has, he is enormously tenacious. Once he starts working on something, he keeps working until the job is done. Three, he believes very deeply in matters before he takes on an assignment.

I know his heart is deeply committed, as is his mind, to the problems of the elderly. I know that as he travels around the country and sees the problems, that he will come with his recommendations to this office. He will not pound the desk, but he can be even more effective than that in his quiet, effective way.

I think the elderly have in him one who will very effectively present a point of view that needs to be represented here in the highest office of the White House, eloquently, as he does. Also, I believe that we have in him the man who has the experience and the background to take this particular issue, to analyze all its parts, and to make recommendations, not for the sake of their being particularly melodramatic, but for the sake of getting things done in this critical area for our senior citizens across the land.

Now we will have the swearing-in ceremony. I will give the Bible to Mrs. Flemming and Judge Flannery will swear him in.

[At this point, Thomas A. Flannery, United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, administered the oath of office. The President then resumed speaking.]

Dr. Flemming, you will have other occasions when you can talk at greater length, but now you are recognized for one minute, if you like.