Remarks at the Swearing In of Dr. Samuel M. Nabrit and Wilfrid E. Johnson as Members of the Atomic Energy Commission.

Mr. Vice President, Dr. Nabrit, Mrs. Nabrit, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Johnson, members of your family, Chairman Seaborg, distinguished Chairman of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, my friend Mr. Holifield, ladies and gentlemen:

We have come here this afternoon to welcome two old and distinguished Americans to our official family. At the same time, we come to mark the 20th anniversary of both the Atomic Energy Act and the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy.

By these actions 20 years ago, in 1946, the American people pledged that atomic energy would serve not only the national defense of this country, but international peace and the progress of the mankind of the world.

We have done a great deal to fulfill that pledge. Atomic power has been the shield of this Nation's security, and it has also become the symbol of hope.

The Atomic Energy Commission's operating budget is now about evenly divided between nonmilitary uses of the atom and the direct needs of the defense of this Nation.

As a result, nuclear energy is enlarging its role in meeting our total needs for electricity. We have enough installed capacity to meet the electrical needs of almost 2 million American families. And we will increase that capacity more than five times in the 4 years that are immediately ahead of us.

The atom is also at work in medicine, agriculture, and industry. "Spin-off" from atomic development already has advanced progress in our virus research. It has already improved our color television reception. It has even uncovered ways to assure greater cleanliness in the operation of our hospital rooms throughout the country.

We all realize that many new applications of atomic energy lie ahead of us. One of these is especially exciting to those of us who learned early in life what the real value to all Americans of fresh water was. It now appears that large nuclear plants can not only produce electrical power, but they can produce supplies of fresh water along with it.

About two-thirds of our planet is covered with water, yet less than 1 percent is water that we can use in our daily lives. More than 97 percent is still in the oceans. Another 2 percent lies frozen in glaciers and ice caps. And a great deal of the 1 percent that comes to us as rain or snow is now wasted long before we can use it.

In the next 20 years the world's demand for fresh water will double. We must learn how to use and how to re-use our water supplies over and over again.

We will have to develop large-scale, efficient, and economic desalting plants. We must learn to use the atom to provide the energy for those plants.

And we must use that knowledge and that energy as a part of a massive international development and effort to solve man's need for water in the world.

This is a very exciting field. I recall as a Congressman one of the great experiences of my legislative career was the day when Speaker Joe Martin told me that I would be assigned to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy of the House and the Senate. I remember vividly the leadership of the distinguished Senator from Iowa, who at that time was chairman of that committee. And I know of no work that I did during the 25 years I was in the Congress that I enjoyed more than serving on that committee.

So I would say to you, Dr. Nabrit, and to you, Mr. Johnson, that this is one of the challenges that your Atomic Energy Commission faces today. Your work is really cut out for you.

There are men scattered throughout this audience who have devoted a good part of their lives to this work, who stand ready to counsel with you and to advise with you, and to help--men who have gone before and who have laid down the pattern that it is now your great honor to follow.

I have every confidence that the careful study that we gave to the qualifications of you two men will prove that you are equal to this challenge. Of the many distinguished public servants that I have had come to this room to swear into office since I became President, none have come to us, in my judgment, with better qualifications or with a greater record of achievement.

I hope that you will remember in the days that follow that both of you were urged upon me by the distinguished Chairman of this Commission, who is giving us outstanding leadership and who is one of this Nation's most valued public servants.

Dr. Nabrit received his master of science degree and doctorate in biology at Brown University and he has done graduate work at Columbia University, and work at the University of Brussels. He is a noted biologist who for the past 11 years has been the president of the Texas Southern University.

Mr. Johnson--I regret to say no kin of mine--was born in England, but he has been a citizen of this country for many years. He was graduated from Oregon State College with a bachelor of science degree in 1930. He received his master's degree and the honorary degree of doctor of science from that same institution. He occupied positions of great leadership in the atomic field for many years, serving until last May as general manager for the General Electric Company in its operation of the AEC's Richland, Washington, installation.

He not only has the great confidence of the Chairman of the Commission and other members of the Commission, but the chairman of the Joint Committee regards him as one of the best equipped men in this Nation for this post.

Last year Mr. Johnson received the AEC's award for meritorious contributions to the U.S. nuclear energy program.

If Dr. Nabrit and Mr. Johnson will now step forward, the oath of office will be administered, and we will be delighted to welcome you into the family.