Remarks at the Tree-Planting Ceremony at the White House on the President's 70th Birthday.

Mr. Commissioner and citizens of the District:

I take great pride from the fact that after almost 8 years in the White House and having been compelled at times to make decisions that could not possibly have pleased all of you--and I can understand that from your viewpoint so close at hand that you can point out what you at least believe to be errors of mine--yet you have found the time to come in on a 70th birthday of mine and by your presence give me encouragement and strength for the tasks that still lie ahead.

I owe you an apology for being late to my own birthday party. But, when I tell you its reason, I am sure you will applaud my decision to stay a few extra minutes in my office.

I have just been visited by the heads of United Nations delegations from 15 new African states, and from the state of Cyprus, all of these newly independent and coming for the first time as official delegates to the United Nations.

Now the message I want to give to you I bring from them. It is this: these new nations are anxious to follow the leadership of the United States in the great work of promoting justice in the world, promoting the opportunities of men everywhere to raise their standards of living so that they may truly lead lives of dignity and prize the liberty and the independence that they have so recently achieved.

They expressed for the people of the United States the warmest sentiments of friendship and hope that our relations will be so strong and so understanding between ourselves that the world will thereby profit in the pursuit of this age-old goal of peace in justice and in freedom.

So as I thank the people of this city for their great kindness in coming this morning--and the Commissioners for so thoughtfully presenting to me this tree which will one day be a towering giant long after I have gone--I want to say that I believe that we can have a little stronger conviction from the words and the sentiments expressed by these 15 delegations, we can have greater confidence that the world is moving in the direction we want it to go.

We must never--in spite of all the provocations of personal deportment or open or veiled threat as to our existence--we must never be discouraged from achieving those friendships and that kind of cooperation in the world that will eventually lead to the result for which man has so long longed.

I find it difficult here in this period just before I turn over the responsibilities of my office next January, to tell you how much I owe to the people of this city. Never in a single instance, whether from one individual, or people gathered in groups, or two or three or more, have I had anything but the utmost of courtesy, greatest encouragement from their smiles and their words of cheer. I owe the same kind of gratitude to the Commissioners and to all the officials of the District--the policemen of every type, the Park, and the White House, and the City Police--the firemen--all of them who have helped to make so many occasions memorable for visiting dignitaries, and for keeping order where necessary.

So to everybody that had the slightest part, in spirit or just in friendly word, in making this occasion one to be indelibly impressed upon my memory, I say thank you with my whole heart. I hope and wish for you in the years to come a constantly growing confidence in the leadership of your country and the progress of the world, partly because of its leadership toward the goal of peace.

Thank you very much.