Statement by the President Upon the Signing of a Joint Statement by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity

ONE OF MY EARLY ACTIONS as President was the creation by Executive Order of the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. I directed this Committee to work toward the elimination of discrimination because of race, creed, color or national origin in Federal employment and on contract work performed for the government.

Here today we are witnessing the signing of a joint statement by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, represented by Mr. Courtlandt Gross, president of the company, and the Committee, represented by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. This statement is a forward-looking program. It is voluntary action, appropriately named the "Plan for Progress" for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. This program is a long-range commitment by the Lockheed Corporation and by the United States government to work together in improving and expanding the job opportunities available to members of minority groups. I believe that this plan is a milestone in the history of civil rights in this country. The Lockheed Corporation-through its voluntary action--is setting a pattern which can open new doors and expanded employment opportunities for members of minority groups throughout this country. Through voluntary action such as this men of good will can, together, make real and measurable progress toward the goal of equal opportunity in employment for all Americans. No goal is more important for us as Americans and as leaders of the free world. Few actions of my administration have been more significant than the signing of this document.

I feel that through the development of this joint statement the Committee, under the leadership of Vice President Johnson, as chairman, and Secretary of Labor Goldberg, as vice chairman, has demonstrated that it is vigorously working to fulfill its tasks. I congratulate the Committee and the Locko heed Aircraft Corporation on this positive, constructive step toward elimination of discrimination.