Remarks Upon Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base

My good friends and fellow citizens:

After a trip of this kind you can well understand what it means to me to have this kind of a welcome. I am deeply appreciative of the trouble that each of you took to come out to this spot. It truly means a lot to me.

As we planned for the Summit, the hopes of the world were not too high. The experience of the past years had denied us any right to believe that great advances toward the purposes we seek--peace with justice-could be achieved in any great measure. Yet, it seems that the identity of interest between ourselves and the Soviets in certain features was so obvious that logically we should have made some progress.

Certainly the subjects on which we wanted to talk were those that seemed so important to them--for example, disarmament; the widening of contacts so that we would have open societies, or slightly more open societies, dealing with each other; then the matter of Berlin and a divided Germany; and finally, as between Russia, and the U.K., and ourselves some agreement on a plan for control of nuclear testing.

Therefore, it was a mystery and remains a mystery as to why, at this particular moment, the Soviets chose so to distort and overplay the incident that they obviously wanted no talks of any kind, and in fact, made it impossible to begin them. I am not going to speculate today as to the future, but it is quite clear that since they wanted no talks whatsoever at this time that we can be watchful for more irritations, possibly other incidents that can be more than annoying, sometimes creating real problems.

For example, just today a half hour before I landed, it was reported to me that there is a C-47 missing in Western Germany. This is an unarmed, slow plane--no possibility of being used for military purposes-and in fact, I believe it had nine passengers aboard. There was some bad weather and its route took it near the Eastern German border. We do not know at this moment that any deliberate act delayed it, but at least it is overdue. And so, in the atmosphere in which we now have to think and live we cannot be sure that the worst has not happened.

Now, I may want to talk soon to the Nation about these matters, and for that part of it, I now stop. But I do want to tell all of you people about three or four encouraging features that I encountered. First of all was the assurance of the support of the home folks--from friends, and from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, from the political leaders of both parties, from newspaper comments and editorial comment of every kind. I was assured of the essential solidarity of the United States and of the sincerity of our peaceful purposes.

Secondly, was the conduct of my two principal colleagues of the West. Mr. Macmillan and General de Gaulle were superb. They spoke with one voice with our delegation in support of those things that we thought right and decent and logical.

Thirdly, was an action on the part of the NATO Council yesterday when Secretary Herter reported to them while I was in Portugal. The NATO Resolution unanimously supported the three Western powers in what we were trying to do.

And finally, the Portuguese reception: in a way I think they wanted to provide the United States and the West--and even me personally--with something of an antidote for some of the disappointments we have felt. Government and citizens alike tried to outdo themselves in the warmth and cordiality of their receptions, and on top of that, in their assurances from every side--newspapers, the officials, common people coming in who were serving us in the Palace--everywhere they said, "The West, in effect, is right, and we want you to know it." And they used every possible way to do it. And for that day in Portugal yesterday I am grateful.

Finally, since most of you will understand that by our time here it was one o'clock when I arose this morning I am sure you expected nothing of eloquence. But I did want sincerely to give you some of my reactions, convictions, as of this moment, and to say again to each of you--thank you very much indeed.