"I WANT TO BE THE PRESIDENT WHO. . ."

In his address, Lyndon Baines Johnson not only laid open the U.S. racial question. He also bared some innermost thoughts on how he yearns to be regarded by history. Excerpts:

My first job after college was as a teacher in Cotulla, Texas, in a small Mexican-American school. My students were poor, and they often came to class without breakfast and hungry. And they knew even in their youth the pain of prejudice. They never seemed to know why people disliked them, but they knew it was so because I saw it in their eyes.

I often walked home late in the afternoon wishing there was more that 1 could do. Somehow you never forget what poverty and hatred can do when you see its scars on the hopeful face of a young child. I never thought then, in 1928, that I would be standing here in 1965. It never even occurred to me in my fondest dreams that I might have the chance to help the sons and daughters of those students, and to help people like them all over this country. But now 1 do have that chance. And I'll let you in on a secret--I mean to use it.

This is the richest, most powerful country which ever occupied this globe. The might of past empires is little compared to ours. But I do not want to be the President who built empires, or sought grandeur, or extended dominion. I want to be the President who educated young children to the wonders of their world.

I want to be the President who helped to feed the hungry and to prepare them to be taxpayers instead of tax eaters.

I want to be the President who helped the poor to find their own way.

I want to be the President who helped to end hatred among his fellow men and who promoted love among the people of all races, all regions and all parties.

I want to be the President who helped to end war among the brothers of this earth.

Beyond this great chamber--out yonder--in 50 states are the people that we serve. Who can tell what deep and unspoken hopes are in their hearts tonight as they sit there and listen? We can all guess, from our own lives, how difficult they often find their own pursuit of happiness; how many problems each little family has. They look most of all to themselves for their future, but I think that they also look to each of us.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.