To watch books that shap america, lies, every monday at 9 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan. Here the eved been warm here the eved the evening of june 4th had been warm and clear in washington. The president retired just before midnight to the Family Living quarters in the white house after the state reception for visiting guests. But hes rest that was cut short by a message from president ial assistant walt resto. At 3 30 a. M. , the president was in again awakened with the news that senator Robert Kennedy, i miss the victory of the california president ial primary had been shot and critically wounded by an assassin. The president s reaction to this shocking event was immediate. He ordered secret Service Protection for the major president ial candidates, dispatched a plane with medical assistance to los angeles, and later in the day went on nationwide television to announce denounce the extremist climate in american. 200 million americans did not strike down Robert Kennedy last night, any more than they struck down president john f. Kennedy in 1963. Or dr. Martin luther king in april of this year. But those awful events give us ample warning, that any climate of extremism, of disrespectful for law, contempt for the rights of others, violence may bring down the very best among us, and a nation that tolerates violence in any form cannot expect to be able to confine it to just minor outbursts. For this reason, i am appointing, with the written recommendation of the leadership of congress with whom i have talked this evening, a commission of our most distinct americans to immediately examine this tragic phenomenon. On june 6, Robert Kennedy died. His death coming just four years after the assassination of his brother and two months after the assassination of dr. Martin with the king cast another dark shadow of grief across america. During his life, he knew far more than his share of personal tragedy. Yet, he never abandoned his faith in america. He never lost his confidence in the spiritual strength of ordinary men and women. He believed in the capacity of the young, for excellence, and in the right of the old and the poor to a life of dignity. Our public life is diminished by his loss. At Arlington National cemetery along with the kennedy family, they paid last respects to the junior senator from new york at the place where he was laid to rest, forever. You are c and brutal slaying the president became even more determined than ever out of this tragic and brutal slaying, the president became even more determined than ever to turn heartbreak into constructive action. The day of the senators death, the president sent a letter to the senator and speaker of the house, in order to Implore Congress to enact meaningful gun control law. What in the name of conscience will it take, to pass a truly effective gun control law. This hour of tragedy, that question should at last be answered. Let us now spell out our grief, and constructive action. During the month of june, as he had done throughout the entire period of his incumbency, the president continued to urge members of congress, to obstruct criminal violence resulting from easy access to guns. On june 10th, congress convened the commission on the National Causes of violence. This panel would become too known as the Eisenhower Commission after its chairman, dr. Milton eisenhower, including those from across american life, church, government, and labor. My charge to you, is simple and direct. I ask you to undertake a penetrating search for the causes and prevention of violence. A surge into our national life, our past and present, our traditions as well as our institution. Our culture, our customs, and hour laws. I hope your search will yield understanding and insight into the kinds of violent aberrations which have struck down public figures and private citizens alike. Second, i hope that your search will uncover the cause of disrespect for law and order, disrespect for our proper authority, in the home, and disrespect for public officials, and the violent disruption of public order by individuals and groups. Third, i hope your search will lead to a sensible and Practical Action to control or prevent these outbreaks of violence. Helping to curb this violent will be a bill signed into law in june for the safe streets act will be the first piece of legislation ever passed, that confronts on the national scale, the heart of the bill is measures to strengthen local police and Law Enforcement agencies across the country. During june, there were three ceremonies which highlighted the emphasis on excellence of both the president and first lady have sought to bring out, into facets of american life. Education, and environment. First, president johnson greeted president ial scholars. The honor urination pays you today is not just an award for past achievement. It is a way of recognizing your special talents, and expressing the confidence of the country in you, and in return we want you to express confidence in your country and try to provide ability to lead, and to return your great gift to the country, that has given you so much. The president ial Scholars Program was established by president johnson in 1964, to encourage intellectual attainment among young people. The scholars are outstanding secondary school graduates, attended as guest of president and misses johnson. After a full day of meeting government officials they attended a reception in their honor at the white house. The president expanded on the theme of use responsibility to the nation, at a gathering of delegates to the National Rural electric cooperations youth conference. You have your obligation, to your parents, to your teachers, to your principles, but you also have a very strong, compelling obligation to your country. If we are going to survive as a free nation, and have the liberty and independence and freedom that we want, if we are going to have the opportunity, the prosperity, the jobs, and the housing, and the beautification, all the things that we like and that we want, we are going to have to have, first, qualified leaders, and you cannot find a better balance to work on, then you young people who come from rural america. This month, the president followed through on a promise he made to the nations young people. On june, he sent a message to congress that the vote be given to 18yearolds. As part of her beautification campaign, the first lady pedro to local projects that have improved the facial of the nations capital. Yesterday, i drove around the town, about two or three hours. The variety and extent of your efforts. Some of you have cleared a lot to provide muchneeded recreation space in your neighborhood. Others have cleaned up and planted in places of business weather and front yards. Some of those places of business were service stations, and one, a warehouse. Have been breaking with shrubs and flowers. There was a competition for this years beautification awards. Schools, civic associations, and Business Owners won most of the recognition. It during junen returned to the scene of one ofn his most dramatic conferences. In a commencement address at Glassboro State College during june, president johnson returned from one of his most dramatic conferences. The president cited the progress made in soviet American Relations in the years since his talks at hollywood. He expressed optimism that further cooperation would be forthcoming. I am glad to return to glassboro. I shall always remember this town as a place of warm friendship and hospitable people. The world will remember glassboro, i hope, is a place for understanding between nations was advanced by the United States and the soviet union. It was last june, about a year ago, that chairman chris egan and i sat down for two days of discussions. Our talks ranged over the whole globe. The year since then has been an eventful and uncertain, like the days we live in. But hope and achievement is certainly there, and our relations with the soviet union offer an example. Many fear the war in vietnam would prevent any progress. Many predictions were made to this effect. But, despite the predictions, and despite the difficulties, we have agreed upon a treaty outlawing weapons in outer space. We have negotiated a treaty banning the spread of nuclear weapons. We have achieved a civil air agreement which permits soviet union plans to land in the United States, and the United States planes to live in the soviet union. And we are also moving toward other agreements. I would like to conclude my brief remarks by exposing the hope that relations between our countries will develop in the interest of our people and the improvement of International Relations in the world. I invite all of you to visit my country, to see it for yourself, thank you very much. One step that brought the United States and soviet union closer together was the consulate backed, signed at the white house in june. Historically, it was the first bilateral treaty between the two nations. A combination of diplomatic exchanges begun 35 years before, and even more important advancement towards mutual cooperation between the worlds two major powers, occurred at the United Nations, when the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty. Both the United States and soviet union have worked long and hard to secure acceptance. Is a price visit to u. N. Headquarters in new york. Hailed the passage of this measure is the most significant step towards peace in United Nations history. It is the most Important International agreement in the field of disarmament since the nuclear age began. It goes far to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. It will ensure the equitable sharing of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, for the benefit of all nations. As regards the treaty itself, no time should be lost in bringing it to force. I pledge you, this afternoon, that we, of the United States, will move rapidly to open the treaty for signatures. In recognition of his leadership and dedication in bringing about Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty, president johnson was presented with the swords into plowshares award by new york industrialist stanley b robo. The president moved his quickly towards the approval of the treaty, which would be approved by the United States, soviet union, and 55 other nations, that month. Ratification of the treaty would await senate approval. The award, a statue of the biblical prophets, isaiah, his major contributions to the peaceful use of atomic energy. June was a month when two distinct heads of state made calls on the white house. The president welcomed the leader of a country is trying to make progress as seen. The warm greeting president johnson attended to his guest symbolized his high regard with which he viewed the countries of latin america. Later in the day, president johnson was able to combine president trejoss visit with a second gesture of friendship with latin america, and elaborate ceremony complete with charts and graphs, the president signed u. S. Support for a 1 billion increase in the Capital Funds of the Inter American development package. The president noted that during his period in office, the banks resources have climbed from 1,400,000,000, to 6 billion. Also visiting the white house in june was the shaw of iran. An official state dinner was held in his honor. In june, much of the president s attention was centered on the paris peace talks. Early in the month, u. S. Negotiator returned to washington to report on an in parent impasse at those meetings. He could relate to the president some slight locations of progress, particularly with regard to a softening of the North Vietnamese denial that they had regular army units fighting in the south. From vietnam, however, the reports were far from optimistic but instead of a slowdown in hostility as a result of the peace negotiations, the communist had launched a massive new wave of assaults throughout the south, to erode resolve on the homefront, and grant tightened leverage in the diplomatic struggle. Later in the month, u. S. Chief negotiator averell harriman arrived for frank discussions. After weeks of communist intransigence, the United States edition continued to show both firmness and flux ability. The United States, over the panhandle of North Vietnam where supply and infiltration routes reached to the south, with a reciprocal gesture of retaliation was discussed from the other side. Meanwhile the United States continue to seek peace in vietnam to every other available channel. Working toward this goal would be the new u. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, george ball. Replacing army goldberg, who was retiring, ambassador vault was thanked for his service to his country, and charged with a new task of shepherding hopes and promises from independent nations into mutually beneficial cooperation. Through the month, president johnson continued to meet with major residential candidates for Intelligence Briefings through the nation, the president covered vietnam, the economy, and domestic programs. Secretary of state dean rusk reviewed the dramatic front, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, earl wheeler discussed the military situation. Also arriving at the white house in june, for a conference with the president was gene mccarthy. One issue that received top priority during these briefings had been discussions of a tax increase. The longawaited bill was finally cleared by congress on june 21st, as past, it calls for a 10 surcharge on corporate and individual income taxes, and a 6 billion reduction in federal expenditures. Given americas needs, the larger spending cut with a difficult tradeoff to make. But, the tax increase was an economic necessity, and on june 28th, in the rose garden, where he often has lunch and works, the president , without formal ceremony signed the measure into law. There was a different rose garden event in june which involved another kind of increase. After the president s grandson has reached his first plateau, the magic age of 1. Here later. There was a party in the white. House oval room for president johnsons Vice President in charge of happiness. Later in the day there was a party in the white house oval room for the president s Vice President in charge of happiness. Just all right, we tt here. Just all right, we tt in june the first lady traveled to portland, oregon along with in june, the first lady returned to portland, to deliver a lecture before the American Institute of architects. Misses johnson called for a new conservation which is concerned with the entire community to solve the problems of growing urbanization. The answers cannot be found in piecemeal reform. The job really requires thoughtful interrelation of the whole environment, not only in buildings, but parks, not only parks, but highways. Not only highways, but open spaces, and green belts. A beautification, to my mind, is far more than a matter of cosmetics. To me, it describes the whole effort to bring the Natural World and manmade world into harmony. To bring order, usefulness, and delight to our whole environment, and that, of course, only begins with trees and flowers and landscaping. To boost the use and enjoyment of wilderness areas and parks, misses johnson viewed demonstrations of how a family can have an inexpensive vacation in such places, taking all of their needs with them. Later, the first lady toured timberline lodge, built by wpa workers during the roosevelt administration, and took a snowcapped ride over mt. Hood. A visit to a Fish Hatchery rounded out the two day excursion, before the first lady returned to washington. Spotlighting the benefits of the new conservation was one of president johnsons pains when he traveled to nashville, tennessee, to the president , the dam was a perfect example of new conservation because it preserves, without polluting, and brings nature and recreation within an easy days drive of tens of thousands of people. Our new conservation must build on a new principal, bringing nature, closer to the people. That is not just my dream, it is happening. It is happening right here, today, in tennessee. It is coming through, all over this nation. When i took office, we were losing hundreds of thousands of acres every year to the bulldozer. Today, we are actually reclaiming more land than we are losing. That has been my goal since i became president. Along with peace in the world, and progress at home, there is no legacy that i would rather leave, then a Permanent Program of real conservation for this nation. Everybody wants free. Back in washington a new drama was unfolding at the campsite of the poor back in washington, a new drama is unfolding at the campsite for the Poor Peoples Campaign in resurrection city. Originally conceived by dr. Martin luther king as a visible symbol of poverty in america, heavy rains and unrealistic demand brought mud and disaffection to what was supposed to have been a city of hope. The energies of its leadership were diverted from crusading against poverty, to restraining militant agitators. During its existence, the Johnson Administration kept a close watch overdevelopment in resurrection city. High government officials, including cabinet officers, to work out solutions and hear their problems. On june 19th, or than 50,000 people gathered between the washington and lincoln monuments for a ninehour peaceful demonstration of solidarity with the nations poor. Recaps to an event of the Poor Peoples Campaign that had begun two months before. But, even as the voices of leaders spoke nonviolence and restraint to discovery, seeds of discontent were taking root in the camp, itself. Tensions and discourse continued, until, after many arrests and increasing violence, it was finally decided by government officials, to not extend for a second time the permit sanctioning resurrection city. On june 24th, Fire Departments and Columbia Police began dismantling the huts and lien tears. When they left, the temperatures have not achieved their immediate goals, but they had received a hearing from their government, even from a Congress Reluctant to appropriate additional funding to poverty programs, to whom they had addressed their major demands. At a News Conference on june 26th, the president announced that chief Justice Earl Warren was retiring. At the same time, he announced his nomination of associate justice abe fortis to become chief justice, and federal judge thornbury as an associate justice. In making his third and fourth appointments to the high court, the president knew that his choices would affect the destiny of the nation, long after he, himself, had left office. He selected the man whom he considered best qualified to serve here. As june closed, the effort to win Senate Confirmation began. For the president , the events of june were representative of efforts he had made throughout his term in office including elements of tragedy, controversy, accomplishments, disappointments, and some rare moments of joy. The emotions of this summer month, however, had left marks deeply etched into the nation, where they would remain for a long time to come. The cspan bookshelf podcast makes it easy for you to listen to all of cspans podcasts which feature nonfiction books at one place, so you can discover new offers and ideas. Each week we are making it convenient to listen to multiple episodes with critically acclaimed offers, history, current events, and culture. 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