As Carl Vinson was speaking, I was thinking of my first days in the House of Representatives back in 1947.

I am confident that the House will pass General Revenue Sharing by a large majority, and it is essential that this be done quickly.

One of my most vivid memories is of the day--in 1935, when I had not yet become a Member of Congress, but was working there--when I stood in the Speaker's office urging the Congressman I worked for to say 'yes' to the social security roll call when it was to be voted on a few minutes later in the House.

The House is considering that bill.

I am very grateful for the cooperation that has been given me by the leaders in the House, Chairman Mills and Congressman Byrnes.

Now, may I request the Speaker of the House of Representatives to say a word of welcome, on behalf of the House, to our distinguished guest, His Excellency the President of Brazil.

To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying papers, relative to the status of Chinese persons in the Philippine Islands.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:I transmit herewith the fifth annual report of the Commissioner of Labor.

To the House of Representatives: I herewith transmit, in reply to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 3d instant, a report from the Secretary of State, accompanied by certain correspondence in regard to the seizure of the schooner Rebecca by the Mexican customs authorities at Tampico in February, 1884.

In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 28th instant, the House of Representatives concurring, I return herewith the bill (S. 1332).

To the House of Representatives: In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 27th instant (the Senate concurring), I return herewith House bill No. 10,060, entitled 'An act prescribing the times for sales and for notice of sales of property in the District of Columbia for overdue taxes.'

To the Senate and House of Representatives..I transmit herewith a letter from the Secretary of State, accompanying the annual reports of the consuls of the United States on the trade and industries of foreign countries.

I transmit herewith to the House of Representatives a report from the Secretary of State, in response to a resolution of that body of the 16th instant, inquiring as to the action of this Department to protect the interests of American citizens whose property was destroyed by fire caused by insurgents at Aspinwall in 1885.

Unable to concur with Congress in that measure, on the 29th of May last I returned the bill to the House of Representatives, in which it originated, without my approval, for that further consideration for which the Constitution provides.

I transmit herewith, in compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 29th ultimo, a report of the Secretary of State relative to the steps taken by this Government to promote the establishment of an interoceanic canal across or near the Isthmus of Darien.

In answer to resolution of the House of Representatives of the 16th instant, requesting the Commissioner of Agriculture to forward to the House any facts or statistics in his office on the subject of forestry not heretofore reported, copies of the same, with accompanying papers, received from the Commissioner for this purpose, are herewith transmitted.

To the House of Representatives:In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 4th of December last, I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, with its accompanying papers.

In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 5th instant, I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, with its accompanying papers.