This is a matter of the greatest national significance to us.

So if you can find new markets, if you can persuade others to come to the United States--we lose in our balance of payments every year $1,800 million on tourists alone; if we could get as many people to come here and spend the same money that our peripatetic, ubiquitous Americans spend, Senator, traveling around--if we could get them, we could solve our balance of payments problem.

Mr. President, it is a source of great satisfaction to all of us to welcome you to the United States and to welcome your wife, the Foreign Minister, members of your government.

This is a difficult and dangerous world in which we live.

We are very glad to have you here, Mr. President, so that you can see something of the United States.

You will be welcome all over the country, and I hope that your visit here increases the ties of interest and friendship between our two peoples.

So, Mr. President, you are welcome here.

I am glad you are going to the South and then to the West.

Because of our respect for this accomplishment, our appreciation for the very valiant struggle of your own people for a period of 20 years, and because we like to have people come to the United States--who perhaps have read about us--and see our country, see our people, talk to them, get some idea of what the great Republic stands for--for all these reasons, you are a most welcome guest, and I am confident that when you leave the United States you will have a greater understanding of the very clear desire of the people of the United States to live in peace.

So, Mr. President, we are very glad to welcome you and your distinguished wife, the members of your government, here to the White House.

You have had an extraordinary career in war and in peace, and while there are differences in viewpoint which separate our governments, nevertheless, this administration and my two predecessors, President Eisenhower and President Truman, all believed strongly in the independence of your country and all appreciated the extraordinary efforts you are making to maintain that independence, situated as you are in an area of great importance.