Last January there was violence in Panama.

Violence is never justified and is never a basis for talks.

Now it is my great privilege to do as Presidents have done for 40 years--to press this button and light the Christmas tree for all the Nation.

As a Member of Congress, I followed very closely all the legislation affecting Gallaudet and did all I could to advance it.

This is very attractive and I am happy and proud to accept this pass.

THIS IS a day of some personal sadness for me.

I have asked Mr. Meany to meet with me and other members of American labor before we leave for the Christmas holidays to discuss our program for the coming years.

I will be conferring from time to time with leading educators, businessmen, and labor men here at the White House, and perhaps at the ranch before the new session.

I have accepted Secretary Hodges' resignation with deep regret because he is not only a good and wise American but he is my longtime trusted personal friend.

He will never discard a principle nor despair of doing what is right and ought to be done.

I am very happy to have heard your impressions of Soviet science and technology, based on your 2-week visit to Soviet Russia.

This is another fine example of the willingness of American businessmen and scientists to give of themselves for the public good.

I am asking all agencies of the Government on our side to make sure that we're going as far as we can to extend this hand of peaceful contact to the Soviet people, without in any way endangering our security.

It is obvious that the building of the Great Society rests, in part, on an abundant supply of low cost energy.

The encouragement of greater cooperation and coordination among the nation's 3600 individual electric power systems should result in the economies of large-scale operation benefiting the consumer in every section of the country without…

A doubling or tripling of the electricity requirements in this country by the year 1980 presents a challenge to the nation that can and must be met.

The experience of the past few decades demonstrates conclusively how the standard of living of American citizens has continued to rise as we have developed greater supplies of electrical energy.

I call upon the members of this Council to meet as often as necessary, to recommend whatever actions need to be taken, and to carry out whatever tasks must be done to wage this war effectively.