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4525954
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33rd Annual Meeting, American Apparel Manufacturers Association, Dallas, TX, June 17, 1966
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4525954
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33rd Annual Meeting, American Apparel Manufacturers Association, Dallas, TX, June 17, 1966
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975
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1966-06-30
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1966
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1966-06-01
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The original documents are located in Box D20, folder "33rd Annual Meeting, American
Apparel Manufacturers Association, Dallas, TX, June 17, 1966" of the Ford Congressional
Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
298-9160
NEWS
CONGRESSMAN
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
FOR RELEASE AT 12 NOON
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1966
298-7850
SPEECH EXCERPTS-33rd ANNUAL MEETING, AMERICAN APPAREL MFRS. ASSN., DALLAS, TEXAS.
The Vietnam War is the strangest conflict in which the United States has ever
been engaged.
It is an undeclared war--and in that sense it is President Johnson's War.
It is also President Johnson's War because the President plays everything
too close to the vest. He has an unhealthy passion for secrecy.
Former Ambassador to Vietnam Maxwell D. Taylor has said the United States
will have 400,000 men in Vietnam by the end of this year. Defense Secretary
Robert S. McNamara has refused to confirm this and has announced only that the
number of U.S. troops in Vietnam will be increased to 285,000 in the next 45 days.
The President also keeps silent on our increasing troop commitments to Vietnam.
While the Johnson-Humphrey Administration insists on keeping the American
people in the dark about Vietnam, the war there continues to give the appearance
of a war without end.
At the same time the Buddhists in South Vietnam continue their protests
against the Ky government. And in the resulting violence Premier Ky's combat police
in Saigon have turned on American newsmen, beating them savagely and confiscating
news cameras.
The Vietnam War is indeed the strangest of all wars for Americans.
In all previous wars in which Americans have fought, the American people have
felt they knew what they were fighting for.
But despite all of his protestations to the contrary, President Johnson has
not given the American people an adequate explanation of our growing involvement
in Vietnam or of his direction of the war.
The American people would like to know where we are headed in Vietnam and
what the outcome likely will be. They would like to know what this country will
have to show for its sacrifice of more than 23,000 Americans killed or wounded,
at latest count.
The President has given them no adequate answers.
***
(MORE)
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
Digitized from Box D20 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
-2-
SPEECH EXCERPTS
Mr. Johnson has made the Vietnam War his war by trying to keep the American
people from getting too excited about it.
He is losing the confidence of the people because he has still not given
them a clear explanation of why the war is being fought and how it is being
directed.
Let him tell the American people why the Johnson-Humphrey Administration is
waging a full-scale war that will cost $15 billion in the next fiscal year and
yet is trying to hide the cost of the war from the public.
Let him tell the American people why he has quietly but steadily increased
the number of U.S. troops in Vietnam without letting them know why he was doing SO.
Let him tell the American people whether we are fighting to assure a free
choice for the South Vietnamese to run their own affairs or a return to a Geneva
Accords election agreement which might result in reunification of North and
South Vietnam under Communist rule.
Let him tell the American people why the most highly industrialized and
militarily most powerful nation on earth is fighting a war in a backward country
on the military and economic terms of that country.
Let him give the American people the true cost of the Vietnam conflict.
There is every indication that the cost of the Vietnam War will spiral in
coming months. I have information which indicates that the President will be
forced to ask for a supplemental appropriation of about $5 billion early next
year for Vietnam, over and above the regular 1966-67 defense budget.
Secretary of Commerce John Connor has said he personally believes there is
no need for a tax increase this year.
In view of the fact that President Johnson has refused to revise his budget
and the overwhelming Democratic majorities in Congress are adding about $3 billion
to it, I predict that President Johnson will ask for a tax increase next year if
he manages to hold off on the request this year.
You can't fight a war and run the country on a business-as-usual basis.
Eventually, the bills have to be paid. President Johnson is just postponing the
due date until after the November election. He is playing politics with the
Vietnam War and with the American economy.
# # #
NEWS
CONGRESSMAN
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
FOR RELEASE AT 12 NOON
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1966
SPEECH EXCERPTS-33rd ANNUAL MEETING, AMERICAN APPAREL MFRS. ASSN., DALLAS, TEXAS.
The Vietnam War is the strangest conflict in which the United States has ever
been engaged.
It is an undeclared war--and in that sense it is President Johnson's War.
It is also President Johnson's War because the President plays everything
too close to the vest. He has an unhealthy passion for secrecy.
Former Ambassador to Vietnam Maxwell D. Taylor has said the United States
will have 400,000 men in Vietnam by the end of this year. Defense Secretary
Robert S. McNamara has refused to confirm this and has announced only that the
number of U.S. troops in Vietnam will be increased to 285,000 in the next 45 days.
The President also keeps silent on our increasing troop commitments to Vietnam.
While the Johnson-Humphrey Administration insists on keeping the American
people in the dark about Vietnam, the war there continues to give the appearance
of a war without end.
At the same time the Buddhists in South Vietnam continue their protests
against the Ky government. And in the resulting violence Premier Ky's combat police
in Saigon have turned on American newsmen, beating them savagely and confiscating
news cameras.
The Vietnam War is indeed the strangest of all wars for Americans.
In all previous wars in which Americans have fought, the American people have
felt they knew what they were fighting for.
But despite all of his protestations to the contrary, President Johnson has
not given the American people an adequate explanation of our growing involvement
in Vietnam or of his direction of the war.
The American people would like to know where we are headed in Vietnam and
what the outcome likely will be. They would like to know what this country will
have to show for its sacrifice of more than 23,000 Americans killed or wounded,
at latest count.
The President has given them no adequate answers.
*
(MORE)
-2-
SPEECH EXCERPTS
Mr. Johnson has made the Vietnam War his war by trying to keep the American
people from getting too excited about it.
He is losing the confidence of the people because he has still not given
them a clear explanation of why the war is being fought and how it is being
directed.
Let him tell the American people why the Johnson-Humphrey Administration is
waging a full-scale war that will cost $15 billion in the next fiscal year and
yet is trying to hide the cost of the war from the public.
Let him tell the American people why he has quietly but steadily increased
the number of U.S. troops in Vietnam without letting them know why he was doing SO.
Let him tell the American people whether we are fighting to assure a free
choice for the South Vietnamese to run their own affairs or a return to a Geneva
Accords election agreement which might result in reunification of North and
South Vietnam under Communist rule.
Let him tell the American people why the most highly industrialized and
militarily most powerful nation on earth is fighting a war in a backward country
on the military and economic terms of that country.
Let him give the American people the true cost of the Vietnam conflict.
There is every indication that the cost of the Vietnam War will spiral in
coming months. I have information which indicates that the President will be
forced to ask for a supplemental appropriation of about $5 billion early next
year for Vietnam, over and above the regular 1966-67 defense budget.
Secretary of Commerce John Connor has said he personally believes there is
no need for a tax increase this year.
In view of the fact that President Johnson has refused to revise his budget
and the overwhelming Democratic majorities in Congress are adding about $3 billion
to it, I predict that President Johnson will ask for a tax increase next year if
he manages to hold off on the request this year.
You can't fight a war and run the country on a business-as-usual basis.
Eventually, the bills have to be paid. President Johnson is just postponing the
due date until after the November election. He is playing politics with the
Vietnam War and with the American economy.
# # #