October 12, 1971, Herbert Portrait Unveiling

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 12, 1971 OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY THE WHITE HOUSE REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT THE UNVEILING OF A PORTRAIT OF CONGRESSMAN F. EDWARD HEBERT RAYBURN BUILDING AT 3:57 P.M. EDT Mr. Speaker, Speaker McCormack, Mr. Chairman, Archbishop Hannan, Congressman Hebert, all of the Members of the Committee, the Delegation from Louisiana, the distinguished guests from the Armed Services and from the Senate, Secretary Laird: It is a very great privilege for me to be here, to be back in the House again where I began my political career 24 years ago. And after listening to this program today, I realize how much I miss the House. I do not want to make invidious comparisons between the Senate and the House. Members of the House will do that. (Laughter). But I do want to say there is a certain feeling of friendship and comradeship among House Members that cannot be duplicated any place. I was told when I first came to the House that where one really gets to know another Member is serving with him on a committee. And I did serve with Eddy Hebert on the Committee on UnAmerican Activities. We were involved. in some very difficult and challenging assignments of investigation. He has spoken very generously of my role on that occasion. I have written of his role and I would remind all of you now that his courage, his eloquence, but also his presence, and I can only describe it with that, in questioning a witness, was as responsible as anything I did for the success of our investigations. I add that to the Hebert legend which, of course, has been certainly imbelished by the many things that have been said about him by his colleagues on the Armed Services Committee. I thought when I assumed my present office I would have the opportunity to do many things I had never done before and this is one of them. Reference has been made to the fact that I am somewhat of a sports fan. And I must say that if anybody had told me I would ever give up a World Series game for a hanging, I wouldn't believe it. I will let you in on a secret. I had a radio in the car on the way down. The score was five to one in the bottom of the eighth, Pirates. In case anybody missed it. MORE