Congressional Record excerpt of President Nixon's address to the National League of Families

Item

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s-leg_630_004_004_tr_2.txt

Extent (Dublin Core)

1 Page

File Name (Dublin Core)

s-leg_630_004_004

Title (Dublin Core)

Congressional Record excerpt of President Nixon's address to the National League of Families

Date (Dublin Core)

1971-09-29

Date Created (Dublin Core)

1971-09-30

Congress (Dublin Core)

92nd (1971-1973)

Topics (Dublin Core)

See all items with this valueFamilies of prisoners of war

See all items with this valueVietnam War, 1961-1975

See all items with this valueVietnam War, 1961-1975--Missing in action--United States

See all items with this valuePrisoners of war--United States

Policy Area (Curation)

Armed Forces and National Security

Creator (Dublin Core)

United States. Congress (92nd, 1st session : 1971). Senate

Record Type (Dublin Core)

congressional records

Names (Dublin Core)

See all items with this valueDole, Robert J., 1923-2021

See all items with this valueNixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994

See all items with this valueNational League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia

Rights (Dublin Core)

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Language (Dublin Core)

eng

Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core)

https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=23&q=

Physical Location (Dublin Core)

Collection 003, Box 630, Folder 4

Institution (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Archival Collection (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Senate Papers-Legislative Relations, 1969-1996

Full Text (Extract Text)

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

Congressional Record
United States of America
PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 92nd CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
Vol. 117 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1971 No. 143

Senate

PRESIDENT NIXON'S ADDRESS TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES
Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, one of the most difficult and frustrating aspects of the war in Indochina is the plight of the nearly 1,500 Americans who are being held as prisoners of war or who are listed as missing in action in North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Countless efforts by this Nation and other governments and by many public and private figures throughout the world have met with virtual futility in seeking to assure release, or at the bare minimum, humanitarian treatment, for these brave men. The Nixon administration has, from the very beginning, devoted every possible resource to achieving these goals - in Paris at the formal negotiations, through intermediaries and through private channels. The response from the enemy, however, has been duplicitous, contradictory, misleading - and singularly devoid of any indication that they are willing to discuss prisoners and missing men in good faith.

In and of itself this intransigence and insensitivity on the enemy's part would be disheartening enough to the families of these men and to those who bear the responsibility for leading this Nation and attempting to terminate the war in an honorable way which offers hope of rescuing the captives. However, there have been some who have preyed on the anxieties and frustrations of the parents, wives, brothers, sisters, and children of the prisoners and missing and upon a war-weary people's desire for peace. They have said that the President has abandoned the prisoners and that he has rejected possible avenues for their release. They have raised false hopes and made irresponsible charges for the shallow benefits of personal publicity and momentary notoriety.

These charges are false. They are malicious. And they do no service to the 1,476 missing and captive American fighting men, their families, and the leaders in this country, who - unlike their opportunistic critics - are charged with the heavy responsibility of providing for the safety and security of this Nation and the men who defend it.

Last evening at the annual meeting of the National League of Families of Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, President Nixon clearly and forthrightly stated his commitment to these family members and to their men. So that there may be no mistake over that commitment, nor the intensity of the President's devotion to it, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the President's remarks be printed in the RECORD at this point.

There being no objection, the release was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES OF AMERICAN PRISONERS AND MISSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Mrs. North, Mr. Secretary, all of the distinguished guests who are at the head table and all of those who are in this audience:
I have spoken in this room many times over the past, believe it or not, 24 years, starting as a Congressman. I can assure all of you that this brief remark that I will now address to you is spoken more from the heart, I think, than anything I have ever said before.

The Secretary of Defense - and I have had an opportunity to read his remarks and endorse them - will address you later. He will tell you what we have been doing, what we are doing, what we hope to do with regard to the great objective in which all of you and all of us are interested, and that is obtaining the release of all of our POW's and missing in action wherever they may be in Southeast Asia.

But I wish to underline what the Secretary will tell you by indicating the personal commitment of the President of the United States. As you can imagine, whoever holds the office of the Presidency cannot take upon himself all of the various assignments that come across his desk. Much must be delegated.

I want each and every one of you to know, however, that from the time in the White House Library, at Christmas time, 1969, I met a group of wives and one mother of some POW's and missing in action, from that time, as the Secretary of Defense can tell you, and the Secretary of State can tell you. I have considered the problem of obtaining the release of our POW's and missing in action as being one that has Presidential priority.

I can assure you that every negotiating channel - and now I say something here that I am sure all of you will understand - including many private channels that have not yet been disclosed, have been pursued, are being pursued and will be pursued.

I can assure you that with regard to this problem, that whenever any matter comes to the attention of the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of State, from a Senator or Congressman or the rest, it is brought to my desk and we run out the lead, whatever it may be.

You know the tragedy we have found so often - hopes are raised and then dashed, because we are dealing here with a savage enemy, one who has no concern for humanitarian ideals.

But on the other hand, we believe that it is essential to check every possible lead; we don't care where it comes from. We are doing that.

I have personally ordered that and we will continue to do so, and I believe that we will eventually succeed in our goal. That is my commitment that I make to all of you.

Now, I have delayed your dinner too long, but I would like to add one other rather personal note. Many times when I travel around the country, people - particularly young people in school - will say, "You know, Mr. President, that must be a terribly awesome responsibility to serve as President of the United States." And people sometimes feel that all of the great burdens of the world are on the shoulders of the President and that the responsibilities are indeed awesome. I would be less than candid if I were not to say that the responsibilities are heavy.

But let me tell you something: Any day that I sometimes feel that it has been a rather hard day and that I have had to make some real tough decisions, and I haven't had very much support, and any time I begin to feel a bit sorry for myself, I think back to that day just before Christmas in 1969.

I think of airports where children have come up and said, "My daddy is missing in action." I think of the wives who I have seen and the mothers and the rest. I think of their courage and what they have done and what they have given for their country, and then I realize my job isn't all that hard.

I am just so proud of how great you have been and I am not going to let you down.

S 15303

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