November 9, 1957
EISENHOWER, KENNEDY, JOHNSON: Washington, 8 – As President Dwight D. Eisenhower has been involved in launching an even more intensive phase of scientific research, he left by air for Germantown, Maryland, and the new headquarters of the Atomic Energy Commission, the complex of which cost 13 million dollars to construct. His speech yesterday to the nation went around the world and prompted several reactions. Moscow, however, has so far maintained silence. Clearly the Kremlin is studying the speech and its effect on world public opinion. In the USA, where the delay in constructing missiles and satellites has led to some irritation with the president’s advisers, the speech brought mixed reactions. The Democrats, while accepting that the country is not behind but actually ahead in some scientific endeavors, did not hesitate to launch broadsides against the government. The leader of the congressional majority, Lyndon B. Johnson, said he was satisfied that the president had emphasized the importance of understanding the urgency of the situation. Senator John F. Kennedy said the president had not told the American people that the USA could have been trailing the Russians for years in these sectors.
