A moment ago I spoke of despair and frustrated hopes in the cities where the fires of disorder burned last summer.  We can—­and in time we will—­change that despair into confidence, and change those frustrations into achievements.  But violence will never bring progress.

We can make progress only by attacking the causes of violence and only where there is civil order founded on justice.

Today we are helping local officials improve their capacity to deal promptly with disorders.

Those who preach disorder and those who preach violence must know that local authorities are able to resist them swiftly, to resist them sternly, and to resist them decisively.

I shall recommend other actions: 

—­To raise the farmers’ income by establishing a security commodity reserve that will protect the market from price-depressing stocks and protect the consumer from food scarcity.

—­I shall recommend programs to help farmers bargain more effectively for fair prices.

—­I shall recommend programs for new air safety measures.

—­Measures to stem the rising costs of medical care.

—­Legislation to encourage our returning veterans to devote themselves to careers in community service such as teaching, and being firemen, and joining our police force, and our law enforcement officials.

—­I shall recommend programs to strengthen and finance our anti-pollution efforts.

—­Fully funding all of the $2.18 billion poverty program that you in the Congress had just authorized in order to bring opportunity to those who have been left far behind.

—­I shall recommend an Educational Opportunity Act to speed up our drive to break down the financial barriers that are separating our young people from college.

I shall also urge the Congress to act on several other vital pending bills—­especially the civil rights measures—­fair jury trials, protection of Federal rights, enforcement of equal employment opportunity, and fair housing.

The unfinished work of the first session must be completed—­the Higher Education Act, the Juvenile Delinquency Act, conservation measures to save the redwoods of California, and to preserve the wonders of our scenic rivers, the Highway Beautification Act—­and all the other measures for a cleaner, and for a better, and for a more beautiful America.

Next month we’ll begin our 8th year of uninterrupted prosperity.  The economic outlook for this year is one of steady growth—­if we are vigilant.

True, there are some clouds on the horizon.  Prices are rising.  Interest rates have passed the peak of 1966; and if there is continued inaction on the tax bill, they will climb even higher.

I warn the Congress and the Nation tonight that this failure to act on the tax bill will sweep us into an accelerating spiral of price increases, a slump in homebuilding, and a continuing erosion of the American dollar.