Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, is dead.
Mr. Johnson’s death of a heart attack Monday afternoon stunned the nation he served for so many years, first in the House of Representatives, as a naval officer in World War II, in the United States Senate, and as vice president and then president.
Utahns, with Americans everywhere, joined today in mourning the death of the tall man from Texas – a dynamic leader with solid belief in America, rare skill as a legislator, and boundless energy in causes in which he believed.
Contemporaries applauded his domestic achievements as historic – in the civil rights field, in education, in social and medical responsibilities to the aged. To be sure, all did not agree with him, but his progressive efforts won him universal respect.
The saddest phase of his years in the Presidency was American involvement in the frustrating war in Vietnam which he was unable to bring to conclusion despite strong efforts.
Not unlike that of presidents who had preceded him, President Johnson’s philosophy was to assist an oppressed nation to exercise its right of self-determination without seeking any gain for his own country. But the war – expensive in cost and casualties –
Not unlike that of presidents who had preceded him, President Johnson’s philosophy was to assist an oppressed nation to exercise its right of self-determination without seeking any gain for his own country. But the war – expensive in cost and casualties – dragged on and became the cause of bitter divisiveness in the country.
Mr. Johnson set in motion machinery that led to the Paris peace talks, but still the war droned on and in March 1968 the President announced he would not seek a second elected term. At the same time he ordered a partial halt to U.S. bombing of North Vietnam in one of his many moves intended to invite serious negotiation.
It was regrettable that he did not live to conclusion of the war. Negotiators are meeting in Paris this week for what is hoped will be concluding sessions to bring peace in Vietnam.
Few Presidents ever came to the White House with broader legislative experience. Mr. Johnson had been elected to the House in 1937.
He was elected to the Senate in 1948, became Democratic Party whip in 1951, minority leader in 1953, and majority leader in 1955, the same year he suffered the first of several heart attacks. One of the landmarks in his legislative career came in 1957 as he steered passage of the first significant civil rights bill in 75 years.
He lost a presidential bid in 1960 to John F. Kennedy but accepted the vice presidential nomination. He became the 36th president when Mr. Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, and was reelected in 1964, defeating Republican Barry Goldwater by the biggest popular vote plurality in history.
Lyndon B. Johnson was a stout-hearted president who met the big problems with courage but remained considerate of the people who needed help. He demonstrated the determination to protect the American way of freedom and democracy.
He leaves a deep imprint. Americans grieve for him today and will long remember him as one who gave his best in one of the biggest jobs a man can be called upon to fill.