18 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



is a growing feeling in this land today that ugliness has been allowed 

 too long, that it is time to say "Enough," and to act. 



During these two days you will discuss and originate plans and 

 projects both great and small. Great must be the scope of the major 

 projects to redesign our urban areas, renew and brighten the gate- 

 ways to our cities, cleanse, set in order and dignify our riverfronts 

 and our ports. Small, but equally important perhaps most im- 

 portant is the single citizen who plants a tree or tends his own front 

 yard. There are 190 million of him. He is everybody. 



Perhaps the most important part of this conference will be to help 

 educate our people that the beauty of their land depends upon their 

 own initiative and their will. 



I have heard said and many times that among our greatest 

 ills is the deep sense of frustration which the individual feels when he 

 faces the complex and large problems of our century. Ugliness is not 

 that sort of problem. Its vast scope will call for much coordination on 

 the highest levels. But and this is the blessing of it it is one prob- 

 lem which every man and women and child can attack and contribute 

 to defeating. Natural beauty may be a national concern and there 

 is much that government can and should do, but it is the individual 

 who not only benefits, but who must protect a heritage of beauty 

 for future generations. 



There are no autocrats in our land to decree beauty, only a na- 

 tional will. Through your work, I firmly believe this national will 

 can be given energy and force, and produce a more beautiful 

 America. 



The Conference Chairman, LAURANCE S. ROCKEFELLER. In cal- 

 ling us together, President Johnson set the tone for our endeavor. He 

 said: I want new ideas. He said: I want to alert the American 

 people to action. He cited concrete, specific problems for us to 

 consider not abstractions or theories. 



In accordance with the President's directive, this conference is 

 organized for action. It is not for philosophizing. As Mrs. John- 

 son said at the first meeting of her committee to beautify Washing- 

 ton, "We must not substitute the delight of debate for the art of 

 action." 



This is not to say that a social and moral basis for natural beauty 

 is unnecessary. It is rather to say that we have such a foundation. 



President Johnson has already affirmed it. 



The people of this country, he has said, want not only a bigger 

 America but a better and more beautiful America as well. 



