Vishnevskiy 24 November Dispatch
Moscow Domestic Service in Russian 1900 GMT 24 November 1963--L
(Excerpts) I have just traveled from the White House to
Capitol Hill. The coffin with the remains of the late President Kennedy is now
following this route The people of Washington stand silent with frozen faces.
There is little talk in the crowds. The mark of sorrow is on people's faces.
I have been witness to how the prestige of President Kennedy
had increased in recent months. White House officials recently showed me a
bundle of presidential mail from all parts of the country. The majority of the
writers stated that their respect for the president had grown since Kennedy,
disregarding the extreme militarists, had signed the Moscow test-ban treaty and
took, in his own words, "a step away from war, a step toward peace."
I again leaf through my notebook, which contains many
messages from ordinary Americans to John Kennedy, and I most frequently see the
words "we approve," "we support," and "continue along the path to peace." Such
was the opinion of the vast majority of the American people. One must pay due
respect to the late President in that during responsible hours of history he
heeded the appeals of people of good will on a series of important questions.
This is why the sorrow of many Americans is so sincere.
Go into the streets of Washington. You will hear ordinary
Americans asking, "What next?" and, "Along which path will President Johnson
lead the country?" Many people here are asking: "Will the positive aspects of
Kennedy's policy be developed?" President Johnson is now conferring morning to
night with his cabinet and advisers. I have been told that the text of speeches
which the president will deliver to Congress are being prepared at the White
House. These speeches will outline Johnson's program.
It is now known that the new master of the White House is
devoting great attention to international affairs and, in particular, to
Soviet-American relations. In the left wing of the White house, where correspondents
have set up their headquarters, one often hears that Johnson will, on the whole,
continue Kennedy's pplicy. If this means developing the realistic features of
Kennedy's program and continuing on genuine paths leading to the normalization
of international relations, then we, the Soviet people, will of course only be
glad because it is one of the most ardent desires of every Soviet citizen to
live in peace and have good cooperation with the great American people.