Part: 12         Session: 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536         Page 802803804805806807808809810811812813814815816817818819820821822823824825826827828829830831832833834835836837838839840841842843844845846847848849850851852853854855856857858859860861 of 1143

the whole story. Fortas agreed that it would be a splendid thing to do, and it was back again on the desk of Mike Feldman, just where we were about a year ago. I still pray that we will get it done, because if it's done with any enthusiasm on the part of Johnson, it will give people the idea that here is a President making a fresh start and who cares about what the major killers of the people of the United States are and wants to get something done about it. I've often said to him, “You're spending more money on outer space than we're spending on inner space,” and Johnson would say to me, “Don't make that comparison. It's dangerous to say that, because we need to spend the money on outer space. Outer space is going to cause the greatest changes you've ever known of.” He would be wild because he thought it was a dangerous thing to his interest which was outer space, but I kept reminding him that the amount of money spent on inner space was only a billion dollars and that it wasn't too high a price to pay to live. And when I would say that, this would give him pause, because he knows what it is to be threatened by a major heart attack.

So, you're really optimistic that it might materialize.

Oh, I think it will probably materialize.

Is Jenkins in favor of it? Did you talk with him about it?