1.
LV THE WHITE HOUSE
0.08

2.
GV CEREMONY IN PROGRESS
0.13

3.
SCU PRESIDENT KENNEDY
1.08

4.
GV OF CEREMONY
1.11

5.
MV PRESIDENT KENNEDY
1.23

6.
SCU RANDOLPH CHURCHILL READS SOF
2.35


TRANSCRIPT: SEQ. 3: PRESIDENT KENNEDY: ... AND WHEREAS HIS BRAVERY, CHARITY AND VALOUR, BOTH IN WAR AND IN PEACE, HAVE BEEN A FLAME OF INSPIRATION IN FREEDOM'S DARKEST HOUR; AND WHEREAS HIS LIFE HAS SHOWN THAT NO ADVERSARY CAN OVERCOME, AND NO FEAR CAN BETTER FREE MEN IN THE DEFENCE OF THEIR FREEDOM; AND WHEREAS HE HAS EXPRESSED WITH UNSURPASSED POWER AND SPLENDOUR THE ASPIRATIONS OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE FOR DIGNITY AND FREEDOM; AND WHEREAS HE HAS BY HIS ART AS AN HISTORIAN AND HIS JUDGEMENT AS A STATESMAN MADE THE PAST A SERVANT OF THE FUTURE; NOW THEREFORE I, JOHN F. KENNEDY, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNDER THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN AN ACT OF THE 88TH CONGRESS, DO HEREBY DECLARE SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL AND HONORARY CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA".



SEQ. 5: KENNEDY: "I WOULD ASK MR RANDOLPH CHURCHILL, SIR WINSTON'S SON, ACCOMPANIED BY SIR WINSTON'S GRANDSON, WINSTON CHURCHILL, TO READ THE LETTER."



SEQ. 6: RANDOLPH CHURCHILL: "..... IT IS A REMARKABLE COMMENT ON OUR AFFAIRS THAT THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF A GREAT SOVEREIGN STATE SHOULD THUS BE RECEIVED AS AN HONORARY CITIZEN OF ANOTHER. I SAY GREAT SOVEREIGN STATE WITH DESIGN AND EMPHASIS, FOR I REJECT THE VIEW THAT BRITAIN AND THE COMMONWEALTH COULD NOW BE RELEGATED TO A TAME AND MINOR ROLE IN THE WORLD. OUR PAST IS THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE, WHICH I FIRMLY TRUST AND BELIEVE WILL BE NO LESS FERTILE AND GLORIOUS.... MR PRESIDENT, YOUR ACTION ILLUMINATES THE THEME OF UNITY OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLES TO WHICH I HAVE DEVOTED A LARGE PART OF MY LIFE. I WOULD ASK YOU TO ACCEPT YOURSELF AND TO CONVEY BOTH HOUSE OF CONGRESS, THROUGH THEM TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, MY SOLEMN AND HEARTFELT THANKS FOR THIS UNIQUE DISTINCTION, WHICH WILL ALWAYS BE PROUDLY REMEMBERED BY MY DESCENDANTS.. WINSTON S. CHURCHILL."




Initials PC/V/JF/SGM


EDITORS: SEE ALSO PROD 2458 - SIR WINSTON AT LONDON HOME.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AT A COLOURFUL AND MOVING CEREMONY IN WASHINGTON TODAY (TUESDAY) SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL WAS PROCLAIMED AN HONORARY CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.REMARKABLE "LIVE" PICTURES OF HE HISTORIC OCCASION WERE TRANSMITTED BY AMERICA'S COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE RELAY TO MILLIONS OF TELEVISION VIEWERS IN BRITAIN.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY CONFERRED THE UNPRECEDENTED ACCOLADE ON BRITAIN'S ELDER STATESMAN IN THE ROSE GARDEN JUST OUTSIDE HIS WHIT HOUSE OFFICE.IN HIS PROCLAMATION THE PRESIDENT SAID SIR WINSTON WAS THE MOST HONOURED AND HONOURABLE MAN TO WALK THE STAGE OF HUMAN HISTORY AT THIS TIME.HE ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE VETERAN WAR LEADER'S PERSONAL COURAGE:
SIR DAVID ORMSBY GORE, THE AMBASSADOR, ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRIBUTE ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.THEN PRESIDENT KENNEDY ASKED MR RANDOLPH CHURCHILL, THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER'S SON, TO READ HIS FATHER'S MESSAGE ACCEPTING THE HONOUR:
(SIR WINSTON AND LADY CHURCHILL WATCHED THE TELEVISION TRANSMISSION AT THEIR LONDON HOME.MR DAVID BRUCE, THE US AMBASSADOR IN LONDON, WILL CALL ON SIR WINSTON TOMORROW TO PRESENT HIM WITH THE CONGRESS PROCLAMATION MAKING HIM AN HONORARY US CITIZEN.HE WILL ALSO PRESENT HIM WITH HIS AMERICAN PASSPORT.