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Background: WASHINGTON, JAN. 6 (AP)-PRESIDENT JOHNSON TURNED UP TODAY TO WATCH HIS WIFE DEDICATE A LIFESIZE BRONZE STATUE OF THEIR LONGTIME FRIEND, THE LATE SAM RAYBURN.

AT CEREMONIES IN THE NEW HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING THAT BEARS HIS NAME, CONGRESS FRIENDS OF "MISTER SAM" GATHERED FOR THE EVENT ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN RAYBURN'S 83RD BIRTHDAY.

THE FRAIL-LOOKING SCULPTOR BY FELIX DE WELDON (SMALL D, CAP W) IN THE MASSIVE MARBLE AND GRANITE BUILDING, WAS DEDICATED BY MRS. JOHNSON:
"TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE 29TH CONGRESS AND ALL FUTURE CONGRESSES IN HOPES THAT--LIKE SAM RAYBURN--THEY WILL LABOR UNDER THE GREAT WHITE DOME OF THE CAPITOL WITH THE SAME FAITH IN THE PEOPLE AND THE SAME NOBILITY OF PURPOSE."
THE PRESIDENT WAS ONLY A SPECTATOR, COMING LATE FOR THE CEREMONIES IN WHICH TRIBUTE WAS PAID TO RAYBURN, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE LONGER THAN ANYONE ELSE IN HISTORY.

HE HEARD MRS. JOHNSON'S NOSTALGIC SPEECH, MUCH OF WHICH QUOTES FROM HIS OWN TRIBUTE DELIVERED AT A DINNER SHORTLY AFTER RAYBURN'S DEATH OF CANCER ON NOV. 16, 1961. JOHNSON HAD SAID RAYBURN "WAS YOUNGER THAN ANY OF US" AND "ONE THING HE DISLIKED MORE THAN OLD FOGIES WAS, AS HE PUT IT--YOUNG FOGIES."
THE PRESIDENT WASN'T THERE EARLIER, THOUGH, WHEN A FELLOW-TEXAN, DEMOCRATIC REP. WRIGHT PATMAN, TOOK THE OCCASION TO DEFEND THE RAYBURN BUILDING AGAINST CRITICISM THAT IT WAS EXCESSIVELY COSTLY. IT IS EXPECTED ULTIMATELY TO COST MORE THAN $95 MILLION. SOME PUT THE FIGURE AT $122 MILLION.

BUT PATMAN SAID THE COST WAS $86.4 MILLION FOR 33.6 MILLION CUBIC FEET--"NOT AN EXTRAVAGANCE, BUT A SOUND BUY AND A SOLID SUCCESS FROM EVERY ASPECT OF PIDUCIARY COMMON SENSE."
HE SAID "IT MAY BE DESCRIBED AS A BARGAIN OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE, EXCEPT BY THOSE WHO THINK IN THE DISMAL FINANCIAL LANGUAGE OF THE 1930S." IT WAS "THE SORT OF GOVERNMENT DEAL THAT WOULD HAVE PLEASED THE HEART OF MISTER SAM;" HE ADDED.

IN AN AGE OF "QUICK OBSOLESCENCE, THIS EDIFICE IS KADE, LIKE RAYBURN'S TOUGHLY ACHIEVED REPUTATION, TO LAST FOR THE NEXT THOUSAND YEARS AND MORE," SAID PATMAN.

ACCEPTING THE STATUE, DONATED BY THE TEXAS STATE SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, RAYBURN'S SUCCESSOR, SPEAKER JOHN W. MCCORMACK, D-MASS., CALLED IT "A SHRINE FROM WHICH AMERICANS AND PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL EVERYWHERE WILL DRAW INSPIRATION, FOR THE GREAT CAUSE THAT, UNDER GOD, IMPROVE THE LOT OF THE HUMAN RACE."
THE SLENDER, SIX-FOOT, TWO-INCH STATUE, STANDS IN THE CENTER OF A CURVING STAIRWAY ENTRANCE. IT LOOKS AS SCULPTOR DE WELDON SAW RAYBURN IN 1955, HOLDING IN HIS RIGHT HAND A GAVEL.

BEFORE GOING BACK TO HIS WHITE HOUSE BUSINESS, JOHNSON TOOK A QUICK DRIVE ABOUT THE CAPITOL AND LOOKED AT THE WOODEN STRUCTURES BEING ERECTED FOR HIS INAUGURAL CEREMONIES JAN. 20.

MRS. JOHNSON, MEANWHILE, WENT DOWN INDEPENDENCE AVENUE AND STOPPED TO SAY THANK YOU TO SCORES WORKING AT PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL COMMITTEE HEADQUARTERS.

SHE SIGNED THE VOLUNTEERS' DAILY WORK BOOK "LADY BIRD JOHNSON" AND UNDER THE SPACE FOR "ASSIGNMENTS," JOKINGLY WROTE FOR HERSELF "NUMEROUS."