WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 1963 (UPI) - President Johnson was certain today to give his driving support to the embattled Kennedy legislative program.
But congressional leaders, stunned by President Kennedy's assassination, confessed they might not know the force of Johnson's backing until January.
All said it was "too early" to forecast legislative events.
There were no immediate indications that Kennedy's tragic death would break any legislative deadlocks. Congress, it appeared, may start its Christmas recess a week early. But solution of the tax cut and civil rights problems will await the new president's State of the Union and budget messages next January.
Democratic and Republican congressional leaders pledged their personal cooperation to Johnson almost immediately after his return to Washington. But the pledge was not given in terms of legislative objectives, so much as in terms of backing in his personal crisis and in the continuing fight for world freedom.
An acknowledged master in the legislative art, Johnson's years of experience and leadership in Congress were expected to count for much in the months ahead.
"We are fortunate that President Johnson is experienced and able as he is," said Senate Democratic Whip Hubert H. Humphrey, Minn., "that tells quite a story in itself."
It was in the whip job that Johnson first honed his talent for parliamentary leadership. He later rose to Senate Democratic leader, where his successful search for compromise and accommodation earned him the unofficial title of the greatest leader in modern Senate history.
Johnson has been out in front of many administration leaders in urging action on the Kennedy administration's civil rights, tax cut and space programs, all of which are now under heavy fire.
His special interests were in civil rights and space - he served as chairman of both the Equal Job Opportunity and Space Council operations in the Kennedy administration.
Johnson engineered passage of the moderate 1957 civil rights law. Before his nomination as vice president he spoke out against racial discrimination, but sought a middle ground of solution. As a Kennedy partner, he went all-out for legal action in behalf of equal rights.
"It is our responsibility and our trust in this year of our lord 1963," he said at Detroit last January, "to strike the chains of bias and prejudice from minds and practices as Lincoln, a century ago, struck down slavery."
In the field of space, he warned repeatedly that any default in the U.S. program to put a man on the moon would amount to a default in American leadership.
Senate GOP leader Everett M. Dirksen, Ill., told newsmen the long-range legislative impact of Johnson's succession can only await his January State of the Union message. But he made it clear that the Kennedy tragedy would not automatically eliminate even such secondary disputes as the House-Senate feud over free "junk mail" for House members.
"The work of the nation has to go forward," Dirksen said. Once the shock of the tragedy has been absorbed, he said, a country like a family quickly is faced with the "reality" of daily problems.
Dirksen said that Congress, for example, must act swiftly on legislation to bar the Export-Import Bank from underwriting grain sales to Communist countries - an issue which is holding up negotiations on grain sales to Russia.
Also still awaiting congressional action before the mid-December recess which will end legislative work for this year are some eight money bills and two major education measures. Leaders have been counting on disposing of these at least before quitting for 1963.
After their 20-minute meeting with the new president, the bipartisan group of leaders agreed to a joint statement of their personal cooperation and friendship and slipped away to their homes and offices to recover from the afternoon's shocking event.
"I'm stunned," said Senate GOP Whip Thomas H. Kuchel, Calif., "it's impossible for me even to think now in terms of what the legislative picture may be. We'll know a little later."
House GOP leader Charles A. Halleck, Ind., said simply of the legislative prospects: "I just don't know. This has been a terrible thing."
