WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 1970 (UPI) -- President Nixon proposed in his State of the Union message to Congress today the most expensive programs in history to combat pollution and crime.
While his prepared message dealt extensively with the need for greater federal economies to fight inflation, the President told a joint session of the House and Senate that crime and pollution were two areas in which he would recommend unprecedented spending.
Nixon's first state of the union message also reported prospects for peace in Vietnam were "far greater today than they were a year ago."
Nixon's assessment of the peace outlook for the 70's was even brighter. He said, "America may have the best chance since World War II to enjoy a generation of uninterrupted peace."
In a largely domestically oriented message in which he foresaw America as "a society of large expectations," the President's dominant subjects appeared to be pollution, crime and inflation.
On pollution he said a plan to be submitted later to Congress will include a national $10 billion clean waters program to put modern municipal waste treatment plants "in every place in America where they are needed."
On the fight against the growing crime rate, he said: "In referring to budget cuts, there is one area where I have ordered an increase rather than a cut-the request of those agencies with the responsibility for law enforcement."
Nixon said that would involve doubling in fiscal 1971 the federal expenditure for aiding local law enforcement-double the 1970 budget for this purpose.
Discussing inflation, the President declared that "millions of Americans are forced to go into debt today because the Federal Government decided to go into debt yesterday."
"We must balance our federal budget so that American families will have a better chance to balance their family budgets," he said.
Presenting and remaining within a balanced budget required hard decisions, he added.
"It means rejecting spending programs which would benefit some of the people when their net effect would result in price increases for all the people," he said.
The Present's speech -- two days after the anniversary of his first year in office -- was generally directed at sweeping reforms in the federal establishment and a redefinement of national priorities and goals.
In fact, the President thought that particularly in domestic affairs there was need for "a national growth policy" through which federal, state and local governments could "influence the course of urban settlement and growth so as positively to affect the quality of American life."
"It is no longer enough to live and let live," the President said. "Now we must live and help live. We need a fresh climate in America, one in which a person can breathe freely and breathe in freedom."
Nixon said that in speaking of American priorities, "the first priority must always be peace for America and the world." This, he added, is a great issue which should be above partisanship.
As for this country's international role, he stressed the need for greater participation by other nations in improving the lot of the underdeveloped countries and of moving toward a climate of peace.
"We shall be faithful to our treaty commitments," he said, "But we shall reduce our involvement and our presence in other nations' affairs.
"To insist that other nations play a role is not a retreat from responsibility, but a sharing of responsibility.
"I would be the last to suggest that the road to peace, is not difficult and dangerous, but I believe our new policies have contributed to the prospect that America may have the best chance since World War II to enjoy a generation of uninterrupted peace."
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