Newspaper Articles


Williamson Daily News
April 20, 1960

Robert Kennedy Visits Williamson For His Brother

Robert Kennedy, counsel for the Senate Rackets Investigating Committee, is in Williamson today in the interest of his brother's, Senator John F. Kennedy's campaign for the Democratic nomination for President.

Kennedy was accompanied by Bill Battle, attorney from Charlottesville, Va. , who was in Williamson as member of the le(a)gal staff in the damage suit growing out of the Williamson Bus Station fire.

Kennedy was sounding out sentiment concerning his brother's candidacy.

Senator Kennedy is scheduled to bring his campaign to Williamson on April 30.


Kennedy Hits Food Policies

Mt. Hope, W.Va. (UPI)

Sen. John F. Kennedy charged today that needy people overseas get a better break in many cases from surplus food policies of Agriculture Secretary Ezra T. Benson than families of West Virginia's unemployed.

"In recent years, Secretary Benson has sent overseas under the surplus food program beef, chickens, turkeys, ducks, pork, sausage, potatoes, milk, orange juice, peaches and other fruits and vegetables," Kennedy said.

"He has not sent only four, rice and corn meal as he has here in West Virginia. He has not expected our friends overseas to get by on such a subsistence diet without variety and he should not expect our people here at home to get by on such a diet."

Kennedy spoke to a cheering audience from atop the good of a station wagon in this economically distressed community. He winds up his current three-day tour to win the West Virginia Democratic presidential primary tonight.

Kennedy said Benson "refuses to recognize that any serious problem exists here."

"We have all tried to tell him, but he won't listen," he said.

"The entire Republican administration won't listen because I don't think they care."

The New England senator said the basic issue in West Virginia was jobs - "more jobs for Wet Virginia, that is our goal."

Kennedy who appeared at a televised news conference today and reported that his Roman Catholic religion would not interfere with carrying out the duties imposed on the president.

Kennedy and Sen. Hubert Humphrey (Minn.) plan to wind up their West Virginia primary campaigns in spectacular fashion, meeting face to face on television election eve.

Kennedy reversed his stand on public debates Tuesday and agreed to face a panel of newsmen with Humphrey. Plans were drawn up for an hour-long forum to be televised May 9.

Kennedy refused a Humphrey challenge to a debate during the Wisconsin primary but indicated his strong feelings about an alleged "stop-Kennedy" movement in the West Virginia campaign changed his mind.

"The way this campaign is evolving, I can't accept the current attack without fighting back," Kennedy said. In Wisconsin, he said a debate between the two hopefuls for the Democratic presidential nomination would be harmful to the party.


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