Newspaper Articles


Glenville Democrat
April 28, 1960

Kennedy Victory In W. Va. Seen As Key To Winning Presidential Nomination

Senator's Brother Speaks at Gilmer County Rally; Also Talks at Glenville State College

A victory in West Virginia in the May 10 Primary could mean from 300 to 350 electoral votes for U. S. Senator John F. Kennedy in his bid for the Democratic nomination for President.

This was pointed out here Tuesday night when Senator Kennedy's brother, the Hon. Robert Kennedy, came here to speak in behalf of the presidential aspirant at a Democratic rally at the courthouse, attended by some 125 persons.

Mr. Kennedy spoke Tuesday morning at AB College at Philippi, at Wesleyan in Buckhannon, addressed a capacity audience at Glenville State College at 2:30 p.m. and then went to Grantsville for a speech at the courthouse there at 6 p.m. He returned to Glenville for the Gilmer county rally at 8 p.m. His talk to the college groups concerned his work as counsel for the McClellan (U. S. Senate Rackets) Committee.

Students here at Glenville gave him a rousing ovation and asked many questions in a brief question and answer period.

In a brief question and answer period at the Democratic rally at the courthouse the first question was, "What effect will your brother's being a Catholic have in the West Virginia primary race?

Mr. Kennedy, speaking for his brother, said "My brother's first loyalty, if he is elected president, will be to his country. This loyalty was not questioned when he became a member of the U. S. House of Representatives, when he took the oath as a U. S. Senator or when he entered the U. S. armed forces."

Kennedy scor[n]ed the Eisenhower administration for failure to do something to relieve the shortage of school classrooms, for failure to recognize depressed areas, elimination of slum conditions and for failure to keep America abreast of the times in the matter of military preparedness. He said top level military leaders have resigned because they feel the Eisenhower administration is not recognizing the need for keeping ahead in the missile and other programs.

Kennedy also, after pointing out the overwhelming strength shown by his brother in other campaigns, emphasized that "a vote for Hubert Humphrey here in W. Va. will be a vote lost.Mr. Humphrey by no stretch of the imagination can win the nomination for president."

He also told his audience that if "you vote for my brother and he becomes president, you will have a real friend in the White House.He has spent several weeks in W. Va. and he knows you, your problems and your needs."

Kennedy said W. Va. on a per capita basis furnished more men in World War II and in the Korean conflict and suffered more casualties than any other state, yet "your state is second from the bottom in amount of defense contracts received.You have been overlooked in the military preparedness program under the Eisenhower administration."

John Jamison, president of the Young Democrats Club, presided at the rally. County and district candidates were introduced. At least three state candidates were there, two of them arriving late; namely, Oral Skeen, candidate for governor; Joe Burdett, candidate for re-election for Sec. of State. Other c[a]ndidate present was Wade Bronson, for attorney general.

Karl F. Rolvaag, Lt. Gov. of Minn., will be in Gilmer county Friday in behalf of Senator Humphrey. (See story elsewhere in this issue).


Humphrey Forces To Greet Voters Friday Afternoon At Hotel Conrad

Karl Rolvaag, Lt. Governor of Minnesota, will be in Glenville Friday, April 29, and will campaign in the Gilmer County area on behalf of Senator Hubert Humphrey.

Highlights of the Rolvaag tour here will be a public reception at the Conrad Hotel at 4:30 where Rolvaag hopes to meet many of the Gilmer County residents to sample political sentiment in this crucial county.

Prior to the reception, Rolvaag will visit the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal Company mine at 3:45 p.m.

The Rolvaag visit was arranged through W. W. Nottingham, Democratic county chairman, and John Jamison, president of the Gilmer County Young Democrats Club.

Rolvaag is completing his third term as Lt. Governor of the Gopher State. A World War II hero in the Tank Corps, Rolvaag has recovered from serious war wounds to become one of Minnesota's most popular political figures.


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