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Mayor Joseph E. Dillon of St. Paul, Minn., said today he can see no evidence of a "gang-up" by Republicans and Democrats to stop Sen. John F. Kennedy in the West Virginia primary election.

Mayor Dillon is touring the Wheeling area today and tomorrow in support of Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota.

Kennedy forces have charged that both the announced and unannounced candidates for the presidency have "ganged-up" on the Massachusetts senator to stop his bandwagon here in West Virginia.

In addition they charge that Vice President Nixon has "passed the word" to Gov. Cecil Underwood to get on the stop-Kennedy bandwagon.

Dillon said that first of all Humphrey "would not be for a stop-Kennedy movement and would not support such a movement."

"Hubert Humphrey is a very serious candidate for the presidency and would have nothing to gain by supporting another Democratic faction in stopping Kennedy here," he continued.

As to the charges that the Republicans have joined forces to slow the progress of Kennedy, Dillon said:

"They are interested more in the national election than the rimary, and fear that the enthusiasm generated by the hard-fought Democratic primary will carry over into the fall general elections."

He pointed to Wisconsin as an example where the hot primary race brought out 71 per cent of the vote on the Democratic side of the ledger and only 29 per cent for Nixon.

"The primary interest is bound to carry over into November," Dillon continued, "and that is what I think the Republicans are interested in stopping more than stopping one particular candidate."

Looking again in Wisconsin he pointed to the fact that the recent primary developed literally "hundreds" of new party workers who never before took an active interest in politics at all.

Although he said the Humphrey camp was not looking for it, Dillon admitted that a West Virginia loss would be "a serious blow to Humphrey's campaign and his hopes."

Asked if he thought it would mean an end to his presidential campaign, he said "you'd better ask Mr. Humphrey when he comes here next week." (Humphrey brings his campaign to Wheeling May 5.)

On the same subject, he said he would not concede the Democratic nomination to Sen. Kennedy should he gain a victory in West Virginia.

"Although the victory would prove he could win among the Protestants, there is still three months until the convention and a lot of large states are still uncommitted," he added.

Dillon, a Catholic himself, said that there seemed to be no reason to make religion an issue in West Virginia.

"From what I've seen, newspapers in the state are reacting the same as newspapers in Wisconsin on the question," he pointed out. "They are playing it straight."

However, he did point to the national news magazines and wire services who were playing up the religion angle here.

"I don't think there is any religious issue in West Virginia and American[s] should be big enough and broad-minded enough to judge the men on the issues and not on a religious basis," he concluded.

Dillon has been mayor of St. Paul, a community of 360,000, for three terms. He is a lawyer. He is married and has five children, four girls, and the most recent addition to the family, a baby boy.

Today, Dillon visited Wellsburg and Follansbee in the morning and New Cumberland and Weirton in the afternoon.

He will be on hand to welcome Mrs. Muriel Humphrey into the city today at 6:30 p.m. and tomorrow will accompany her on her tour over the valley.

Mayor Dillon will conclude his visit here with a tour of the new Wheeling City-County Building Thursday.

Only a handful of people showed up last night at the Marshall County Courthouse to greet Edwin [sic] "Ted" Kennedy, brother of Democratic presidential hopeful, Senator John Kennedy.

The younger Kennedy, making a tour of the northern panhandle, told some 30 people that if his brother is successful in West Virginia, "we believe the nomination is going to be achieved."

He urged every Democratic candidate in Marshall County to climb on the bandwagon "of a winner" and asked that a vigorous campaign be put on to contact all Democrats in the county to ask their support in the May 10 primary election for Kennedy.

"There is no question that what is going to happen is dependent on what happens here. If he is successful here in West Virginia, he will be the next president," Ted said.

"He is the only one who can defeat Nixon," the brother said.

Last night's meeting was called to set up a workshop for Kennedy and to organize a Kennedy-for-President committee in Marshall County, which is being headed by McMechen Mayor Victor J. Mojzer.

Mrs. Mary Patrello was named chairman of the telephone committee, whose duties will be to call each Democrat to enlist votes for Kennedy.

Prior to Kennedy's visit to Moundsville he had visited the Roundhouse of the B&O Railroad in Benwood, the Marx Toy and Triangle Conduit plants in Glen Dale, Solvay plant of Allied Chemical Corporation south of Moundsville, and several other places.

Mrs. Hubert H. Humphrey, who has been taking an active part in her husband's campaign for president, will arrive at the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport today at 6:10 p.m.

Following her press conference tonight at 7:30 p.m., Mrs. Humphrey will attend a party meeting.

Wednesday's schedule includes:

10:30 a.m.: Reception at the Wellsburg Eagles Hall.
12 noon: Luncheon reception at the New Cumberland VFW hall, sponsored by the New Cumberland Women's Democratic Club.
1:45 p.m.: A visit to Weirton.
2:30 p.m.: Reception at the Weirton Community Center
3:45 p.m.: Visit to the Weirton Steel Mill with a tour of facilities accompanied by the mill officials.
8 p.m.: Reception at the Moundsville American Legion Hall.
11:21 p.m.: Departs the airport for Charleston.

Mayor Joseph Dillon of St. Paul, Minn., another Humphrey supporter and local officials will accompany Mrs. Humphrey on her tour.