Sen. Kennedy Say Nixon Involved In W.Va. Effort
'Stop-Kennedy' Move Blasted In Talk Here
April 26, 1960
Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, hammered at the so called "stop Kennedy" movement in West Virginia when he brought his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination to Williamson yesterday afternoon.
The candidate was greeted by a crowd of about 1,000 persons who gathered around the court house square and in adjacent streets.
After making a brief off the cuff address and shaking hands with hundreds of people, Kennedy took his campaign to Logan, topping en route at Omar.
Kennedy charged in his talks here and elsewhere that Vice President Richard M. Nixon had ordered Governor Cecil H. Underwood's republican administration to attack Kennedy.
"The vice president as well as other Democratic candidates who aren't running here, and Jimmy Hoffa, say West Virginia is the place to stop Kennedy," the senator told the crowd here.
"I don't think the people of West Virginia will have any part of this," he added.
Senator Kennedy said West Virginia contributed more to the Korean war in manpower and received less in defense contracts than any state in the union.
Then he launched into an attack on the present administration blaming it for vetoing the federal housing program and for refusing to support the distressed areas bill and urban removal and coal research programs.
Referring to Social Security and what he called shortcomings of the program, he said people are losing their jobs at 45 and have to wait until they are 65 to get Social Security benefits.
Kennedy said the government must raise the scale of benefits, increase death lump sum payments, and increase the limit on the amount older people can earn and still be eligible for Social Security benefit checks.
A large welcoming committee was on hand to greet the candidate when he arrived, including representatives of the two Democratic factions here.
Senator Kennedy also did a little campaigning in Kentucky greeting a large delegation of students from South Williamson Grade School during a visit to the Piggly Wiggly Super Market. He also greeted store personnel and purchased a cake.
During his trip to Williamson from Wayne, the senator spotted a group of N&W railway section hands working at Crum. He stopped and shook hands with them.
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