Newspaper Articles

"We've brought Gov. Underwood home, " Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts said of the presidential primary contest between himself and Sen. Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota in Beckley Thursday.

Kennedy had barely completed his brief speech to about 1,000 persons when a middle-aged lady planted a kiss on his left cheek. The boyish Kennedy was marked man with the lipstick as he walked down from the courthouse steps and shook hands for 40 minutes.

In the speech, Kennedy lambasted West Virginia's governor for telling him and Humphrey to go home. He also leveled his verbal torrent on the Eisenhower administration in his third campaign trip to the city.

"Why didn't Underwood have his conference with Eisenhower long before this?" Kennedy asked. He was referring to a conference in Washington Wednesday in which Eisenhower said he would lend a hand toward helping West Virginia with its economic troubles.

Kennedy charged that commodities to the needy distributed amount to $20 a year per person. "Its time the Republican governor and president begin to find out about West Virginia" he declared.

Kennedy said he was sure much had been accomplished in the West Virginia presidential contest, despite protests to go home "Wet Virginians have a right to vote for the man they want to be president."

The choice should not be made in Washington or Illinois or at a convention, he added.

The attention focused on West Virginia in the contest will result in Eisenhower leading Vice President Richard Nixon through the hollows of the state before the general election, Kennedy predicted.

Kennedy promised if elected to return to West Virginia. "But I will know how to get to Beckley and Raleigh, I won't have to be led."

The Kennedy caravan rolled on to Oak Hill where the candidate told about 600 people that it was his second visit to Collins High School. Kennedy appeared at the high school after launching his campaign in Beckley with a speech last month.

The Kennedy and Humphrey campaigns screeched to a sudden halt Thursday night. The chieftains sped eastward toward Washington to register their approval of an area redevelopment bill - a measure dear to the hearts of West Virginians.

Both Sens. John F. Kennedy (D-Mass) and Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn) have been vocal in their support of their bill in their swings through this economically blighted state.

The Senate goes in Friday at 9 a.m. (EDT). The body agreed to adjust to changing financial conditions.

"I want to get the depressed area bill on his, the president's, desk at the earliest possible moment" said Humphrey.

"This is one of the bills I have been talking about which would do something concrete for the depressed state of the West Virginia economy," said Kennedy.

Mount Hope (RNS) - It has been announced that Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., who is conducting a political campaign throughout West Virginia for Sen. John Kennedy, will be in front of the Mount Hope High School Auditorium at 2 p.m. today for a Rally.

He will speak to the audience at that time, and is traveling in a car caravan from the Rainelle area.

Richwood (RNS) - Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. was back in Richwood on the campaign trail again and this time he hunted up Police Chief Bernard Dawson and offered a generous handshake. He told Dawson, "You are an excellent police officer."

The week previous when Roosevelt was in Richwood and Summersville he was being driven through Richwood en route to Summersville when a funeral home was about to move out and Roosevelt's car was halted by Dawson as they started to pass the procession. The driver of the Roosevelt car explained to Dawson that he had Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. in the car and that they were late for a speaking engagement in nearby Summersville. Dawson, at the time thinking that someone was just pulling one to get by, replied to the driver, "I don't care if you have Abraham Lincoln in your car, you will have to wait until this funeral procession goes first," and the Roosevelt car waited.

Alderson (RNS) - Senator John F. Kennedy spoke briefly Wednesday to an overflow crowd at the Alderson High School auditorium where he was greeted by school principal, Neil McEachron, Dick Strealey, president of the student body and Charles Huffman, president of the senior class.

Preceding the senator's speech, his brother, Ted Kennedy, spoke in behalf of his brother as candidate for president and explained that the senator would only be able to speak briefly because he was suffering with a throat infection.

Both speakers were introduced by James Manchen [sic], of Parkersburg, who is campaigning for Kennedy in West Virginia.

In speaking of his campaign in West Virginia, Senator Kennedy stated that a candidate for the high office of president of the United States should take his candidacy to the people. This he gave as his reason for his touring the state before the primary election.

He emphasized the fact that you are never able to arouse interest and gain support unless you go out and seek it.

He emphasized the problems facing West Virginia in 1960 and said it will take vital and energetic forces to solve these problems. He also stressed the fact that the eyes of the country are on West Virginia and that if he is elected he would do all in his power as president to help solve these problems.

A large crowd welcomed Kennedy and his party which arrived about 11:45 a.m.