Evening star., 1960-07-03

AS you already know, I have
resigned as a delegate from
Missouri to the Democratic Ma
tional Convention. did this
because I have no desire what
ever to be a party to proceed
ings that are taking on the
aspects of a prearranged affair.
A convention which is con-
trolled in advance by one group,
and its candidate, leaves the
delegates no opportunity for a
democratic choice and reduces
the convention to a mockery.
I have always believed that
the Democratic Party should
stand for an open convention
and should resist any band
wagon that thwartS and stiles
the free and deliberative proc
ess of this great instrument of
democracy. I don't mind that
happening in the Republican
Convention, you understand.
And the Democratic Party
must never be allowed to be-
come a party of privilege when
men of modest means, or no
means at all, cannot rise to
service in the nation.
I am speaking up at this time
because I would hope that
many of the delegates, who
have been stampede d or
pressured into pre-convention
commitments against their bet
ter judgements-and ! know at
first hand of such instances
will have a chance to exercise
further judgement.
Calls Time Sufficient
There is yet time, before the
convention opens July IL, for
delegates to reflect on their in
diyidual responsibilities to the
party and to the nation. For
this is a time of great difficulty
in the world and we cannot
afford to be swayed by personal
likes or dislikes. And we must
be careful not to permit our
selves to be moved by personal
prejudices or religious bigotry.
The future usefulness of the
party and the restoration of
direction and leadership to the
Nation, are of such paramount
Importance that I am impelled
to disregard the pleadings of
some of my friends to remain
silent about the situation that
has developed. They have
urged my not to do anything
to upset or offend anyone by
speaking up now. You'll find
that is hard for me to do.
But I could not remain silent
because I think it would be
tragic if the convention were
to allow any one clique to ride
herd over it. To let this happen
could very well Illustrate the
hopes and desires of the Amer
lean people to return a Demo-
crat to the White House.
This is the first national
Democratic convention 1 shall
miss since I became United
States Senator in 1884 and it
is a matter of great regret and
deep emotion for me to stay
away from the proceedings of
my party, which has honored
me so greatly, and has always
been so kind and generous to
me personally. But the times
are such that the future sue
cess of the party, and the res
toration of leadership to the
Nation, compel me to forge
personal consideration to do
whatever 1 can to alert the
Los Angeles convention.
Hits 'OverzealOus'
I want to make it clear that
my disappointment at the man
ner in which some of the back
ers of Senator John F. Kennedy
have acted, involve in no way
in my own mind the person OF
qualifications of the Senator
himself. I think, to a great ex-
tent, Senator Kennedy is a VIC
tim of circumstances brought
on by some of his overzealous
hackers which is unfortunate
and unfair to him.
Senator Kennedy has DEM
onStrated ability, capacity and
energy to play an important
and continuing role in the par
ty and the Government. l have
always liked HIM personally and
l still do-and because of this
feeling, I would want to say
to him at this time:
Senator, are you certain that
you are quite ready for the
Country, or that the Country
is ready for you in the role oI
President in January, 1851.
have no doubt about the politi-
4 a