Evening star., 1960-07-14

rectly-aS Senator johnson did
not-that the path to the presi-
dency did not lie along the lines
of stern attention to the mani
fold details of passing legisla-
ton. His colleagues in the SEN
ate do not exactly regard him
as a shirker, but his legislative
monuments are few.
His one big test, though, he
passed with flying colors. AS a
member of the Senate Rackets
Committee and chairman of
the Senate Labor Subcommit-
tee, it fell to him to manage
the labor reform legislation
that came out of the investiga-
ton with which he was so
prominently identified.
Tt was a delicate matter for
a man with his ambitions. The
public clearly demanded a
cleanup, but the labor leaders
who hold an effective veto over
the choice Of Democratic presi-
dental nominees were fearful
that legislation billed as reform
would turn out to be union
busting.
Enhanced Reputation
1t took two years to manage
| 1t. but in the end Senator Ken
nedy came out with a bill that
almost everyone except Team
sters President James r. Hoffa
would live with. He enhanced
his own reputation with the
public without antagonizing
the labor leaders. Indeed, he
won their confidence and, as
the past week has shown, their
open support against his great
est rival, Senator johnson.
The pace of activities main
tanned by Senator Kennedy
through 1858 showed clearly
he had recovered from the
serious back ailment that
forced him out of the Senate
for several months four years
earlier. He won reelection in
November, 1858, by the largest
margin in the history of Mass
achusettS. but the greater
part of his campaigning was
done outside his home State,
BY the beginning of 1859, when
most other candidates were just
starting to think about their
presidential campaigns, Sena-
tor Kennedy and his aide-de-
camp, Ted Sorensen, had al
ready visited all so States.
These visits had far more
than social significance. Local
leaders found that the ia
nous young Senator was their
best drawing card at fund
raising dinners and rallies for
State and city candidates. In
the unwritten but well-under-
stood rule of politics, every dol
lar and every vote Senator
Kennedy helped these local
leaders raise gave him a claim
on their assistance in his later
endeavor. AS the Senator in
creased his capital of unful-
filled obligations, Mr.. Sorensen
was steadily adding to his ros-
ter Of potential Kennedy
workers.
Organizations Set Up
During 1859, the basic Ken
nedy organizations were set up
in all the key States. Other
candidates making their first
forays into these regions were
astonished to find many of the
local leaders already committed
to Senator Kennedy.
The importance. of these
early alliances with local lead
ers to the Kennedy campaign
cannot be exaggerated. The
Senator's power was built from
the ground UP. 1t rested on his
popularity with ordinary voters,
demonstrated clearly in the
polls from 1858 on. 1t was
Solidif1ed by his ardent wooing
of local leaders in such key
States as New York. Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland, Illinois and
Ohio. In each of these States,
Senator Kennedy had the local
leaders Sewed up long before
the nominal boss" of the
State gave him his endorse
ment.
Ohio shows how it worked.
His key alliance there was with
Ray Miller, the Democratic
leader of Cuyahoga County
(Cleveland. The top Democrat
in the State. Gov. Michael v.
Disable. wanted to be the
favorite-son candidate in the
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