davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Kennedy Disputes
Nixon Figures

Senator Kennedy would
say that is what I found some
what unsatisfactory about the
figures, Mr.. Nixon, that you
used in your previous speech
when you talked about the Tru-
man administration. Mr.. Tru-
man came to Office in 1914 and
at the end of the war and the
difficulties that were facing the
United States during that peri
cd Of transition, 1916, when
price controls were lifted, so it
is rather difficult to use an
overall figure of taking those
71a years and compare them to
the last 8 years. I would prefer
to take the overall percentage
record of the last 20 years of
the Democrats and the 8
years of Republicans to show
an overall period of growth.
In regard to price stability,
I am not aware that that COM
mittee did produce recommen-
dations that ever were Ger
tainly before the Congress from
the point of view of legislation
in regard to controlling prices.
In regard to the exchange of
students, of labor unions, I am
chairman of the subcommittee
on Africa and I think one of
the most unfortunate phases of
our policy towards that coun-
try was the very minute number
of exchanges that we had. I
think it is true of Latin Amer
lea also. We did come forward
with program of students for
the Congo of over 300, which
was more than the Federal
Government had for all of
Africa the previous year, so that
don't think that we have
moved at least in those two
areas with sufficient vigor.
Mr.. Smith-Question to Sen
ator Kennedy from Mr.. War;
rer,
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Judgment Is Issue
Replies Kennedy

Senator Kennedy - Well,
will just say that the question
is of experience and the ques-
tion also is what our judgment
is of the future and what goals
are for the United States ano
what ability we have to inn
plement those goals.
Abraham Lincoln came tc
the presidency in 1860 after a
rather little known session in
the House of Representatives
and after being defeated for
the Senate in SO and was a
distinguished President. There
is no certain road to the
presidency. There are no
guarantees that if you take one
road or another that you will
be a successful President.
I have been in the Congress
for IA years. I have voted in the
last 8 years when the Vice Pres
ident was presiding over the
Senate and meeting his other
responsibilities. I have made
decisions over 800 times on
matters which affect not only
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Is u. S. Doing
What LtCdn?

Therefore I think the ques-
tion before the American people
is: Are we doing as much as
we can do, are we as strong as
we should be, are we as strong
as we must be if we are going
to maintain our independence
and are we going to maintain
and hold out the hand of
friendship to those who look
to us for assistance, to those
who look to us for survival.
I should make it very clear
that I do not think we are doing
enough; that I am not salts
fled as an American with the
progress we are making. This
is a great country, but I think
it could be a more powerful
country. I am not satisfied to
have so per cent of our steel
mill capacity unused, I am not
satisfied when the United States
had last year the lowest rate
Of economic growth Of any
major industrialized society in
the world, because economic
growth means strength and
vitality, it means we are able
to sustain our defenses, it
means we are able to meet our
commitments abroad.
I am not satisfied when we
have over SO billion worth of
food, some of 1t rotting, even
though there is a hungry world
and even though 4 million
Americans wait every month
for a food package from the
Government which averages
5 cents a day per individual.
I saw cases in West Virginia,
here in the United States,
where children took home parts
Of their school lunch in order
to feed their families because
I don't think we are meeting
our obligations towards these
Americans,
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Panels Questions

MOderatOr-Thank you, Mr..
Nixon. That completes the
opening statements, and now
the candidates will answer
questions or comment upon one
another's answers to questions
put by correspondents of the
networks.
(Howard K. Smith of CHS
News, the moderator, intro
duced the panelists, Robert
Fleming of the American
Broadcasting Co., Stuart
Novins Of the Columbia
Broadcasting System, Charles
Warren Of the Mutual Broad
casting System, Sander Van
ocer of the National Broad
casting Co.
Mr.. Smith-The first uues-
tion to Senator Kennedy from
Mr.. Fleming.
Mr.. Fleming - Senator, the
Vice President in hts campaion
has said that you are naiue
and at times immature. He has
raised the question of leader
ship and on this issue iDhy do
you think people should uote
for you rather than the Vice
President?
Senator Kennedy-The Vice
President and I came to the
Congress together in 1946, both
served in the Labor Commit
tee. I have been there now for
IA years, the same period OF
time that he has. So that our
experience in Government is
comparable. Secondly, I think
the question is on what pro-
grams we advocate, what is the
party'S record that we lead.
I come out of the Democratic
Party, which in this century has
produced Woodrow Wilson and
Franklin Roosevelt and Harry
Truman, and which sustained
and supported these programs
which I have discussed tonight
Mr.. Nixon comes out of the
Republican Party. He was
nominated by them, and it is a
fact that through most of the
past Is years the Republican
leadership has opposed Federal
aid for education, medical care
for the aged, development OF
the Tennessee Valley, develop
ment of our natural resources
I think Mr.. Nixon is an effec-
tive leader of his party. I hope
he would grant me the same
The question before us il
which point of view, which
party do we want to lead the
United States?
Mr.. Smith-Mr. Nixon, woulc
you like to comment on that
statement?
Mr.. NixOn-I have no com.
ment.
Mr.. Smith-The next ques-
ton, Mr.. NovinS:
Evening star., 1960-09-27

controls on acreage even far
more than they have today. I
think this is the wrong direc-
ton. I don't think this has
worked in the past, I do not
think it will work in the future.
The program that I have
advocated is one which departs
from the present program that
we have in this respect: The
recognition that the Govern
ment has a responsibility to get
the farmer out of the trouble he
presently is in because the Gov
ernment got him into it and
that is the fundamental rea-
son why we can't let the farmer
go by himself at the present
time. The farmer produced
these surpluses because the
Government asked him to-
through legislation during the
war. Now that we have these
surpluSes, 1t is our responsibility
to indemnify the farmer during
that period that we get rid OF
the surplus. Until we get the
Surpluses off the farmers back,
however, we should have a
program such as I announced
which will see that farm income
holds up, but I would propose
holding that income up not
through a type of program that
Senator Kennedy has suggested
that would raise prices, but one
that would indemnify the
farmer by payment in kline
from the products which are ir
surplus.
Mr.. Smith The next uues-
ton to Vice President Nixon
from Mr.. Vanocur.
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Compares Records
OF Administrations

Is the United States standing
still? Is it true that this admin
istration. as Senator Kennedy
has charged, has been an admin
istration of retreat, of defeat,
Of stagnation? Is it true that as
far as this country is concerned
in the field Of electric power, in
all of the fields that he has
mentioned, we have not been
moving ahead? Well, we have
a comparison that we can make.
We have the record of the Tru-
man administration of 7la years
and the 712 years Of the Eisen-
hover administration. When
we compare these two records
in the areas that Senator
Kennedy has discussed tonight,
I think we find that America
has been moving ahead.
Let's take schools. We have
built more schools in these last
|712 years than we built in the
previous 7la-for that matter
in the previous 20 years.
Let's take hydroelectric power.
We, have developed more hydro
electric power in these 71a years
than we developed in any
previous administration in his
tory. Let us take houses. We
find that more have been built
in this administration than in
the previous administration.
The same is true Of highways.
Let's put it in terms that all
Of us can understand. We often
hear gross national product
discussed, and in that respect
may I say that when we COM
pare the growth in this ad-
ministration with that of the
previous administration, then
there was a total growth of IL
per cent over z years. In this
administration there has been a
total growth of 10 per cent over
Z years. That shows that there
has been more growth in this
administration than its pred
eceSsor. But let's not put 1t
there: let's put it in terms of
what has happened to you. We
find that our wages have gone
UP five times as much in the
Eisenhower administration as
they did in the Truman admin
istration. What about the prices
you pay?
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Nixon Statement

Mr.. NixOn-Mr. Smith, Sen
ator Kennedy: The things that
Senator Kennedy has said
many Of us can agree with.
There is no question but that
we cannot discuss our internal
affairs in the United States
without recognizing that they
have a tremendous bearing on
our international position.
There is no question but that
this Nation cannot stand still
because we are already in
deadly competition, a competi-
ton not only with the men in
the Kremlin but the men in
Peking. We are ahead in this
competition, as Senator Ken
nedy I think has implied. But
when you are in a race, the
only way to stay ahead is to
move ahead. I subscribe COM
pletely to the spirit that SEN
ator Kennedy has expressed to-
night, the spirit that the United
States should move ahead.
Where then do we disagree?
I think we disagree on the
implication of his remarks TO-
night and on the statements
that he has made on many
occasions during his campaign
to the effect that the United
States has been standing still.
We heard tonight, for example,
the statement made that our
growth in national product last
year was the least of any in
dustrial nation in the world,
Now last year, of course, was
1858. That happened to be a
recession year but when we look
at the growth of GIMP this
year, a year of recovery, we
find it is SO per cent and one
of the highest in the world to-
day. More about that later.
Looking then to this problem
of how the United States should
| move ahead and where the
United States is moving,
think it is well that we takt
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Kennedy
Statement
Senator Kennedy

Senator Kennedy Mr..
Smith. Mr.. Nixon. In the
election of 1860 Abraham
Lincoln said the question was
whether this Nation could ex-
list half slave or half free.
In the election Of 1860 and
within the world around us,
the question is whether the
world will exist half slave or
half free, whether it will move
in the direction of freedom, in
the direction of the road that
we are taking or whether 1t
will move in the direction Of
slavery. I think it will depend
in great measure upon what
we do here in the United
States, on the kind Of society
that we build, on the kind of
strength that we maintain.
We discuss tonight domestic
issues, but I would not want
any implication to be given that
this does not involve directly
our struggle with Mr.. Khru-
shchev for survival. Mr.. Khru-
shchev is in New York and he
maintains the Communist Of
fenSive throughout the world
by a use Of the productive
power of the Soviet Union itself.
The Chinese Communists
have always had a large popu-
lation but they are important
and dangerous now because of
their mounting and dangerous
effort within their own country.
The kind Of country we have
here, the kind Of society we
have, the kind of strength we
build in the United States will
be the difference in the extent
Of freedom. If we do we'll here,
if we meet our obligations, If
we are moving ahead, then I
think freedom will be secure
around the world.
II we fail, then freedom fails.
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Need Is Cited
For Joint Action

The argument has been used
against every piece of social
legislation in the last Is years.
The people Of the United States
individually cannot have de-
veloped the Tennessee Valley;
collectively they could have. A
cotton farmer in Georgia or a
peanut farmer or q dairy
farmer in Wisconsin or Mime
sofa, he cannot protect himself
against the forces of supply and
demand in the marketplace.
But working together in an eff
fective Governmental program,
he can do so.
Seventeen million Americans
who live over IS on an average
social security check Of aboG.
$78 a month, they are not able
to sustain themselves indi-
vidually, but they can sustain
themselves through the social
security system. ! don't believe
in big Government, but I be-
lieve in effective Governmental
action, and ! think that Is the
only way that the United
States Is going to maintain its
freedom. 1t is the only way
we are going to move ahead. !
think we can do a better job.
I think we are going to have
to do a better job if we are
going to meet the RESPONSE
bilitieS which time and events
have placed upon us.
We cannot turn the job over
to anyone else. If the United
States fails, then the whole
cause Of freedom fails, and I
think it depends in great meas
ure on what we do here in
this country. The reason Frank
lin Roosevelt was q good neigh
Dor in Latin America was be-
cause he was q good neighbor
in the United States, because
they felt that the American
society was moving again.
I want US to recapture that
image. I want people in Latin
America and Africa and Asia
to start to look to America to
see how we are doing things,
to wonder what the President
Of the United States is doing
and not to look at KhruShchev
or look at the Chinese Com
munists. That is the obligation
upon our generation.
In 1888 Franklin Roosevelt
said in his inaugural that this
generation Of America has a
rendezvous with destiny.
think our generation Of Ameri-
cans has the same rendezvous.
The question now is can free
dom be maintained under the
most severe attack that it has
ever known.
I think 1t can, and I think in
the final analysis it depends
upon what we do here. I think
it is time America started NOV
ing again.
Moderator - And now the
opening statement by Vice
President Richard M. Nixon.
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Nixon Explains
His Farm Plan

Mr.. NixOn-I, Of course, dis
agree with Senator Kennedy
insofar as his suggestion as to
what should be done on the
farmer program. He has made
the suggestion that what we
need is to move in the direc-
ton of more Government con-
trolls, a suggestion that would
also mean raising prices that
the consumers pay for products
and imposing upon the farmers
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Tax Rise Seen
In Kennedy Plan

Mr.. NixOn-Yes, I think what
Mr.. Novins is referreing to was
not one of Senator Kennedy's
speeches, but the Democratic
platform, which did mention
cutting the national debt. I
think, too. that it should be
pointed out that of course it is
not possible, particularly un-
der the proposals that Senator
Kennedy advocated to either
cut the national debt or to
reduce taxes.
AS a matter of fact, it will
be necessary to raise taxes.
Senator Kennedy points out
that as far as one proposal is
concerned, the one for Federal
care for the aged, that that
would be financed out of social
security. That, however, is
raising taxes for those who pay
social security. He points out
that he would make pay as you
60 the basis for our natural
resources development. Our
natural resources development,
which I also support, incident
ally. However we approach any
one of these projects, you have
to pay now and appropriate
the money, and while they
eventually do pay out, it doesn't
mean that the Government
doesn't have to put out the
money this year.
So would say that in all of
these proposals Senator Ken
nedy has made, they would
result in one of two things;
Either he has to raise taxes, or
he has to unbalance the budg-
ct. If he unbalances the budg-
ct, that means you have infla-
ton, and that will be, of course,
a very cruel blow to the very
Continued on Page A-9, Col. l
Evening star., 1960-09-27

the domestic security Of the
United States, but as a member
of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
The question really Is which
candidate in Which party can
meet the problems the United
States is going to face in 1860.
Mr.. Smith-The next ques-
ton to Mr.. Kennedy from Mr..
NoVins.
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Would Build
On Programs

We find that the prices you
pay went up five times as much
in the Truman administration
as they did in the Eisenhower
administration.
What is the net result Of
this? This means that the
average family income went up
is per cent in the Eisenhower
years as against 2 per cent in
the Truman years. Now, this is
not standing still, but good as
this record is, may I emphasize
it isn't enough. A record is never
something to stand on, it is
something to build on, and in
building on this record, I be-
lieve that we have the secret
for progress.
We know the way to progress.
And I think, first Of all, our
own record proves that we
know the way. Senator Ken
nedy has suggested that he be-
lieves he knows the way. I
respect the sincerity with which
he makes that suggestion, but
on the other hand when we
look at the various programs
that he offers, they do not seem
to be new; they seem to be
simply retreads Of the programs
OF the Truman administration
which preceded him, and I
would suggest that during the
course Of the evening he might
indicate those areas in which
his programs are new, where
they will mean more progress
than we have done, what kinds
Of programs are we for?
We are for programs that
will expand educational op-
portunities, that will give to all
Americans their equal chance
for education, for all of the
things which are necessary and
dear to the hearts of our people
We are for programs in addi-
tion which will see that our
medical care for the aged is
much better handled than it is
at the present time. May I in
dicate that Senator Kennedy
and are not in disagreement
as to the aims. We both want
to help the old people. We want
to see that they do have ade-
quate medical care. The ques-
ton is the means. I think that
the means that I advocate will
reach that goal better than the
means he advocates. coulc
give better examples, but what.
ever it is, whether it is in the
field of housing or health OF
medical care or schools or the
development of electric power
we have programs which we be-
ieve will move America, move
her forward and build on the
wonderful record that we have
made over these past seven anC
a half years.
Now, when we look at these
programs, might I suggest that
in evaluating them, we otter
have a tendency to say that
the test of a program is how
much you are spending. I will,
concede that in all the areas
to which I have referred Sena.
tor Kennedy would have the
F ederal Government spenc
more than I would have Snent
Evening star., 1960-09-27
Nominee Asked
OF Experience

Mr.. NOvins-Mr. Vice PreSi-
dent, your campaign stresses
the Udlue of your eight gears
experience. The question arises
as to tDhether that experience
tDGS as an obSerUer, as a par
ticipGnt or an initidtor of policy
making. Would you tell us
please specifically tDhGt major
proposals you haze made in the
Evening star., 1960-09-27

farmers. Lots of people, I think,
don't understand Uhy the Gou-
ernment pays farmers for not
producing certain crops or pay
ing farmers if they ouerproduce,
for that matter.
Let me ask, sir, why can't
the farmer operate like the
businessman 1Dho operates a
factory? If an auto company
oUerproduceS a certain model
car Uncle Sam doesn't step in
and buy up the surplus. Why
this constant courting OF the
farmer?
Senator Kennedy-Well, be-
cause I think if the Federal
Government moved out of the
program and withdrew its sup
ports, then I think you would
have complete economic chaos
The farmer plants in the spring
and harvests in the fall. There
are hundreds of thousands OF
them. They really-they are
not able to control their market
very well, they bring their crops
in or their livestock in, many
Of them about the same time.
They have only a few pur-
chaSers that buy their milk or
their hogs, a few large COM
panieS in many cases and there
fore the farmer is not in a
position to bargain very effec-
lively in the market place.
think the experience of the '2Os
has shown what a free market
could do to agriculture and il
the agricultural economy COL
lapSes, then the economy of the
rest of the United States sooner
or later will collapse.
The farmers are the number
one market for the automobile
industry of the United States
The automobile industry is the
number one market for steel
So if the farmers economy
continues to decline as sharply
as it has in recent years, then
think you will have a recess
sion in the rest of the country
So think the case for Govern
ment intervention is a good
one.
Secondly. my objection tc
present farm policy is that
there are no effective controls
to bring supply and demand
into better balance. The drop
ping of the support price ir
order to limit production has
not worked and we now have
the highest surpluses, SO bill.
lion worth, we have had 6
higher tax load from the Treas.
ury for the farmer, in the las
few years, with the lowest
farm income in many years
I think this farm policy ha.
failed and in my judgment the
only policy that will work will
be for effective supply anc
demand to be in balance anc
that can only be done through
Governmental action.
I therefore suggest that ir
those basic commodities which
are supported, that the Fedora
| Government, after Endorsement
by the farmers in that com.
modify, attempt to bring sup.
ply and demand into balance
attempt effective production
controls, so that we won't have
that 5 or 6 per cent surplus
which breaks the price is OF
20 per cent.
I think Mr.. Benson's pro.
gram has failed and I mus
say, after reading the Vice
Presidents speech before the
farmers, as he read mine,
don't believes that it is very
much different from Mr.. Ben
sons, I don't think it provides
effective Governmental con-
trolls. I think the support prices
are tied to the average market
price for the last three years
which was Mr.. Benson's theory
I do not believe that this is
a sharp enough breach from
the past to give us any hope
of success for the future.
MIR. Smith-Mr. Nixon, any
comments?