Evening star., 1960-05-27
BY DAVID S. BRODER
star staf Writer

Senator johnson of Texas
left Washington this morning
on the most ambitious outing
of his unannounced campaign
for the Democratic presidential
nomination. The swing will
take him through Idaho. Wash
ington, South and North Da-
kota. Montana. Nevada and
California.
The majority leader will not
have the West to himself. how
ever. Senator's Symington of
Missouri and Kennedy of Mass
achusetts viii be out in Wash
ington and California, too. WOO
ing Democratic delegates and
voters.
On the dominant issue of
the day-the summit failure
and the U-2 incident-Senator
johnson does stand alone in
the Democratic field. While !
Senator's Kennedy and Syming-
ton and Adlai Stevenson have |
criticized the administration,
Senator johnson has urged the
country to rally round the
President in the moment of
crisis.
The mail he has received per-
suades Senator johnson his po-
sition has been wisely-chosen.
Letters came in from all Sec
tions of the country-many of
them from Republicans prais-
ing his "statesmanlike" stand.
Whether organization Demo-
Gratis in the Western States will
see the matter in the same
light will soon be seen.
1t is clear that Senator john
son is fully in the presidential
race. Recent visitors to his
Capitol office report he has
dropped his past protestations
of distinterest and discusses,
seriously and earnestly, his
qualifications.
On two points. they report.
he is insistent: He is not in
the contest to stop" anyone;
and he will not shirk his Sem
ate duties to campaign for the
nomination.
Mentor" of Senate
Senator johnson reportedly
likes to portray himself as the
man who made Senator Ken
nedy what he is today by Sc
curing him choice committee
assignments, maneuvering his
bills to passage and even boost
ing him for Vice President in
1856.
Senator johnson gives his
visitors to understand that he
looks with an almost paternal
pride on the accomplishments
OF Senator Kennedy, Senator
Symington and all the others
Of the Senate class of so who
fourished so we'll under his
care that not one of them suf-
fered defeat in 1858.
Visitors leave with a re-
minder that all these SEN
ators-Kennedy and Syming-
ton, included-have chosen
Senator johnson as their lead
er in the Senate.
Those who have talked with
him are convinced that as long
as the session lasts he will con-
ttnue to do as much politick-
ing as his Senate works allows
but no more.
This attention to duty can be
used for political advantage Of
course, when it is argued that
while others have been cam
paigning, Senator johnson has
been minding the store, build
ing a party record on which
any Democrat can run.
JOhnson'S Guideposts
If he can't out-stump his
rivals. how does Senator john
son expect to win the nomina-
ton?
His confidence appears to rest
on three beliefs:
/. That virtue is its own
reward; that if he does the
right thing" by the party i'll
forging a Senate record, the
party will do the right thing"
by him.
2. That professional Demo-
Gratis at the convention will dis
count the significance of Sen
ator Kennedy'S primary VIC
tories and decide that the man
who has led the party in Con-
gress for eight years is really
the best man to lead it in the
presidency.
8. That Northern liberals and