Evening star., 1960-10-24
DEBATE
gRivoIs Agree to Fifth TV Debote,
But Split on Cubo as Sole Topic

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Of eiiother debate.
0n the ground that the last
tsso debates became repetitious
in Aome instances. he said q
obstructive public purpose
could be better served If any
1ifth debate centered princi-
paiig on an overriding issue.
The previous debates, he said.
I'm one sense have not been de-
hates but merely interrogations
on epme issues Of the day."
Comparing those meetings
with the Lincoln Douglas de-
bates, as some have done. is
not an accurate analogy" he
continued. what made those
debates so significant and mem
oE'able is that they dealt with
one subject of great immediate
interest on which the candi-
dates completely disagreed with
each other.
'Such an issue has developed
In this campaign during the
last several days as q result
ofEay speech before the Ameri-
can Legion on Wednesday and
your response issued. in New
York on Thursday and the
brief discussion we had con-
cerning it during our television
appearance on Friday. The
Question can be stated this way:
What should the United States
hone Of overthrowing Castro"
Nixon Backs Quarantine
Mr.. Nixon reiterated his sup.
port Of the Eisenhower admin.
iStration's economic and po-
litical quarantine policy. He
declared he was diametrically
opp0sed to Senator Kennedy's
proposal TO Strengthen the
anti -Batista democratic anti
Castro forces in exile and in
Cuba itself who offer eventual
hope of overthrowing Castrow."
ut is my firm belief" the
Vice President stated, "that the
course Of action proposed by
yotris recklessly dangerous be-
cause:
al. It clearly violates the
United States Governments
solemn commitments to the
United Nations and the Or
ganization Of American States
MOTTO intervene in the internal
affairs Of other members of
these organizations. It would,
in tact. violate a total of five
treaties to which the United
States has pledged itself.
s'2. It would, as we have seen
from the immediate response
Of shock and disnay in Latin
America, ALLEVIATE everyone Of
our sister American republics
whose friendship you have
acknowledged is Of vital i'm
portance to our efforts against
communism.
''s. It would give Mr.. Khru-
shchev q valid excuse to inter-
vene in Cuba on the side of
the Castro government, saying
that the United States had
intervened in violation Of its
treaty obligations in trying to
overthrow the existing govern.
ment.
q. If this happened your
policy would lead to World
War III"
Kennedy Sees Distortion
Senator Kennedy replied with
q bitter charge that his posi-
ton has been distorted by Mr..
Nixon.
"Your telegram to me to-
night" he declared, clearly
indicates I was right in calling
for such a (fifth) debate. for
the distortions of the record
concerning my position on Cuba
exceed any others you have
made during this campaign.
You have developed the tech
nique Of having your writer's
rewrite my statements, using
these rewritten statements and
attacking me for things I've
never said or advocated.
This is certainly the record
with regard to the speeches you
have been making within the
past 48 hours on Cuba. I have
never advocated, or do not ad-
vocate, intervention in Cuba in
violation Of our treaty obliga-
tions. In fact, I stated in
Johnstown. Pa, that whatever
we did with regard to Cuba
should be within the confines
Of international law.
What I have advocated is
that we use all available COM
munications-radio. TV and the
press-and the moral power of
the American Government to
let the forces of freedom in
Cuba know that we believe that
freedom will again rise in that
county.
II will be pleased to discuss
the whole record of Cuba with
you-how this island only 80
miles from our borders fell into
Communist hands and the sorry
record of the administration in
action with regard to Cuba"
Nixon Denies Distortion
Denying he had distorted
Senator Kennedy's position.
Mr.. Nixon, in telegram from
Harrisburg, Pa, today. said:
IF your original statement
on Cuba had been intended
only to cover what you now
claim you would have been
advocating what has been the
policy which the administration
has been following for months.
Apparently you are under the
impression that when attention
is called to your mistakes you
can confuse people by immedi-
ately claiming that you were
misquoted or that what you
said was distorted"
Mr. NiY0n sold Caoo tovs Kaya