Evening star., 1960-01-03

going into primaries with you as
a direct challenge to Senator
Symington. for example,, tC
come in and get his feet wet?
A. I would say that any can
didate who plans to have his
name presented as a serious
candidate in July should enter
some representative primaries
I have no idea what Senator
Symington's plans are.
I would except from that, OF
course, Governor Stevenson,
for two reasons: First, because
he has made it clear that he
has no plans to be a candidate
and secondly because he has
campaigned both in 1852 and
1856, and I think the Demo-
cratic Party and the country
are aware of his character and
his qualities.
I think the value Of the
primary system. really, is N
permit the people as q whole,
Democrats as a whole, to make
their judgment and also be-
cause it illuminates the quality
of the candidate. We can get
a much better idea of what
the potential Of a candidate,
both politically and as a poten-
tial President, would be after
a series Of primary contests.
Rockefeller Withdrawal
@. Senator. were you glad
that Rockefeller withdrew from
the race?
A. I was surprised, but not
1T didn't make me glad. 1t
didn't have any real effect on
me. In some ways I think it
makes Mr.. Niyon's problem
more difficult.
@. Who is your main threat
among the Democratic candi-
dates?
A. I think there are four or
five candidates and I don't
think it would be possible for
at least the next two or three
months to make a judgement.
My opinion is that April or
May we will have a pretty good
idea of who is going to get
nominated in July. I think
when the primaries are
through. we are going to have
a pretty clear idea as to who
is going to be the nominee.
don't believe there is going
to be a deadlocked convention,
I would think that even before
the convention the pattern will
be quite clear.
@. How many delegate votes
do you expect to have at the
convention?
A. I hope to enter it with
enough to be successful, but
haven't made any calculation.
@. Senator. how do you-do
you expect to retain the sup
port of the Southerners like
Governor Patterson (of Ala
bama) and win Negro support
A. Well. Governor Patterson
has announced his support OF
me, and as far as l know that
support still stands. 1t seems
to me the real question here
is that i'll think I have made
my views quite precise on Civil
Rights. l hope ! have. ] am
delighted to do so at any
time in the future. If anyone
then decides they want to
support me, knowing what my
views are, it seems TO me that
is within their rights. That
goes for anyone in the Demo.
cratic Party.
Q. Do YOU think. Senator
civil rights will be an i'm.
portant issue in the campaign
| A. Yes, I do.
Labor Reform Legislation
@. Senator, labor reform leg.
! islation will probably be an is
sue next campaign, too. Yol
have been attacked
A. I would certainly think 4
would be in Oregon and per,
haps other places.
@. You have been attacked
by Wayne Morse and thu
| Teamsters and others. Woult
!. you spell out what your rol,
. is in that?
A. The bill is not the bill tha
}, I proposed. 1t is different from
D the bill which passed the Sen,
D ate. which l endorsed. 1t rep.
4 resented a compromise. We dic
t not achieve everything W,
3 wanted in the conference. Their
are provisions in it which ar
still unsatisfactory. But rec
commended the Senate adop
e the bill. believe overall it /
a useful bill. I believe overall
=. it is in the public interest. Their
i are still provisions in it whicl
= I would rewrite If I had the op
Il portunity. But overall I sup
d port the bill.
i l must say that I think II W
= had followed the policy and tn
" procedures recommended b.
Senator Morse we would hav
o gotten no bill. -.
It @. Senator, where would yo
is list national defense in this lis