Evening star., 1960-08-22
KENNEDY
KENNEDY
Democratic Drive Links
Nixon to Farm Disaster

OF tne Midwest.
Would Name Farmer
He also promised that, If
elected. he would name as
Secretary of Agriculture a man
who has been at some time
farmer, who comes from the
Midwest and who believes his
responsibility is to preserve the
family farm and not liquidate
it," 1t would be helpful also,
the Senator said. if the man
were a Democrat.
Senator Kennedy, flying in
from an overnight stop at SAC
headquarters in Omaha, and
Senator johnson, coming from
Washington, met at the Des
Moines airport. A crowd esti-
mated at between 5000 and
5000 was on hand to greet
them.
With Iowa's Gov. Herschel C.
Loveless. who organized the
conference at Senator Ken
nedy's suggestion. they rode in
an open car into town to re-
ceive scattered greeting along
the way. At the Senator's
hotel, a thousand or more had
amused themselves before the
nominees arrival by singing
Happy Days Are Here Again"
Lists 4 ObjectiveS
In his speech at the rally
Senator Kennedy assailed the
Republican platform farm
pledge as vague and said the
Democratic promise called spe-
officially for steps to increase
farm income.
Senator Kennedy said he
would spell out the details Of
his farm program in campaign
speeches later. But he told the
rally that any program must
contain these four major OBJ
jectiveS:
l. A positive policy to
raise farm prices" that will re-
quire "a sympathetic Secretary
OF Agriculture using a whole
arsenal of tools marketing quo
tas. sales quotas. land retire.
ment. soil conservation, COM
modify purchases and loans,
m ark keting agreements and
many others. :"
2. A positive food and nutri-
tien policy for all Americans,
with better diets and distribu-
tion to our school children. our
unemployed and our unfortu-
nate" He also called for "a
security reserve against the
hazards of modern war, ex-
panding existing programs and
using new ones a timid admin
istration has been unwilling to
test"
3. A dynamic food and fiber
policy for worldwide use, en-
phasizing above all a peace re-
serve aiding all nations in dis
treSs.
4. A long range program for
loW-income farms. credit, re-
search and new rural indus
tries"
Before the rally Senators
Kennedy and johnson partici-
pated in a work conference to
hear first-hand reports on the
farm situation. Representa-
tives of farm interests and
Democratic Governors and
party leaders were on hand
from these Midwestern States:
Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Ne
hraska, Michigan. Illinois,
Oklahoma. North Dakota and
South Dakota.
Also present were representa-
tives from Texas. Colorado.
Washington and Massachusetts.
Senator Kennedy said he was
not using the word disaster
lightly in connection with the
administrations farm pro-
gram, and added:
During these last eight years
of Mr.. NiXon's experience in
making decisions, farm pur-
chasing power has been cut
some 20 per cent. During the
eight years he was sharing ex-
ecutive responsibility, hun
dreds Of thousands Of farm
families gave up the struggle
against the cost-prize squeeze.
During these last eight years
of Benson, Nixon, Dirksen (the
Senate Republican LEADER and
Morton (Senator Morton of
Kentucky, the chairman of the
Republican National Commit
tee), the average farm family
was reduced to a net income
of less than $50 week.
Melody Lingers On"
Nov that an election is near,
the Republicans are talking
about new slogans, new prom
ises and a new Secretary of
Agriculture. But do not be mis-
led. In the Republican platform
today. as in any Republican
administration of the future,
the Benson song may have
ended, but his melody fingers
on"
He said it was "a bedrock
principle" of the Republican
party to keep farm income
down to fulfill the party's
"iron-bound obligation to those
who stand to profit"
Both Senators Kennedy and
johnson said that Mr.. Nixon
was trying now to disown Sec
retary Benson. They reminded
the rally that the Vice Presi-
dent once called him "the best
Secretary of Agriculture we
ever had"
"The Vice President now
wants to divorce Mr.. Benson"
said Senator johnson. But the
farmers will not forget. Mr..