Evening star., 1960-07-28
N Debate Invitation
Accepted by Kennedy

cording to ground rules to be
drawn up in consultation with
the candidates.
THE other four hours woulc
be designed to elicit the views
of the candidates in response
to well-informed, impartia
questioning by a panel of out.
standing American journalists.
Mr.. Sarnoff noted that the
Senate already has passed leg
islation to enable the networks
to give free time to the major
party candidates without a re-
quirement to give equal time tc
the candidates of obscure par
ties.
The enabling legislation still
requires House passage.
COngratulates Nixon
Earlier, Senator Kennedy
congratulated Mr.. Nixon on
his winning the Republican
presidential nomination.
He told a news conference
at his summer home here that
if United States Ambassador
to the United Nations Henry
Cabot Lodge gets second place
on the ticket the Democrats
will have a vigorous fight in
the fall"
Senator Jackson of Washing
ton, the new Democratic ma
tional chairman, appeared with
Senator Kennedy at the news
conference.
Senator Kennedy denied that
he once said President Eisen-
hover should apologize to Rus
sian Premier Nikita Khru-
shchev, as reported by former
New York Gov. Thomas E.
Dewey in Chicago last night.
Il said the President should
have expressed regret over the
crash of the U-2 in Soviet ter
ritory," Senator Kennedy said,
rather than issue a statement
that turned out to be a lie"
Didn't Mind Dewey
The Democratic presidential
nominee said he didn't mind
what Mr.. Dewey, a two-time
G, o. P. presidential standard
bearer, said about him. He
added:
I've had worse things said
about me in my own party.
And Gov. Dewey, as a political
prophet. is not without blem-
iSh."
Answering questions about
national defense, the Demo-
cratic candidate said IT don't
think there is any doubt about
the present strength of the
United States being equal" to
Russia's, then added:
The question is the relative
rate of growth. BY 1861 to
1868, unless we take immediate
action. we will slip into a Sec
ondary position"
The recent "bellicose actions"
Of Soviet leaders, Senator Ken
nedy said, were based on their
apparent belief that the bal
ance of power is shifting in
Russia's favor.
G. o. P. Differences
The nominee said there is
substantial difference" be-
tween the administration and
New York Gov. Nelson A.
Rockefeller on the effective
ness of the present defense
setup.
In response to several QueS-
tionS, Senator Kennedy re-
peated: The main question is
which party is really COM
mitted to these goals ref
erence to platform pledges.
The Republican platform, he
said, had been improved be-
cause of the Democratic plat
form"
Referring again to Gov. Rock
efeller. Senator Kennedy said :.
Il don't doubt he is committed
to these goals-but I doubt his
party is"
Senator Kennedy said he
hopes Congress, when it recon-
veneS August 8, will vote more
money for defense. He said he
doesn't know whether it will be
possible to get a supplemental
appropriation through in what
will probably be a three-Week
session, but I'VE should do it."
Rights Legislation
Senator Kennedy was asked
whether he saw any prospect
for the enactment of civil rights
legislation in the brief session
of Congress. He said he didn't
want to mislead anyone by rails
ing false hopes, because it is
a controversial issue. But he
said that if the Republicans are
determined to support such leg
islation, it might be possible.
His running mate, Senator
johnson of Texas, is due here
tomorrow with Mrs. johnson
and a big staff of aides for
rounds of talks and an over
night stay.
Adlai Stevenson, the 1852
and 1856 presidential nominee,
flies in tomorrow night to
see Senator Kennedy Saturday
after overnight visits with
friends. There is no announced
plan now for Senator Kennedy,
Senator johnson and Mr.. Ste
venson to get together at one
time.