Evening star., 1960-04-10
Humphrey Charges 6. O. P.
Iqnored 4 Million JobIess

MADISON, w. Va, April 9
(AP).-senator Humphrey to-
night accused the Eisenhower
administration Of fiouting and
ignoring the 1916 Full Employ
ment Act.
'It's not only immoral. it is
In violation Of the law of the
land that We have four million
jobless workers today" the
Minnesotan said in a prepared
speech at the end of a second
day of campaigning in the
State.
Senator Humphrey faces Sen
ator Kennedy of Massachusetts,
in a rematch primary in West
Virginia May 10. 1t will test
the popularity Of the two but in
no way bind delegates to the
Democratic National Conven-
ton.
Senator Humphrey, who ran
second to Senator Kennedy in
Wisconsin, made seven recon-
mendations to bring what he
called economic revival to West
Virginia and other areas suf-
fering from chronic unemploy-
ment.
He said the Full Employment
Act is being fiagrantly violated
in West Virginia where, he
added, the average rate of un-
employment is 13 per cent and
ranges up to 40 per cent in
some mining counties.
Senator Humphrey proposed
policies to insure economic
growth at the rate of 5 per
cent instead of what he termed
the COP. creep and crawl"
rate Of 2 per cent; an area re-
development program, a coal
research and development
commission, Federal standards
for, unemployment insurance
with extended coverage and
greater benefits, a SIPS Fed
eral minimum wage, a manda-
tory food stamp program and
tax reforms.
Senator Kennedy begins per-
sonal campaigning Monday in
the State.
There are some West Vir-
ginia politicians who now rate
the May 10 contest a tossup,
although conceding that Sen
ator Kennedy's campaign is
better organized.
West Virginia is expected to
shed more light than did Wis
consin on a question that
haunts many Democratic pro-
fessionals. Would the November
chances of Senator Kennedy, If
he were to become the first
Roman Catholic nominee in 80
years, be seriously hurt by his
religion?
Catholics make up approx
imately 5 per cent of the pop
ulation in West Virginia COM
pared with 80 per cent in Wis
consin, and Catholics account
for Is per cent of church men,
bership in West Virginia.
Senator Humphrey has kept
the question of religion out of
his West Virginia speeches.
The closest he has come to a
direct reference was at Prince
ton today, where he told a
crowd on the courthouse lawn:
Don't vote for or against
anybody except on one basis:
What is his record?"
However, one former Demo-
cratic Office holder in Southern
West Virginia, who would not
be quoted by name, said he
thought religion would help
Senator Humphrey in that Sec
ton, and added:
Il personally am not afraid
Of a Catholic President. It
might break down some bar
riers and be good thing.
But I'm desperately afraid
Of what it might do to the
local ticket. especially with the
older voters and the women.
The last Catholic nominated
for President. Democrat Alfred
E. Smith, lost West Virginia
to Herbert Hoover $4,000 to
263,000 in 1928. What that
meant in terms of religion is
not clear. West Virginia was
in the habit of going Repub-
lican then. Now the States
registration is Democratic by a
Dig HldISlu.
And in the 1928 Democratic
presidential primary in West
Virginia, Mr.. Smith beat Sena-
tor James A. Reed of Missouri
81,739 to 1876, with a third
candidate getting 5,789 That
was the last time until this year
that the State had a Demo-
cratic presidential primary
contest of any significance, al
though there have been con-
tests between major G. o. p.
contenders in recent years.