Evening star., 1960-05-22
Kennedy Drive
For Vote Goes
IntONeWPh
BY DAVID S. BRODER
Star Stan Writer


BY DAVID S. BRODER
star stan Writer
The Kennedy-for-Pre
drive enters q new phase this
week end and the question be-
comes: VIII they love him in the
back rooms as they do on Main
street?
The winner Of seven State
primaries now will turn his at
tention to wooing the leaders Of
major uncommitted delegations
and to garnering delegate votes
In State conventions.
In the seven weeks remaining
before the Democrats meet
in Los Angeles, he also viii at
tempt to embellish his legisla-
tive record and. If time per-
mitS, undertake a quick lec-
tIire tour of England and
France to bolster his reputa-
ton in foreign affairs.
This preview of the Kennedy
schedule was given yesterday
by campaign aides as the Sen
ator rested at his Cape Cod
(Mass.) home from his sue
cessful foray into the Oregon
primary.
Wins Primaries
Oregon came through hand
somely for him on Friday. as
New Hampshire. Wisconsin, In
diana, Nebraska, West Vir-
ginia and Maryland had done
before. In sweeping the seven
primaries he entered. Sena-
tor Kennedy ended the nomi-
nation hopes Of Senators
Morse Of Oregon and Hum
phrey Of Minnesota. nearly de-
molished the opinion that his
Catholic religion would be a
fatal handicap to his chances
and picked up at least 1l6hI
first-ballot convention votes.
Most important, he showed
himself a powerful vote getter
In every section Of the country
except the South, where the
sole primary. in Florida, was
pre-empted by favorite son.
Senator Smathers.
Senator Kennedy goes into
the showdown phase Of the
nomination struggle with mo-
mentum his rivals, Senator
Symington Of Missouri and
Senator Johnson Of Texas, have
been hard put to match.
Has Advantage
AS Democratic National
Chairman Paul M. Butler said
yesterday, "any ball team that
can win seven in row has a
psychological advantage"
Still, he has a major battle
ahead to persuade the party
chieftains and delegates in the
States that have not yet made
their choice that he is pref
cradle to his two Senate rivals
or Adlai E. Stevenson.
Senator Kennedy begins his
new task Tuesday evening at a
reception being given for him
by New Jersey Gov. Robert B.
Meyner. Gov. Meyner's hospi-
tality is an act Of rare political
unselfishness. since his own
vice presidential hopes would
surely be ended by the nomi-
nation Of another Fastener as
President.
But Senator Kennedy has
strong backing at the county
level in New Jersey and he will
be seeking additional second
choice votes in the delega-
ton that is expected to support
Gov. Meyner on the first bal
lot.
On Wednesday he has q
series Of meetings scheduled in
New York and on Thursday
night he returns to the West
Coast to attend the Washing
ton State Democratic conven-
ton.
Goes to Coast
On May 81 and June / he
will be in California to seek
second-choice support in the
big delegation that will be
pledged to favorite son Gov
Edmund G. CPat) Brown on
the first ballot.
Later in the month he will
visit Democratic conventions In
Montana. Colorado and New
Mexico.
The Senator, who has been
absent from Congress much o1
this year. also hopes to add to
his legislative record.
The Senate Labor Committee
meets Tuesday to consider his
bill to increase the minimum
wage from 81 to $1.25 an hour
and to extend its coverage tc
an additional seven million
workers.
Aides said yesterday the Sen
ator also is hopeful Of bringing
the measure to repeal the 10y
atty disclaimer section Of the
r National Defense Education
( Act to vote this year. 1t is or
the Senate calendar now.
The third item on his legis-
lative list is provision Of hos.
pital care for retired persons
Senator Kennedy has intro.
duced his own version of the
Forand bill and plans to offel
it as an amendment to any
social security legislation thai
reaches the Senate floor.