Evening star., 1960-10-09
SURVEY
SURVEY
6. o. P, Democrats
Close in Virginia
Continued From First Page

( Continued From First Page
uted $l00 to his local Demo-
cratic committee in an area
where the only contest is for
President.
Continuing to hold out in
complete silence are Repre-
sentatives Smith of the 7th
district and Abbitt of the 4th.
Commented a Richmond
political figure: 81 think the
key to why more Dempcrats
are beginning. to be heard
from is that it is beginning to
dawn on them that the life
time appointments that have
been made by a Republican ad-
ministration to Federal judge
ships. postmasterships and
United States attorneys is be-
ginning to get out Of hand.
These officials are still
dying or retiring and another
four years of Republican ap.
pointments would get the situ-
alton out of hand"
Outside of the Richmond
Petersburg area. there appears
to be no organized Demo-
Gratis for Nixon-Lodge" move
ment. Attempts to start such
activity in Norfolk, Roanoke
and Charlottesville repeatedly
are under way.
Religion is Factor
Senator Kennedy's Roman
Catholic religion is a factor in
every area visited, though with
varying effect. But this re-
porter concluded that many
VirginianS are ashamed to ad-
nit it.
An organized campaign, re-
flecting to Senator Kennedy's
benefit, has been launched to
combat religious "bigotry."
In Southside Virginia's 4th
and 5th districts, religion was
found to be a tremendous" in
fluence-the adjective being
used by four persons queried
independently. However, In
that same area, many voters
probably will vote Democratic
by reflex action" one said.
In Norfolk, a Democratic
politician asserted, You don't
hear too much about it (reli-
gionD but there are a lot of
Baptists here who moved in
from North Carolina.
He referred to the activity
of the Baptist clergy in parts
of the South in speaking out
against Senator Kennedy's
faith.
| But Immediately next to Nor
folk, in populous Princess Anne
County, the religious question
seems to be relatively unim-
/ portant.
/ About 300 miles away, in
Bedford County, Democratic
leader said, "I think the reli-
gious issue is beginning to back
fire around here on those who
raised it. It is an issue I can't
deny it,"
Kennedy Interview
The Democratic campaign,
headed by William c. Battle of
Charlottesville, son of a for
mer Virginia Governor, has
bought generous periods on ra-
dio and television to play back
Senator Kennedy's interview by
the Greater Houston (Tex0
Ministerial Association on the
religious question. Prin t e d
copies of the interview are dis
tributed in many areas.
1T seems to many of us
around here" said the Bedford
politician, that those who
questioned Kennedy about his
religion suffered by comparison.
Nixon still would carry this
county, but two weeks ago he
would have carried 1t 2-to-1.
Not now"
There was no real evidence
that Republicans-as a party
were attempting to inject the
religious issue into the State
Religion appeared to be in
the minds of voters in the low
er end of the 9th district, be-
tween the Potomac and Rap
pahannock Rivers; in the
Lower Peninsula area of the
1st district; in the central
Shenandoah Valley section of
the 7th district and in the 9th
district in the Southwest.
| Except for only a few areas