Evening star., 1960-07-06
Strotegists Regard First Two BoIIots
Key to Success for Kennedy Drive
BY J. A. O'LEARY
Star stan Writer


LOS ANGELES, July 6.-It
is becoming apparent that the
presidential hopes of Senator
johnson, Senator Syrnington
and Adlai Stevenson are CEN
tering more and more on keep
ing Senator Kennedy from
going over on the first or Sec
ON ballot.
With the convention bal
loting still a week away, the
Kennedy camp continued to-
day to radiate confidence of
an early and decisive victory.
But the hackers of Senators
johnson and Symington and
Mr.. Stevenson kept their at
tention focused on one apparent
fact: The Massachusetts, 'front.'
runner is still short of the 761
committed delegate votes that
he needs to put the nomina-
tion in the bag.
Switch Rule Talk
Because of the general ac-
ceptance of the idea that the
first two ballots may make or
break the Kennedy drive, the
goal Of his StrategistS will be to
persuade several of the big
States with favorite son candi-
dates-such as California, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania ~ to
release their delegates early.
And this strategy explains
the amount of discussion going
on over whether the rules Of
the convention should he
changed to prevent States from
switching their votes at the end
Of the first roll call, or, if
switching is permitted, that
States desiring to do so be rec
ognized in alphabetical order.
The anti Kennedy forces
hope that by prohibiting OF,
regulating end-of- ballot SWITCH
ing they can avoid a band
wagon movement that would
sweep doubtful delegations
along in a rush to Kennedy.
There is disagreement in the
rival camps over how many
votes Senator Kennedy would
get out of the 81 in California,
the 81 in Pennsylvania and the
Al in New Jersey if these States !
left their favorite-son Cover !
nors after one complimentary :
ballot.
But there is no doubt he
would get substantial part of
the fat 203 votes. and if he got
them on switches at the end ,
of the first ballot, it might !,
boost him to victory. ,
There have been reliable re- ,
ports here that Gov. Edmund {
G.. Brown, the California favor {
ite son, will come out for Sena- {
tor Kennedy this week end, I
possibly before the delegation
caucuses Sunday. t
Rivals To Be Busy '
In anticipation of that, the
Kennedy rivals will be busy for
the next few days. trying to
hold whatever percentage of
the California delegation they +
have. i
informed labor union sources S
we're betting that Gov.s David Q
L. Lawrence will try to throw 9
a majority of the divided 7
Pennsylvania delegation behind t
Senator Symington, Democrat S
of Missouri, the Associated :
Press reported. Q
If Senator Kennedy gets the :
support Of both delegations, :
plus votes he may pick up
from other favorite-son or un- !
committed States, his hackers !
think the Massachusetts, SEN
ator could make the grade on
the first ballot. But Senator
Kennedy's opponents contend
he can't climb that hill and .
will start sliding after the !,
initial roll call.
1t also was reported here
that Senator johnson will fly
tomorrow to San Francisco,
where some Of his Northern y
California hackers have ar
ranged a reception to enable {
him to meet delegates. One {
johnson lieutenant here esti-
mated privately that the Texan '
may get 20 California votes.
James E. Doyle, director of ,
the Stevenson Campaign Com :
mittee, said yesterday repeated !
tests of sentiment both among :
the public and the delegates :
have revealed a majority for 7
Stevenson. )
But Mr.. Doyle took public [
notice of reported efforts of
Gov. Brown ito deliver the {
California delegation to Sena- |
tor Kennedy" and added that |
"the hope for an open and l
deliberative convention would t
be impaired if the host Cover /
nor were to pressure his State I
delegation into support of Sem /
ator Kennedy"
First Arrival .
After stopping in San Fran
cisco tomorrow, Senator john
son will be the first of the main
contenders for the nomina-
ton to arrive at the conven-
ton scene Friday. Senators
Kennedy and Symington and
Mr.. Stevenson are expected to :
reach Los Angeles on Saturday.
Representative Charles H. (
Brown of Missouri, Senator
Symington'S campaign chair {
man viewed Senator Johnson'S
formal announcement of candi- I
dacy as assuring a real donny- l
brook between the Texan and {
Senator Kennedy. He wired
all Symington delegates to
stand firm in the belief that y