Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-24
Kennedy Plans
No ReprisaIs
In Campaigns
By GARRETT ID. HORNER
Star Staff Writer

&ANo-4CAAe &4~AAACay RAOAAo W
concentrate his fire in the
congressional election campaign
this year on helping Democrats
who support his programs de-
feat Republicans who oppose
them.
The President made clear at
a press conference late yeSter-
day that he will not be going
out Of his way to fight for or
against those Democrats who
have helped block some of his
pet projects in Congress.
His goal is to try to hold
our own" and change five or
10" House seats and a couple
Of Senate seats from Republic
can to Democratic in Novem-
Der elections.
He noted that q change of
Just two votes would have
turned defeat to victory for his
medicare legislation in the Sen
ate, and q change Of 10 in the
House would have passed his
farm bill.
That Is why a change in
November Is very important, /"
the President asserted. He
added that the voters will
choose In November whether
Ito anchor down or to sail. I"
Has Two Immediate Goals
Meanwhile, Mr.. Kennedy said
it would be disastrous" for the
present Congress to quit now
and go home, as House Republic
can Leader Halleck has sug-
gested, without acting on trade,
tax reform, farm, youth en-
ployment, education aid and
other major bills pending.
After q breakfast conference
of Democratic congressional
leaders and the President at
the White House this morning,
Senate Majority Leader Mans
field spoke scornfully Of this
talk about closing up shop and
going home"
IT call your attention to the
fact" Senator Mansfield told
reporters, that we are paid to
operate 365 days a year." He
added that the Democratic
leaders intend to keep Con-
gress in session as long as nee
eSsary to pass as much Of the
Presidents program as possible.
Senator Humphrey Of Min
neSota, the assistant Demo-
cratic leader in the Senate,
said he wanted to serve fair
warning" to colleagues anxious
to go home that I'VE will be
here until the job gets done"
He said he hoped Congress
would be able to finish its
business and adjourn by mid
September, but that unless &C
ton Is stepped up it might
be October before the Job was
done.
RecOnciIed to Foes
The President seemed recon-
ciled to have a one-fourth to
one-third Of the Democrats In
Congress against legislation he
advocates. s
He was asked II he plans any
reprisals against Democrats
who have not supported him.
mo-" he replied. He went
on to explain that most of
those Democrats are in "one-
party areas" He did not
specify the South.
What I am going to do" he
said, lis attempt to help
elect Democrats who support
this program.
THE areas I will be cam
paigning in are seats where
there will be a very clear choice
between Republicans who OPP
pose these actions and Demo-
Gratis who support them. That
is where I am going to CO."
Two Thirds for It
Asked If the fact that 81
Democrats voted against his
medicare plan in the Senate
would not tend to ,inhibit him
from making an election issue.
the President said:
mo. Two-thirds Of the Dem
ocrats voted for 1t, a third OF
the Democrats voted against it.
About six-sevenths or seven
eighths of the Republicans
voted against it," He added
that he would say that in 80 to
80 per cent of the contest elec-
lions between Republicans and
Democrats medicare would be
an issue.
Mr.. Kennedy declared the
November elections will pre-
sent the American people with