Evening star., 1962-12-27
KennedyLe Years Newsmakers;
Castro, Kelsey, Estes Also Score
By MARY CAMPBELL


IS Newsmaker of the Year for
the third straight year, as Sc
lected by news editors of AS
sociated Press member news
papers and radio and televi-
sion stations.
> The President made the most
news in 1862 on the two occa-
sions he got tough - with Rus
Sia and with the steel industry.
Faced with the evidence that
Russia was building and equip
ping bases in Cuba which could
handle nuclear missiles, Mr..
Kennedy's reaction was: get
them out or else. ..
A., In a grave TV talk to the
nation Oct. %, Mr.. Kennedy
outlined seven-point program
fer fast military and diplomat
10, action to stop the Cuban
buildup. He also said, Should
these offensive military prepa-
nations continue, thus increas-
ing the threat to the hemi-
sphere, further action will be
justified. I have directed the
armed forces to prepare for any
eventualities."
Russia backed down.
eWith steel, the President
used his powers of persuasion
to- bring about q new contract
which would hold down the in
flAtionary spiral. The contract
called for no pay increase, was
reached without a strike.
But when the major steel
companies raised prices only a
few days later, Kennedy went
beyond persuasion. Attorney
General Robert Kennedy
threatened antitrust suits and
9, grand jury investigation Of
price fixing.
Big steel backed down.
Kennedy's trade expansion
bin got through Congress, with
changes; his proposed Depart
lment Of Urban Affairs and
Housing and medical care for
the aged under Social Security
did not.
Castro Leads Foreign Field
Premier Fidel Castro Of Cuba,
over whose island America and
Russia had the years biggest
Cold War showdown, was the
editors choice as newsmaker Of
the year In foreign affairs.
The bearded Communist, no
rose without thorns even for
the Russians, kept Soviet Dep
uty Premier Anastas Mikoyan
in Cuba "a days, interpreting
the Russian withdrawal of mis-
sile bases. Mr.. Castro sent U. N.
Secretary General u Thant and
his inspection team out Of
cuba after two fruitless days;
kept up a program of ferment-
ing turmoil through Latin
America. AS for the United
States. Mr.. Castro demanded
tire evacuation Of the naval
bSse at Guantanamo, called the ;
Quarantine the act Of a pirate,
reAdied his troops for an armed
American attack and upped the
price for release Of the Bay Of
Pigs invasion prisoners.
Other winners In the AP poll
were: science, DR.. Frances Kel-
seT; business, Billie Sol Estes;
labor. Arthur Goldberg; relig-
iub, Pope John XIII: sports,
Sonny Liston; entertainment,
Msrilyn Monroe: literature.
John Steinbeck; woman news
mSker. Jacqueline Kennedy.
Or. Frances Kelsey, medical
officer in the Food and Drug
Administration, refused 81
United States license for the
sleep inducing drug thalido-
mide, insisting there was in
sufficient proof of Its safety.
AHer thalidomide taken early
ins pregnancy was found to
haye caused thousands of ba-
bies to be born deformed. DR..
Kelsey was given a gold medal
for distinguished civilian Cow
ernment service. ., e..
Billie Sol Estes. who once
said Ito be successful you have |
to walk out on a limb II 1t |
breaks, you learn how far to
go next time" felt the limb
break in 1862 under his vast
financial empire. Estes ques-
tidnable dealings in Govern
fnent grain storage and acre
age allotments became the sub
jeet Of myriad investigations.
I Secretary Of Labor Goldberg
IN February said Government
should increasingly provide
guidelines to assure that un-
ion management negotiations
are in the public interest. The
ever-busy Mr.. Goldberg worked
closely with Mr.. Kennedy in
the steel situation, was In Chi
cago trying to head off a
threatened strike by railway
telegraphers on the day Mr..
Kennedy appointed him TO the
Supreme Court.