Newspaper Articles

Running an hour and a half behind schedule, Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey, Democratic Presidential candidate from Minnesota, arrived at the Court House lawn here at 1:45 PM (DST) yesterday.

He stepped from a gaily-decorated bus wearing a big smile and greeted Keyserites with hearty hand-shakes and complied with several requests for autographs.

He wasted little time before starting his address to the more than 200 persons who had waited there for him. He was introduced by Charles A. Millar, chairman of the Mineral County Democratic Executive Committee.

Humphrey wored a grey suit and spoke without notes as he stood in the partially shaded area in front of the Court House. He apologized to the citizens who had come to hear him for his tardiness. He explained that the time change had him confused - part of the state had adopted Daylight Saving Time while other areas remained on Eastern Standard. He added that a member of his crew became ill which caused a delay of some 45-50 minutes.

Several pretty young ladies served as his aides by passing out informative leaflets which contained his views and stands on political issues and included biographical data on the senator and his family.

In his 30-minute speech, he stated that the most important issue facing the American public today was that of war or peace. he said the United States must lead the world in the paths of peace and that the mantle which had been assumed many times in the past by Khrushchev should rest on American shoulders. He quoted Teddy Roosevelt's motto, "Speak softly, but carry a big stick." He said that the "big stick" had been sawed off and that through this had lost much of its prestige abroad.

Humphrey went on to say that people here in West Virginia and in many parts of the country need aid but the government had closed its eyes to the problem and lost its sense of mission and solid justice.

"If we don't help our own people, how can peoples in other parts of the world believe we will help them?"

However, he stated that he was for foreign aid and had been the author of the Food for Peace Program, but he was most interested in strengthening the American economy and feeding our own hungry.

He deplored the authors of the recent articles on West Virginia. He said that he had traveled in more than 30 of the states and had found many instances similar to the one in West Virginia. Just because people are poor or in distress, he exclaimed, is no reason to assume that they are illiterate.

Humphrey attacked some of the modern campaign methods. He said that he didn't like campaigns becoming the plaything of public relations experts of Madison Avenue, and he was not for letting Hollywood make-up artists work on him.

"It's not the color of a man's hair or how long or short it is, but what's under it that counts," said Humphrey.

He said that he is not backed by a family fortune or big political bosses, he is a poor man. "Why, I hardly had enough money to drive that bus down the road, much less fly an airplane."

He added that the situation would be pretty bad if only rich men could run for President. Humphrey said that he was being "ganged-up on" by wealth and bossism. He called to the people to stand up and be heard and not let elections be bought. Humphrey emphasized that he is the "peoples' candidate."

On the religious issue, he said "A man's religion is his most personal possession" and has no place in American politics.

When asked what he thought about the plight of West Virginia he stated that something must be done. He cited his pilot plan for establishing giant generators at the mouths of coal mines in the state. The power would be relayed to various large industrial cities through the country. Power brings industry, industry brings jobs and jobs bring prosperity.

Humphrey endorsed Jennings Randolph as a "worker for the people."

He closed his speech and prepared to leave before the rain started. He was engulfed by well wishers, reporters and autograph seekers.

The presidential hopeful got into a waiting car and hurried on to Romney where nearly 2,000 persons greeted him as he continued his whirlwind tour of the Eastern Panhandle.

MULLENS, W.Va. - (UPI) - Sen. John F. Kennedy had a close call with a high voltage line while doing some informal campaigning Tuesday at the nearby Itmann operation of Pocahontas Fuel Co.

The Democratic presidential candidate was joking and mingling with a gang of miners from a grimy mine car during a change of shifts when the near tragedy occurred.

In unison the 200 miners standing around yelled, "look out for the wire!" and Kennedy ducked.

The youthful senator didn't let the incident faze him. He stepped from the mine car and in a few minutes was mingling with the miners. He sat down on the mine tracks, leaned up against one of the mine cars and became almost as grimy as the miners while chewing the fat.

"that wire sure would have lit up your lights," one miner joked.

It was the most informal campaigning Kennedy has done in West Virginia. When he left the mine his face and hands were as black as if he had been digging coal.

Kennedy hit it off quickly with the 200 miners. He got into the mine car and announced who he was and that "I'm a Democratic presidential candidate."

One of the miners interrupted to shout, "As long as you're not a damn Republican, fine."

Kennedy and the others roared with laughter. Kennedy told them he was intrigued by the modern mine where they work. "I wish Ike would come down and see it," one man yelled. "You build a damn golf course and he'll be here," yelled another.