On to the Midwest

Orbiting around the U.S. last week, his targets marked, his re-entry problem possibly solved, was Massachusetts' rumple-haired Democratic Senator John Kennedy. Purpose of the trip: rousing party talks with Democrats far and wide. Ultimate destination (according to the easily decoded Kennedy beeps): the White House.

He swooped one morning into the state of Kansas, for 20 years solemnly synonymous with Republicanism but now living with a Democrat in the statehouse. On hand to lead the cheers was Governor George Docking, a banker by trade. From the Kansas party regulars, energized like a cluster of flaming first-stage rockets, came cheers, ovations, oohs and aahs, as twinkling Jack Kennedy worked his way down a reception line.

That night 1,200 faithful (at $10 a head) turned up to watch their man blast away at the Eisenhower Administration for lack of initiative in the space war, and to beam out loud and clear that the Democrats stood "ready and willing" to assume the burdens of world leadership. Kennedy even touched on a Midwest sore point--the kind that led Kansas Democrats to favor-Estes Kefauver over Kennedy for Vice President in the 1956 convention: the farm issue: Said Kennedy, who must live down his mildly anti-farm belt record: "I think we are going to have to consider carefully some alternative programs because the present ones obviously aren't working." Its ears tuned to the Kennedy voice, the crowd fairly forgot its old wounds, smothered him with applause. Said Governor Docking confidently, of Kennedy's 1960 chances: "There isn't any doubt in my mind that he will have our support."

The atmosphere was much the same when the Kennedy nose cone landed safely amid 4,000 mobbing students at the University of Kansas, and again before the party loyal at a Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Oklahoma City (where he stood backstage with Oklahoma's Senator Robert Kerr, listening to the President's science talk on a transistor radio, hurriedly made notes and peppered Ike anew), still again before a national meeting of Young Democrats in Reno, Nev.

Most sensible Democrats were quick to point out that it was too early to be hitching a bandwagon to this soaring satellite. But as sure as Sputnik was the fact that Kennedy is riding high.

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