Thursday, Sept. 17, 1964
University Daily Kansan Page 0
Eyewitness Account
Enthusiasm Highlights Democratic Convention
By Linda Ellis (Feature-Society Editor)
From a student's point of view, the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City was a noisy, hot, crowded conglomeration of people, demonstrations and speeches.
Atlantic City has a flavor all its own, even with the added excitement of a national convention. But to see and hear the public figures of our time in such a setting was a bit awesome.
At a Young Citizens for Johnson rally on the last day of the convention, the city was literally mobbed with teenagers and college students who had come for a specially prepared program of entertainment and speeches. Paul Newman, the venerated actor, was the host and had the task of introducing a number of singing groups and singers to the audience of about 20,000 in the Convention Hall.
IF NOTHING ELSE, the program stirred up a good deal of enthusiasm. The host mace frequent jabs at the Republican nominee, getting a noisy reception for each barb he used.
Both the Johnson girls arrived at the proceedings to accept silver charm bracelets from the national chairman of the Young Citizens for Johnson group. Earl Warren, Jr.
Singer Vic Damone made the blooper of the show when he dedicated the song "Home on the Range" to President Johnson apparently under the impression it was the state song of Texas. Most in the auditorium didn't seem to know or care that it is the state song of Kansas.
AFTER THE SONG a surprise visitor came to speak on his role in the coming campaign. Hubert Humphrey gave a speech that roused the audience to a standing ovation for his words on the election and what it means to the world and our country. He seemed much younger than his pictures show and his vitality was easy to see.
In an off-the-cuff press conference on the balcony of the ocean front
Boeing Grants Go To Six Students
Six business and engineering students have received Boeing Co. scholarships totaling $2,400 for the 1964-65 school year. Each award is a renewal to that school.
Scholarships in engineering will go to Roger T. Baker, Highland, Calif., senior; $500; James A. Lucas, Mapleton senior; $300; John E. Hutson, Kansas City senior; $300; and Frank E. Salber, Russell senior; $300. Hutson and Salber will graduate at the end of the fall semester.
A U.S. co-ed serves ice cream in Europe
PAYING JOBS IN EUROPE
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg,
Sept. 9—Students are urged to
apply early for summer jobs in
Europe. Thousands of jobs (office,
resort, factory, farm, etc.) are available. Wages range to
$400 monthly and the American
Student Information Service
awards travel grants to registered students. Those interested
should send $2 to Dept. T, ASIS.
22 Ave. de la Liberte, Luxembourg City, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and request the ASIS
36-page booklet listing and describing every available job, and a travel grant and job application.
Beauville Hotel later that afternoon Humphrey already was campaigning. He spoke to individuals in the crowd
He spoke to individuals in the crowd.
When a Kansan asked him if he was going to come to Kansas during the campaign he answered loudly,
"Sure I'm coming to Kansas, I'll be in Wichita to see all my friends down there. I'll see you there."
The tension that one expects at such a large meeting was largely missing except in relation to the comings and goings of the President. It was revealed later that there was an assassination plot afoot by a Puerto Rican laborer and that the President knew about it when he arrived to give his acceptance speech on the last night of the convention.
THE NEW JERSEY State Police
were all over, under, around and
through the crowds of people that stood around the Convention Hall awaiting his arrival. Secret Service guards surrounded the President and they also lined the street. One newsman said he had never seen such a massive protection job and wondered that they could all seem so calm in the face of such an awesome duty.
The only other real source of tension at Atlantic City came from the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Stationed directly in front of Convention Hall the group consisted mainly of college students in shorts, jeans and suntan lotion. They each held posters claiming that injustice was being done by the regular Mississippi delegation. Several demonstrators had lived in the South for
most of the summer with the various civil rights groups. It was an organized, polite group.
The demonstrators seemed to be overlooked in the shuffle of passing people, and they just sat there in the sun. One of the group walked around giving out mimeographed literature about a program to be given later in the day by Dick Gregory.
IN THE CENTER of the large circle of students two girls stood at a table making sandwiches and pouring drinks.
It almost seemed planned that the demonstrators were out in front of the memorial to the late John F. Kennedy in order to stir up a normally dull convention. The Democrats appeared to have little to do except get delegates, visitors and
young voters excited about the coming election.
Seeing such a massive meeting in the flesh is an experience that may come once and never again unless one works for one of the leading news media. It was fascinating and informative and just a bit revealing. It is hard to realize that there were about 5,000 delegates to the convention from all over the country.
The big meeting of Democratic bigwigs has been over for almost a month. It was really only a token meeting to convey the party's confidence in its leader, Lyndon B. Johnson, for the next four years. It was messy, expensive, hot and noisy, but never really dull. It was combination circus, carnival and sideshow but it was fun.
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