Blow To Humphrey

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31767, 26 August 1968, Page 13

Blow To Humphrey

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) CHICAGO,. August 24.

Vice-President Hubert Humphrey’s delegate count suffered a setback today when one of the Governors expected to deliver first ballot votes to him pulled back, United Press International reported.

Governor John McKeithen of Louisiana, whose 36 votes had been counted for Humphrey in the United Press International delegate tabulation, let it be known that he intended to have his name put in nomination as the State’s favourite son Presidential candidate when the Democratic Party convention opens on Monday. Humphrey also slipped a little in the Kansas delegation where he had been credited with 38 votes. The latest word was that Senator Eugene McCarthy had picked up five leaning votes there.

With others slight changes, the tabulation, based on commitments and indicated preferences of delegates, showed the following probable vote totals on the first ballot for the major contenders: — Humphrey, 1082: McCarthy, 461); Senator George S. McGovern, 34); uncommitted, 528): favourite sons and others, 515): required for nomination, 1312. Doubts were expressed in Louisiana that Governor McKeithen's action was linked to a reported movement among southern delegations to hold out favourite son delegations that had been expected to go to Humphrey before or during the first convention ballot next Wednesday. One report was that the Governor merely wanted to have his name put into the nomination, and had no grievance with Mr Humphrey.

Mr Humphrey said today he would propose an eight-point programme for “order and justice" if he were elected President in November.

A policy statement pledged he would “commit the Federal Government to active partnership with State and local governments in the fight against crime. “The Federal Government will not take over the functions of policing our towns and cities,” he said. “We will make it possible for local agencies to perform their duties more effectively.”

Mr Humphrey’s slogan, “Order and Justice,” appeared to be trying to outflank the Republican Party’s election platform, which has been emphasising what it calls “law and order.” Federal Help

The Vice-President said he would increase Federal help in recruiting, training and paying policemen, and would give more assistance in providing police with more modem technical equipment. He would also aid in increasing courtroom staff to help reduce a backlog of criminal cases, and give Federal aid to prisons and similar institutions to increase staff and help rehabilitate offenders.

Mr Humphrey said he would propose “a massive Federal, State and local assault on organised crime and drug peddling,” would introduce licensing and registration of firearms—“By the Congress if the States fail to act”—and would co-ordinate action at all Government levels to deal with riots and similar violence.