Remarks at the Bridgeport Municipal Airport, Stratford, Connecticut

Governor Dempsey, Abe Ribicoff, Frank Lennon, Congressman John Monagan, ladies and gentlemen:

I want to express my thanks to all of you. I am delighted to come back to this State.

The State of Connecticut, under the leadership of Abe Ribicoff, was the first State of the Union to support my candidacy for the Presidency. It was the State that placed us in nomination, and it was the first State to report its results in 1960.

I come back here in 1962 to ask your assistance in meeting the responsibilities which are so incumbent upon moving and keeping moving this country ahead in 1962. The fact of the matter is that the great fight in 1962 is the same fight that we waged in 1960 and must be waged in this decade, and that is to provide employment for our people, education for our children, and security for our older citizens. And that job, in my opinion, can only be done by the Democratic Party.

The fact of the matter is in this city-nearby--of Bridgeport, since January 1961, unemployment has been reduced by 45 percent, and what is true of Bridgeport is true of the State of Connecticut. All these programs, however, whether they're minimum wage, whether they're development of our space program, whether they're development of our national defense, whether they are the development of our cities and towns--all these programs need the effective commitment, of men in the House and Senate.

As Abe Ribicoff knows, we lost fight after fight, on issue after issue in the House and Senate by 1, 2, 3, or 4 votes. And we won fight after fight in the House and Senate by 1, 2, 3, or 4 votes. We lost, as Abe knows, medical care for the aged by a change of 1 vote in the United States Senate, and that is the reason why I believe it vitally important that this State send to Washington to serve with your distinguished Senator Tom Dodd, another great Democrat, Abe Ribicoff; and reelect as Governor an old friend who has served this State with distinction, Governor Dempsey, who speaks for this State and speaks for the country; and send as Congressman, John Monagan, send him back to Congress; and send a new Congressman with him in Frank Lennon.

These men fight for your interests. This country of ours does not go on its own momentum. It requires the dedicated work of those in the State House, those in the State Legislature, people working in towns and cities and in the National Capital together who are committed to progressive government. That is the choice that we have in 1962, and I'm sure that you recognize that all of the things which we wish to do, which I believe important in order to strengthen this country here at home, none of these things can be done without the support of Members of the House and Senate.

The President of the United States executes the laws, but the House and Senate write the laws. And if the House and Senate are controlled by those who wish to sit still, if they are controlled by a coalition of Republicans and Democrats who are opposed to progress, then this country sits still.

Eighty-five percent of the Republicans in the House of Representatives voted against a minimum wage of $1.25 an hour. That's $50 a week. The average wage in the State of Connecticut moved from $91 a week to $103 a week in the last 20 months, and yet 85 percent of the Republicans voted against $50 a week.

That's the issue of this campaign: medical care for the aged, housing, education for our children, and jobs and progress. And I believe the Democratic Party in 1962, just as in 1960, just as in the forties, just as in the thirties--I believe the Democratic Party is committed to progress. And I come here and ask you to support them.

Thank you.