POISONOUS GAS USED ON VC

STATE DEPARTMENT REVEALS GAS USED AGAINST VIET CONG

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50)The State Department revealed fifty years ago today, March 22, 1965, the fact that non-lethal gas was supplied by the United States to the South Vietnamese Army to be used in battle with Vietnamese communists or Viet Cong.

Secretary of State Dean Rusk, who was appointed to the position by President John F. Kennedy, said the gas was the same type used by police in riot control.

North Vietnam and the Soviet Union protested the introduction of poisonous gas into the war.


JFK SAYS UNITED STATES WANTS PEACE IN LAOS

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50)  President Kennedy discussed the situation in Laos at his televised news conference in Washington 54 years ago today, March 22, 1961.

Laos was in the grip of a civil war between the pro-Western regime and the pro-communist Pathet Lao.

JFK said the United States would not tolerate the loss of Laos to rebel forces and that along with our allies, we would consider military options.

President Kennedy said...

"I want to make it clear...all we want in Laos is peace...a truly neutral government & a settlement at the conference table."

JFK PUSHED PASSAGE OF 24TH AMENDMENT

Washington, D.C.(JFK+50) Fifty-two years ago today, March 22, 1963,  President John F. Kennedy sent a telegram to the governors of states which had not yet ratified the proposed 24th amendment to the Constitution of the United States which prohibits the collection of poll taxes.

JFK emphasized the importance of ratification of the amendment to insure a fair election in 1964.

The President said...

"Every effort should be made to broaden the base of citizen participation."

          

JFK ASKS GOVERNORS FOR ACTION ON POLL TAX AMENDMENT

March 22, 2013

JFK ASKS GOVERNORS FOR ACTION ON POLL TAX AMENDMENT

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy sent telegrams to the governors of states which had failed to take action on the proposed 24th amendment to the United States Constitution 50 years ago today, March 22, 1963.*

*The states included Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia & Wisconsin.

The amendment, proposed by Congress on August 27, 1962, would prohibit the payment of poll taxes** as a condition for voting in federal elections & would provide Congress with the power of enforcement.

**Poll taxes were passed after the passage of the 15th amendment by all 11 of the former Confederate states as a means of disenfranchising African-American voters who could not afford to pay them.  By 1962, only 5 states had poll taxes still on the books:  Virginia, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas & Mississippi.

         Joint Resolution of the Congress
         Proposing the 24th Amendment
                         NARA Image

JFK's telegram stated...

"(The)...amendment...(has) had strong bipartisan support in Congress & was adopted by overwhelming margins in both Houses.

It should be acted upon as promptly as possible."

The President went on to reiterate his "wholehearted support" of the amendment as a means to "broaden the base of...participation in...the voting process."

JFK's telegram concluded with these words...

"I hope that your state legislatures will be able to take up the proposed Amendment at an early date & that it will be ratified."***

***The 1st state to ratify had been Illinois.  Tennessee became the 25th ratifying state on March 21, 1963 & South Dakota was the 38th & deciding state to ratify on January 23, 1964 when the 24th Amendment became the law of the land.

President Lyndon B. Johnson called the ratification of the 24th amendment a "triumph of liberty."****

****Some states never ratified the 24th Amendment & even kept poll taxes in their legal codes despite the fact that they could not be enforced.
Source:  www.kids.laws.com