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Thursday, November 23, 2006

November 23, 1960: Illinois Recount 'A Very Serious Thing,' Lawyer for Democrats Says

These stories were prepared for publication tomorrow on the front page of the New York Times:

"Meade Alcorn, general counsel of the Republican National Committee, said today he had 'no doubt' the twenty seven electoral votes of Illinois could be counted for Vice President Nixon when an investigation was completed in the heavity Democratic Cook County.

"Mr. Alcorn's statement was made before the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners proclaimed the city's Presidential returns 'official' late today.

"What effect, if any, this would have on a vigorous Republican movement for an investigation and recount in Cook County was not clear tonight. The board's decision was made without the consent of its lone Republican member, Mrs. Marie Suthers.

"The recount movement and the narrow margin by which Senator John F. Kennedy apparently won Illinois led Mr. Alcorn to make his statement. Meanwhile, another high republican official indicated that if Illinois should swing to Mr. Nixon, the Republicans might go all out to reverse the apparent Electoral College victory of Senator John F. Kennedy over Mr. Nixon. Without Illinois in his column Mr. Kennedy would have 273 electoral votes, four more than the necessary majority of 269....

"James Duffy, Democratic counsel of the Senate Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections, said of the Illinois situation: "It's a very serious thing out there." He has just returned from an on-the-spot check in Chicago and felt that the Republican effort should not be taken lightly.

"Mr. Duffy said a Nixon recount committee had accumulated a $100,000 fund to finance its efforts.

"The State and Defense Departments have agreed on a proposal to create a nuclear-armed strategic force under direct command of the North Atlantic Treat Organization."

"The United Nations alerted its armored cars tonight following unexplained activity by the Congolese Army on the capital's western outskirts."

"The Soviet Union demanded today that the world Communist movement unite solidly behind Premier Khrushchev's doctrine of peaceful coexistence and of the possibility of achieving victory over capitalism without a world war."

"President-elect John F. Kennedy returned here [Washington] tonight to spend Thanksgiving Day with this family. The Kennedys will have their turkey dinner at mid-day with three or four guests, whose names have not been disclosed. There will be a birthday cake for the Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, who will be 3 years old Sunday."

"The United States launched its second weather-eye satellite today. For the first time, information obtained from a satellite is to be used for actual forecasting of the weather, ushering in a new era in meteorology."