University of Kentucky UKnowledge Legislative and Executive Papers Political Science 12-31-1983 The Public Papers of Governor Lawrence W. Wetherby, 1950-1955 Lawrence W. Wetherby John E. Kleber Morehead State University Click here to let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Thanks to the University of Kentucky Libraries and the University Press of Kentucky, this book is freely available to current faculty, students, and staff at the University of Kentucky. Find other University of Kentucky Books at uknowledge.uky.edu/upk. For more information, please contact UKnowledge at [email protected]. Recommended Citation Wetherby, Lawrence W. and Kleber, John E., "The Public Papers of Governor Lawrence W. Wetherby, 1950-1955" (1983). Legislative and Executive Papers. 8. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_political_science_papers/8 THE PUBLIC PAPERS OF THE GOVERNORS OF KENTUCKY Robert F. Sexton General Editor SPONSORED BY THE Kentucky Advisory Commission on Public Documents AND THE Kentucky Historical Society KENTUCKY ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PUBLIC DOCUMENTS William Buster Henry E. Cheaney Thomas D. Clark, Chairman Leonard Curry Richard Drake Kenneth Harrell Lowell H. Harrison James F. Hopkins Malcolm E. Jewell W. Landis Jones George W. Robinson Robert F. Sexton, General Editor W. Frank Steely Lewis Wallace John D. Wright, Jr. THE PUBLIC PAPERS OF GOVERNOR LAWRENCE W WETHERBY 1950-1955 John E. Kleber, Editor THE UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Wetherby, Lawrence W. (Lawrence Winchester), 190&- The Public papers of Governor Lawrence W. Wetherby, 1950-1955. (The Public papers of the Governors of Kentucky) Includes index. 1. Kentucky—Politics and government—1951- —Sources. I. Kleber, John E., 1941- . II. Kentucky. Governor (1950-1955 : Wetherby) III. Title. IV. Series. F456.2.W47 1983 976.9*043 82-40182 ISBN 0-8131-0606-0 Copyright © 1983 by The University Press of Kentucky Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth, serving Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Club, Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University. Editorial and Sales Offices: Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0024 CONTENTS FOREWORD BY BERT T. COMBS [xv] GENERAL EDITOR'S PREFACE [xviii] EDITOR'S PREFACE [xix] GOVERNOR LAWRENCE W. WETHERBY [i] OATH OF OFFICE [4] November 27, 1950 INAUGURAL ADDRESS [9] December 11, 1951 LEGISLATIVE MESSAGES & STATEMENTS [14] Call for an Extraordinary Session 14 February 21, 1951 Extraordinary Session of the General Assembly 17 March 6, 1951 Report on the Extraordinary Session 22 March 18, 1951 State of the Commonwealth Address 24 January 15, 1952 County Officials Convention 34 December 10, 1952 Fiscal Crisis in the States 36 September 29, 1953 State of the Commonwealth Address 42 January 12, 1954 Review of the Administration's Accomplishments 52 December 7, 1955 Registration and Purgation Law 60 November 30, 1950 Social Security for State Employees 61 January 8, 1951 CONTENTS 1951 Special Session of the General Assembly 62 March 2, 1951 Veterans' Bonus 63 July 31, 1951 1952 General Assembly 64 January 28, 1952 Registration and Purgation Law 65 March 25, 1952 State Sales Tax 66 April 15, 1953 State Capitol Renovation 67 July 15, 1953 Income Withholding Tax Legislation 6g January 27, 1954 State Sales Tax 70 March 10, 1954 State Sales Tax 71 June 29, 1954 Vote for Eighteen-Year-Olds 72 December 7, 1955 DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADERSHIP [73] Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner 73 April 21, 1951 Primary Election Broadcast 74 July 24, 1951 Fall Campaign Opening 80 October 4, 1951 Alben W. Barkley Nomination for President 84 July 1952 Tears for the Jeffersonian Democrats 87 January 1953 United Mine Workers Labor Day Meeting 90 September 6, 1954 Political Address 93 November i, 1954 Campaign Issues Presented on Radio and Television 95 November 1, 1954 CONTENTS Primary Campaign Speech 100 Spring 1955 Democratic Party Support Statement 104 October 26, 1955 Appointment of Tom Underwood to the Senate 106 March 27, 1951 Gubernatorial Record and Platform 106 July 26, 1951 Barkley for President 107 July 14, 1952 Defeat of Adlai Stevenson 108 November 14, 1952 Denouncement of Senator Joseph McCarthy 108 May 13, 1953 Support for Bert Combs 109 June 14, 1955 Support for Adlai Stevenson 110 June 17, 1955 Administration Accomplishments and Support for Bert Combs 111 July 26, 1955 TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC SAFETY [113] Louisville Automobile Association 113 April 16, 1951 Kentucky Dam Bridge Dedication 117 May 12, 1951 Burkesville Bridge Dedication 120 May 16, 1951 Kentucky Highway Safety Conference 122 May 18, 1951 Mary Ingles Highway Association 125 May 21, 1951 Highway 80 Breaks Celebration 128 June 10, 1951 Our Road Crisis 130 September 1, 1954 Highway Safety Program 137 January 11, 1951 CONTENTS Military Defense Transportation 138 March 2.7, 1951 Kentucky River Transportation 140 July 18, 1951 Rural Road Improvements 142 September n, 1951 Highway Improvements Revenue 142 December 28, 1951 Super Toll Roads 143 August 13, 1953 Lakes-Gulf Highway 144 December 7, 1953 Kentucky Turnpike Construction 146 January 8, 1954 Truck Weight Limits 147 January 15, 1954 TOURISM [149] Renfro Valley 149 January 7, 1951 Bridge Dedication 150 March 31, 1951 Mountain Laurel Festival 153 May 25, 1951 Historic Preservation 154 April 3, 1951 ECONOMIC & INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT [156] Somerset Chamber of Commerce Banquet 156 March 31, 1951 Wolf Creek Dam Dedication 160 September 1, 1951 Eastern Kentucky Town Hall Meeting 162 November 20, 1952 Two Million Barrel Celebration at the Blanton Distillery 165 June 23, 1953 Natural Gas Needs in Central Kentucky 167 April 16, 1951 CONTENTS Small Business Problems 168 May 7, 1951 Natural Gas Needs Statewide 169 February 13, 1952 Economic Resources of Southeastern Kentucky 170 December 10, 1952 Canalization of the Big Sandy River 171 April 23, 1953 Business Conditions in Kentucky 171 October 30, 1953 Plight of Southeastern Kentucky Coal Miners 173 November 23, 1953 Development of State Airports 174 December 1, 1953 Economic Development of Eastern Kentucky 175 January 18, 1954 Kentucky Right-to-Work Bill 176 February 8, 1954 ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT [177] Division of Soil and Water Resources 177 May 11, 1954 Statement before the Task Force on Water Resources and Power 179 June 1, 1954 Green River Watershed Soil and Water Conservation 180 January 15, 1951 Flood Control Programs 182 February 21, 1951 Green River Soil Conservation 183 January 23, 1952 Ohio Valley Atomic Energy Plant 184 August 28, 1952 Rough River Dam Construction 185 November 7, 1952 TVA Benefits for Southeastern Kentucky 186 July 21, 1953 Strip Mining Legislation 187 October 28, 1953 CONTENTS Strip Mining Regulation 188 December 11, 1953 Interstate Air Pollution Control 189 December 6, 1954 Wildlife Conservation Support 190 May 13, 1955 AGRICULTURE [191] Scott County Farm Bureau 191 January 18, 1951 Christian County Farm Bureau 194 February 5, 1951 Kentucky Green Pastures Program 198 March 17, 1951 State Fair Plans Announcement 199 April 21, 1954 Formation of an Agricultural Council 205 May 20, 1952 KENTUCKY & THE NATION [206] Homecoming Day 206 December 15, 1950 Kentucky Press Association 208 January 26, 1951 Dedication of General Buckner's Plaque 211 February 21, 1951 Fred Vinson Day 213 July 11, 1951 Introduction of Henri Bonnet at Transylvania College Anniversary 216 April 23, 1954 Regulation of College Athletic Programs 217 December 27, 1951 University of Kentucky Basketball Scandal 219 May 15, 1952 Labor Unrest at Central City 220 August 14, 1952 Newspaper Microfilm Project 221 June 1, 1955 CONTENTS REORGANIZATION [223] Should Kentucky Governors Succeed Themselves? 223 January 1953 Public Relation and State Publicity Reorganization 227 December 27, 1951 Control and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages 228 December 4, 1952 Short Ballot Amendment 228 April 7, 1953 Consolidation of Counties 230 July 23, 1953 EDUCATION [232] Eastern High School Commencement 232 May 22, 1951 Dedication of Science Building, Kentucky State College 236 September 26, 1952 Lindsey Wilson College Golden Anniversary 237 May 27, 1954 Southern Regional Education Board 240 November 11, 1954 Kentucky State College 247 December 15, 1950 Financial Support for Public Education 247 February 2, 1951 Committee on Educational Defense Programs 248 February 9, 1951 Designated College Scholarships 249 February 26, 1951 Teachers' Salaries: Special Legislative Session 250 March 7, 1951 Teachers' Salaries: Special Legislative Session 251 April 30, 1951 Campaign Statement on Education 252 September 29, 1951 State Teachers' Retirement Fund 253 March 5, 1952 CONTENTS Crusade against Illiteracy 255 February 27, 1953 School Segregation 256 March 24, 1953 Educational Television 257 May 7, 1953 Cut in District School Funds 258 January 27, 1954 1954 General Assembly and Education 259 February 19, 1954 Minimum Foundation Program 260 March 9, 1954 Bookmobile Project 261 July 19, 1954 School Desegregation 262 September 23, 1954 School Taxation Needs 263 February 14, 1955 Support for Integration 264 March i, 1955 1955 Election Statement on Education 265 May 25, 1955 Racial Intermarriage 266 June 7, 1955 Teachers' Retirement Benefits 267 August 2, 1955 HEALTH & WELFARE [268] Lonesome Pine Council Boy Scouts 268 May 7, 1951 Dedication of Caldwell