sold “Conservation…is our modern frontier”

As the campaign entered its final weeks, both Kennedy and Nixon reached out for the environmental vote, with JFK issuing a "Statement on Soil and Water Conservation" on October 4th and Nixon countering on the 11th a position paper on "Conservation of Our Land and Water Resources." Brown, as a member of the "Committee of Natural Resources", then submitted a report to Kennedy entitled Resources of the People. Here JFK, in reply, makes clear his position on the environment – which, he says, has been ignored by the media.

Typed Letter Signed on the decorative "John F. Kennedy For President" campaign letterhead, with a small photograph of Kennedy at top, Washington, October 28, 1960, with an autograph correction, changing the typed "Governor Brown" in the salutation to "Pat."“…As I have frequently said during the campaign, resources conservation and development is our modern frontier – the basic task which must be undertaken to assure America’s growth and strength now and throughout the future, not only in the material sense, but in recreational and spiritual values as well. The report fills a need in the present campaign, and will be of great value in the period that follows. I have expressed my views on every major phase of resource conservation during the campaign, but other issues have generally filled the headlines. As a result, there has not been the emphasis on conservation matters which I would have liked. Your report, which coincides with my views…is consequently of immediate value in setting forth our Democratic position…giving needed emphasis to the subject matter…It is now being printed for wide distribution. I have had prepared extracts from my campaign materials reflecting my views of pollution, forests, recreation, wilderness, fish and wildlife, small watersheds, park and shorelines. Youth Conservation Corps, and soil conservation. A copy is enclosed…All Democrats are indebted to you…”