Drive for Kennedy Library Begins, Trustees Selected

The fund drive for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library was officially launched at a press conference in Washington yesterday. The Kennedy family, represented by the late President's brothers, issued a call for $8 million in public contributions to secure the fulfillment of present plans for the library.

Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy '48 also told the news conference that Eugene Black, retired president of the World Bank, has agreed to serve as chairman of the library's trustees.

Black will head a group of trustees which includes Gov. Endicott Peabody '40, Chief Justice Karl Warren, former Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Richard Cardinal Cushing, composer Samuel Barber, AFL-CIO president George Meany, Gen. Dougian MacArthur, and novelists John Hersey and John Steinback.

$2 Million Pledged

Although the goal for the Library was increased to $10 million at a meeting in Washington last Wednesday night, over $2 million has already been pledged. Kennedy announced the first contribution as a pledge of $1 million to be donated by the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation.

Well over $1 million has also been pledged from other private and public sources. The representatives of several Latin American countries have promised that their governments will donate as much as $100,000 to the fund. The first government to indicate support for the library was Venezuela; Mexico and Puerto Rico soon announced their intentions to contribute about $100,000 apiece.

Latin Americans Contribute

According to an article in the New York Times, many universities in Latin America have also shown a desire to contribute money to the Kennedy fund. The article noted the gratitude of Latin Americans for the efforts of President Kennedy "to reach influential Latin intellectuals and win their support for the Alliance for Progress."

The most recent plans for the library suggest that the building will consist of a simple memorial room to the late President and three major components: a museum, archives, and an institute. After public funds have been used to construct the library, it will be turned over to the federal government, which will administer the business of the library.

Several friends of the late President have already promised to help stock the library with books, documents, and personal papers. Both Seymour E. Harris 20.