Keeping the Pledge

Massachusetts' Democratic Senator Teddy Kennedy moved from a swimming holiday in the Virgin Islands to a skiing junket with Bobby (and families) at Aspen, Colo. But his office in Washington was already grinding out news releases as fast as anyone could say, "He Can Do MORE for Massachusetts." So far, Teddy's office had announced $135 million in new federal contracts, grants and loans for Massachusetts--with promises of more, more, more.

A few weeks ago. Teddy invaded New York to explain to the Grumman people why some of the subcontracting work on the lunar excursion module "requires the kind of special technology and skilled work force for which Massachusetts is especially well qualified." New York's Republican Senator Kenneth Keating accused Teddy of "pirating" and threatened to return the visit. But the folks in Boston loved it. "If making a pitch for new industry makes Teddy a pirate," said the Boston Traveler, "let's all salute the Jolly Roger."

When Teddy returns from his skiing trip to the $600-a-month red-brick house he has rented in Georgetown, Washington confidently expects him to behave just like any other freshman Senator who happens to be 30 years old and a brother of the President. Teddy would like to be on the Foreign Relations Committee (not necessarily, as one wag suggested, as chairman), but will probably settle instead for a spot on the Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Labor and Public Welfare, or Commerce Committee. From such a post, Teddy's aides say, he can really do MORE for Massachusetts.

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