Daily Freeman-Journal file photos

Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy received a tumultuous welcome this morning at Fort Dodge.

Kennedy, who flew to Fort Dodge from Sioux City, on his way to the national plowing matches at Sioux Falls, S. D., was greeted by 25,000 people at the airport and in the business district, according to estimates made by newsmen traveling with the Massachusetts senator.

The presidential candidate arrived in Fort Dodge more than half an hour late and spoke briefly at the city square bandstand and at the airport. In his talk to an estimated 20,000 people grouped around the bunting-decked bandstand, Kennedy urged his listeners to join him in a campaign to make the United States a better, stronger nation. “We are great and we are strong, but we can be a better and a stronger nation if we’re willing to move forward,” he declared.

In his airport talk, Sen. Kennedy told an enthusiastic audience of about 3,000, “The farmer of America has had eight years to study the fruits of his judgement which put the Eisenhower administration in office.”

“We must think of the foods we can’t consume, not as surpluses but as our chief asset in the Cold War with the Communist bloc,” he added.

At Fort Dodge, Kennedy declared the 1960 election is even more important than that of 1932, “since in 1932 the freedom of America was at stake and today the freedom of the whole world is at stake.”

In his talk scheduled for delivery at Sioux Falls this afternoon, Sen. Kennedy was expected to outline a six-point program “of work, sacrifice and discipline” aimed at “bringing good income and a decent standard of living to all our farmers.”

The Kennedy parade through downtown Fort Dodge evoked near riot. Thousands of screaming school children — given a half-day holiday from classes — surged for blocks around the open car in which Sen. John Kennedy rode.

Webster City’s high school band was designated “official band” for the Kennedy visit and played at the airport reception. Bands from Stratford and Williams marched in the Kennedy Day parade.