Nov. 21, 1963 - President and Mrs. Kennedy attended a dinner tonight in honor of Representative Albert Thomas (D-Tex.) at the Houston Coliseum. Mr. Kennedy spoke at the testimonial dinner for Rep. Thomas, chairman of the appropriations subcommittee. Mr. Thomas is 65, has been in Congress for 27 years and, as the President noted, has had a hand in bringing rather lavish public works to Houston over the years. President Kennedy received an enthusiastic welcome from some 3,000 guests and, in his speech, made a slip understandable on such a long day. He said that the Saturn rocket to be fired from Cape Canaveral next month would carry the greatest “payroll” ever into space. The crowd roared, and the President laughingly changed it to “payload.” In so many words, however, he conceded that “payroll” might not be too far off. Under the Kennedy Administration, Texas — and especially Houston — has become one of the foremost space centers in the world, employing thousands. Following his speech, the President flew to Fort Worth, where a crowd of some 2,500 waited to greet him.
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