Evening star., 1951-11-02
Eisenhower
(Continued From First Page.)

TO survey Cne SITUATION WIFI zen.
Eisenhower before getting down
to the preparation Of the major
messages which go to Congress in
January. The NATO planning for
the next year will be reflected, of
course, in the state of the Union
and budget messages on which
Mr.. Truman plans to go to work
this month in Key West.
At the same time, the Pres
ident's desire to talk to Gen.
Eisenhower seemingly caught his
military advisers by surprise.
Defense Secretary Lovett already
had made plans to go to Europe
shortly, and Gen. J. Lawton
Collins. Army Chief of Staff, who
came back from the Far East,
told questioners last night he had
heard nothing about the move.
The Chief of Naval Operations,
Admiral William Fechteler, is in
Europe now.
There was no comment from the
Eisenhower headquarters.
Both military and diplomatic
sources here, however, agree that
President Truman has every rea-
son for wanting Gen. Eisenhower's
estimate OF the progress being
made in shaping the defenses of
the West against the Communist
threat.
w. Averell Hartman, new di-
rector of mutual security, who has
been wrestling with both political
and military aspects of NATO, is
understood to feel that the Allan
tic nations would concentrate
more on training and equipping
forces now in being and less on
vague targets for 1854.
Political Talks Held Certain.
Gen. Eisenhower, on the other
hand, is represented as wanting to
step up the timetable for creating
what he regards as an adequate
force to contain possible aggres-
sion. The general is said to be
aiming for bigger military forces
than the European countries feel
they can organize.
Mr.. Hartman had planned to
see Gen. Eisenhower in Paris in
the next few days.
That the President and Gen.
Eisenhower will get into the do
mestic political question-if only
obliquely-is considered by OBJ
servers to be certain.
For instance, it is pointed out,
if Gen. Eisenhower has political
plans, that would call for the Sc
lection of a new North Atlantic
commander in the next few
months and President Truman
and other Allied chiefs would like
to have a line on this.
Press Secretary Short said the
two men would have at least one
private meeting. and this would
make plain talking possible.
Gen. Eisenhower has never
closed the door to the possibility
that he may make the presiden-
Itial race while dissatisfied elements
in the Democratic party. largely in
the South. have expressed the
hope that he might be swayed to
take a Democratic nomination
should President Truman bow
out-the predominant view is that
if he gets in the race it will be as
a Republican.
Speculation on Truman Plans.
Senator Kefauver, Democrat, of
Tennessee said today he thinks
Gen. Eisenhower's name might go
before both major conventions.
unless the soldier, in the mean
time, makes his political affilia-
tions clear.
Senator Douglas, Democrat. of
Illinois said in Phoenix, Ariz.. yes
terday he doesn't think Mr.. Tru-
man will run again if Gen. Eisen-
hover becomes the Republican
nominee. On the other hand,
Senator Douglas thought any
other G. o. P. nominee would
find Mr.. Truman running against
him.
Senator Duff wouldn't say when
or where he plans to see Gen.
Eisenhower, but if he gets the
chance, the Pennsylvania Sena-
tor evidently plans to advise the
general to make known his avail
ability soon. With Senator Taft.
Republican, Of Ohio, already an
announced candidate, the Eisen-
hover rooters are having trouble
rounding up strength for a man
who has given no public sign he
would be interested in making the
race. a
Just how much time Gen. Eisen-