Evening star., 1952-07-13
By Betty BeoIe
S,oy Sfoff corresponden,

CHICAGO. July 12.-Gen. and
Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower's
famous Sunday night supper
parties will continue if the Re-
publican standard bearer gets into
the White House.
At the first press conference
with Mrs. Eisenhower since her
husbands nomination yesterday,
she was asked today if those in
formal Sunday bridge-suppers
would continue to be held at
1000 Pennsylvania avenue If that
should be their address In the
future.
"Well, it's not easy to break a
habit Of a lifetime. is it?" was
her answer. adding that they had
carried on this long time custom
all during their stay in Paris. She
prefers Sunday evening entertain
ing to any other time. she said,
describing the huge silver lazy
susan and samovar that are ale
ways brought out for the occasion.
Refuses to Sit Behind Table. =
When Mrs. Eisenhower walked
into the private dining room on
floor A of the Blackstone where
chairs were lined UP for women
of the press, she declined to sit
behind the table that faced them
as though she were presiding over
a formal meeting. Instead, she
pulled a chair around in front
and moved closer to her eager
audience.
Even then, however, there was
a stiffness about the occasion that
caused the interview to progress
slowly.
It was not until she spied re-
freshments in the back of the
room and turned the gathering
into>a standing, chatty party that
conversation flowed freely.
Ike Is a much better cook than
she is, she told us. describing the
delicious way he charcoals steaks
and the wonderful garlic favored
butter sauce that he makes to go
over it that is his speciality.
Trained at It in Boyhood.
He didn't pick up his culinary
art in Paris. either, but was
trained when a boy. The generals
mother had all her boys take
turns doing things about the
house and they always worked in
pairs. On Sunday when their par
ents went to church, they took
over in the kitchen. Also there
was trapper. an oldtimer, said
Mamie. who took Ike on camping
trips and he did the cooking then.
AS for Ike's painting. his wife
thinks his work is excellent, but
not his portrait Of her. She was
his first subject.
It happened that artist Tom
Stephens painted the generals
portrait and left some oil paint
on his palette. He told the gen.
eral to use it If he wanted to.
The general Immediately sent for
a rag. some thumb tacks and a
board. and started painting Mamie
who was sitting up In bed with
one Of my neuralgia headaches. /"
She said she had a pink bed
jacket and a tiny pink bow on her
head but by the time the portrait
was finished, the bow was simply
huge. Tom Stephens asked for
that portrait and has 1t today
Despite many tries. the general has
never been able to capture his wife
on canvas though he has done
portraits Of every one else in the
family.
Paints Over the Bad.
Since Ike Immediately paint:
over anything he doesn't like. there
lis probably a wealth Of origina
Eisenhowers under every visible
layer of his entire artistic output
Asked If she will give press con.
ferences in the White House Il
her husband is elected, Mrs. Eisen.
hover replied simply. "I'll cross
that bridge when come to IT.
She is not planning to make
any speeches during the campaign
1 a. - a. -. 4 -
no" to that one. "That wore
mo can't be depended upon" shl
smiled. Il found that out loni
ago In my life."
j Was she interested In the Is
j sues Of the campaign or just th,
lresults, she was aske4 II dom