Evening star., 1952-07-16
The Eisenhower Story
By Soul Petit
Associoted Press StoH Writer

BY Soul Petit
Associosed Press Stoff Writer
Like the GIs who served under
him, Dwight Eisenhower was anxi-
: Gus to get home after victory in
Europe.
He spoke wistfully Of relaxing,
after the greatest military COM
mand in history. of getting out OF
uniform and official life. Of fish
ing, playing golf, painting and
finding for Mamie and himself the
permanent home they had never
had since their marriage in 1916.
Few, if any. OF those postwar
dreams came true.
In the six years between SHAEF'
and SHAPE, between his two Cru
sades in Europe" the General had
only q year and half as a pri-
vate citizen, and they weren't very
private. He managed to buy a
home, a 160-acre farm near Get
tySburg, Pa. but has yet to live
on 1t. And he won't. Republicans
insist, in the next four years.
The first few months after We
Day were crowded with receptions
and honors in Europe and at
home. In all, he was awarded so
United States and foreign decora-
tions, 10 honorary degrees and 20
assorted medals, swords and
awards of cities, private groups
and nations. He was given part of
a castle in Scotland, and noun
tain peak in Canada was named
after him.
Credited Men in Ranks.
He was eulogized to the limit,
but he wore his superlatives with
q smiling humility. He invariably
credited the men who fought under
him and spoke of himself only as
their symbol. He took almost every
opportunity to plead for interna-
, tional understanding. Probably his
most moving effort in that direc-
ton was made in his famous
Guildhall speech in London. He
said:
ITO preserve his freedom of wor-
ship. his equality before law. his
liberty to speak and act as he
sees fit, subject only to provi-
sions that he trespasS not upon
similar rights Of others-a Lon
doner will fight. So will citizen
of Abilene.
when we consider these things.
then the valley Of the Thames
draws closer to the farms Of Kan
sas and the plains of Texas. To
my mind it Is clear that when
two peoples will face the tragedies
of war to defend the same spiri-
tual values. the same treasured
rights, then in the deepest sense
those two are truly related.
so, even as I proclaim my
AmericaniSm, I am bold enough
and exceedingly proud to claim
the basis of kinship to you Of Lon
DON"
HOnored At the Kremlin.
In that bright, hopeful summer
of 1945. Gen. Eisenhower went to
Moscow for high honors Of the
Kremlin. He praised the Russian
people and said he thought Stain
sincerely wanted peace with the
United States. But before the year
was out. he gave this as a formula
for dealing with the Russians:
"Firmness, patience, a sense of
humor-and keep your powder
dry"
Ike came home that year, but
not to relax. He accepted appoint
ment as chief of staff out of q
sense Of duty, not personal desire,
according to some biographers.
For the next three years. he was
continually on the move, testify
ing before congressional commit
tees on demobiliZation or unifica-
tion, or touring defenseS In four
continents.
And then there was politics
the continual preSSureS that sent
him into a corner to search his
soul to decide whether he should
be a presidential candidate.
Much Prestige, Little Cash.
In 1948, the general retired
from the Army to find that his
prestige far outweighed his bank
account. According to Kevin Nc
Cam, an aide and author Of Man
From Abilene" Ike had only a
''few thousand" saved up. Accord
ing to John Gunther, author Of
Eisenhower" the General of the
Army found it difficult at one
point to raise a $500 emergency
loan for friend.
The general had bought a car
before leaving Fort Myer. It was
a big event, unusually big for a
man we'll grounded in big events.
The whole Eisenhower household
trooped outdoors to watch as the
general said proudly to his wife:
Darling. there's the entire re-
suit of 81 years work since I
caught the train out Of Abilene. "
However, the generals money
problems were solved when he
wrote his memoirs, Crusade in
Europe" in As days. The book sold
more than 100000 copies and re-
portedly earned its author more
than $600,000.
Speaks On Public Issues
In his year and a half as presi-
dent of Columbia University, Gen
Eisenhower found an opportunity
ito speak out on public issues he
couldn't discuss as an Army Of
ficer. Besides humping for inter-
national cooperation, he took on
domestic problems.
Too much emphasis, he said
Twas being placed on personal
security at the expense of personal
liberty. IF all Americans want is
II aFTlN-