Evening star., 1953-02-19
The Political Mill
President Impressive
At Press Conference
For News and Fronkness,
First Meeting Ranked HIGH
By Gould Lincoln

l"SA NiSSttH9 NOuNSu III9U
By Gould Lincoln
Anything the President Of the United
States says is news. Sometimes 1t is
more important news. But whatever it
is. 1t gets wide play in the newspapers
and headlines. Much, perhaps most Of
the news Presidents have put forth in
the last 20 years has originated at
White House press conferences. These
press conferences have come to be rec
ognized as great sounding board for
the Chief Executive-of real value to
him as well as to the press, for these
conferences present him an opportunity
to set forth the advantages of his legis-
latlve program, of his stand on foreign
affairs, and of his administration of
the Government. To cut of these press
conferences for President would be
like amputating valuable arm.
President Eisenhower, on Tuesday at
his first press conference since entering
the White House, clearly indicated his
desire to continue the practice Of hold
ing these conferences. This corre-
spondent has covered Eisenhower press
conferences in Washington. before the
general was a presidential candidate;
in Abilene, Kans., when the general re-
turned to this country to get into the
race for the presidential nomination.
and in New York later. Eisenhower was
an impressive figure at all Of them. In
his first presidential press conference,
he was more so.
President Was Frank.
President EiSenhower's Tuesday press
conference ranks high. The President,
in an opening statement. dealt with
five important subjects in the news.
including the farm problem. taxes and
the Far East. He has been criticized
in some quarters because he used up
18 minutes or so Of the time allotted
for the press conference, and left only
IL for direct questions from reporters.
His statement, however, answered
scores of questions which would have
been levelled at him had he made no
statement. Furthermore, his statement
was news. It's one thing for q reporter
to figure out Presidents position on
a given issue or situation. It may in
dicate keen mind and much leg work
on the part Of the reporter. It is quite
another thing-and more important
when the President himself states his
position.
The Tuesday press conference was
President Eisenhower's first opportu-
nifty to use this medium Of news to
the American people. It was also the
first opportunity that reporters had
to question him about issues and re-
ports. One of the criticisms levelled
was that enough time was not given
the reporters to question the President;
that he should have extended the time.
The President stated at the opening OF
the conference he had an engagement
in one-half hour. He stuck to his
program. He had come to meet the
press promptly, at the specified hour
which some Of his predecessors fire.
quently failed to do. He was just as
prompt for his next engagement. Now
that this experience is over, 1t is en-
tirely possible and probable that more
time may be given reporters when
there is much of public interest to
question the President about.
No reporter attending the conference
could have failed to feel the Presidents
1TdIlkIlCSS S111CCA1Oyp dAAA LAO NSCAO
to cooperate in friendly way with q
press which has been friendly to him.
In Good Temper.
All the Presidents answers were given
in good temper. He lodged no ques-
ton. He spoke with emphasis on sew
eral occasions. One was his answer to
q question whether he feared his ad-
ministration would become the big
Deal" because Of the number Of busi-
nessmen he had appointed to important
office, as suggested by his Democratic
opponent in the presidential race, Adlai
Stevenson. 1t was his first answer to
the insinuations and more open charges
he was turning the Government over
to big business, in the interest Of big
business. If he spoke with heat, why
shouldn't he? And properly he said it
was incredible that the American peo-
pie (the people who had elected him
to office) would believe such o thing
or would fail to believe he had all
their interests at heart.
It has already been announced at
the White House the President will hold
another press conference next week. If
he continues to produce news In any
thing like the volume he did on Tues
day, he can be assured Of continued
large attendance by the correspondents.
But as in the beginning. anything the
President may say Is news. He will
never be lonely at these conferences.