Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-12
Press Officer Hogerty,
One Of Newsdom's Own
By GARRETT d. HORNER
star stan Correknnndent


between the American peopl,
and their ailing President.
Every once in a while. Whit
House correspondents hear jim
Hagerty say I'VE will sign" *
and so. He means Of course. thai
President Eisenhower will sigr
something. His use of I'VE" wher
he means 'he" is an unconsciou:
indication of how closely this
White House press secretary
identifies himself with his boss
II ever there was a man dedi.
Gated to his job and his boss
1t is James c. Hagerty, 46-year.
-old bundle Of nervous energy
with the map of Ireland on his
face, who has been Mr.. Essen.
hower's press secretary since the
general turned politician.
He is a newspaperman's press
officer. They trust him to gel
out all the news possible. good
or bad. They know he pride.
himself on never lying to a re-
porter. They appreciate his un.
Outstanding of deadline prob
lens. and Of the occasional need
to satisfy a persistently curious
editor by asking what must seem
to him silly questions-an under
standing that comes from his re-
membering when he worked for
editors himself.
Helps on Policy, Too
He is more than just a pur-
veyor Of information to the press
though. He helps make much of
the policy that makes the news
especially on domestic political
affairs, but in q behind-the-
scenes way that keeps his name
out Of the picture except on
information policy.
A shrewd judge of what Amer
leans like to read and hear, he
helps shape presidential speeches
He attends meetings of the Cab
met and Of the President with
Republican congressional lead
ers. advising on the time and
place and how of breaking news
about policies generated there
When President Eisenhower is
out OF Washington. Mr.. Hagerty
often is the ranking White House
stan member with him. Such
was the case during much of the
PRESIDENTS Colorado vacation
THIS summer. At such times, he is
the haison between the President
and Cabinet members and Re-
publican Party leaders back
home.
Under Mr.. Eisenhower's policy
OF delegating responsibilities to
MS aides in particular fields. Mr..
Hagerty has virtually unlimited
authority over what the public
shall be told about their gov
eminent and its Chief Executive.
This authority and Mr.. Hag-
erty's own convictions about a
free dow of information are pay
ing on now in providing the
world an unprecedented amount
OF detailed news about an ailing
President Of the United States.
Mr.. Hagerty was on vacation
when Mr.. Eisenhower was
stricken with a heart attack
early on the morning of Sat-
urday. September "a. Mai. Gen.
Howard NJ. Snyder, the Presi-
dents personal physician, de-
cided it would be too upsetting
TO every one concerned to tell
the full story then. and so the
Presidents illness was described
as a mild digestive upset for IL
hours or so.
Wanted Assurance First
One reason was that DR.. Sny-
der did not want to alarm the
world until he was absolutely
positive about his diagnosis OF
a coronary thrombosis, and
that could not be confirmed by
electro-cardiogram until the
President awoke from a pain
relieving, drug-induced sleep.
Whether the heart attack
news would have broken earlier
If Mr.. Hagerty had been on the
spot Is impossible to say. He is
no Monday morning quarter
back. and does not question DR..
Snyder's decision now.
In any event. since he came
back to work late that Saturday
night. not a single legitimate
question Of a newsman's about
the Presidents condition and
activity has gone unanswered.
They have heard, and relayed,
much information they never
would have thought to ask for.
When DR.. Paul Dudley White,
the world-renowned heart spe-
cialist, flew from Boston to ex-
anime the President. Mr.. Hag-
erty arranged for him to tell
his findings through a COM
pletely unfettered news con-
ference.
He has worked with the doc
tors ever since in drafting med
ical bulletins to let the world
know. four times a day, exactly
how the President is getting
along.
Never In history has the ill
ness of a President or other
leading world figure been so
completely reported in the news
papers and on radio and tele-
vision.
Give Jim Hagerty credit for
that. 1t reflects his credo that
the best possible public relations
is telling the truth. and that
Americans who elect President
are entitled to all the informa-
ton about anything affecting
his official activity that can be
told without jeopardizing ma
tional security.
Remember the Geneva Big
Four Summit" conference last
July, and how much news about
~ an,aao raA l., Ay,na,.inax, x,on1r.