Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-16
EXCLUSIVELY
YOURS
Gen. Gruenther Tempted;
Press for Truman Wedding

The story of Gen. Alfred
Gruenther's resignation from
supreme command of NATO
forces and also from the
Army begins with the Presi-
dents heart attack last fall.
Generals and admirals
who've held high commands
are consistently sought for top
jobs IN private business. And
for supreme commander
like Alfred Gruenther who's
noted for tact, for a mind like
a steel trap, for administra-
tive ability par excellence. the
offers have been frequent and
tempting.
He didn't really listen to
them before the President had
a heart attack, but after that
he figured the whole picture
would be changing, so he lent
an ear. In fact, he gave so
much encouragement to an
extremely lucrative offer to
become president of a big firm
that when Ike decided to run
again, it was pretty hard for
him to pull back. So he
accepted.
It's the same old story It's
the story of q man who has
devoted a lifetime of service
to his country, who is en-
trusted to direct the spending
OF billions of dollars and the
defense of the Free World. but
finds he is only making what
an administrative assistant to
q Senator gets, q mere $4,000.
Generals, said a man who
knows plenty Of them, are no
different from other men when
1t comes to feeling respon-
sibility toward their families.
A generals widow, If the gen.
eral had no disability, gets no
pension at all If she has an
income Of $1,000 a year.
Otherwise she gets less than
q 500 a month"; varies
from something like $45 to
around $50. Since none of
them could subsist on such an
income. they frequently have
TO go to work at an age when
no one wants to hire them.
Al Gruenther is 81 years old.
has had 40 years in the Army.
has wife, two sons and eight
grandchildren. He figures the
time is ripe.
MARGARET TRUMAN'S
wedding will be covered via
press arrangements that are
reminiscent of press coverage
Tor the atom bomb and Ike's
Illness In short, lots will be
drawn to see who gets into the
church and who gets into the
reception, and whatever stories
are written will be pooled for
the use of all
Next Saturday in Independ-
ence one representative from
the APP. one from the UP, and
one from the ms will be al
lowed in the church and the
same crew or second crew
will be invited into the recep-
ton. +. Then one representa-
tive from each of the three
papers in the area will be in
vited to cover the ceremony
and reception. :. Then all the
visiting representatives from
morning papers and all those
from evening papers will draw
lots. and the lucky one from
each group will be an eyewit-
ness. His or her stories also
will be available to all.
A similar arrangement has
been worked out for photog-
rapherS. Those who make
the trip but don't draw the
lucky mum Der will have to
scrounge for news on the out
side as best they can. The
Trumans had to draw the line
somewhere, otherwise there
wouldn't be room in the church
for the bride and groom.
No press will be invited to
the bridal supper Friday
night. But a flock of the best
known will be guests at the
Theta Sigma Phi dinner the
same night of the wedding.
The Kansas City chapter of
the national fraternity for