Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-01

by ileitis.
Il feel good" he added. But
he still does not feel as well as
ne did a year ago. he said.
The President explained that
his doctors had warned him from
the first that it might be about
four months before Il feel my
self" and really wanted to go out
and play golf.
mo Doubts" on Health
He added, however, that 81
have nothing to keep me from
going ahead and doing my work. :"
Asked If he had any doubts
about his ability to carry on from
health standpoint, Mr.. Eisen-
hover said that so far as he
knew, his answer is II have no
doubts"
He added with a smile that only
about three weeks remain until
the Republican convention meets
in San Francisco and said he
would not expect any great
change in that time.
He said his confidence is based
on the prognosis of his doctors
and the constant improvement he
has experienced.
Appears Pale at Start
Mr.. Eisenhower appeared a
little pale at the start. Of his
news conference before a capac-
ity crowd of 311 reporters-the
same number who crowded into
the conference room in the old
State Department Building to
hear him announce on February
20 his decision to seek a second
term after recovering from his
heart attack of last September.
The President disclosed today
that this decision was based
partly on his belief that the
Republican Party needed re-
building so badly" and that the
party thinks he still is impor-
tant to it and the country.
His face gaining color during
a crossf1re of questioning, Mr.
Eisenhower said it never oc-
Cured to him when he was
hurting like I was" in the hos
pltal after his operation that
there was any renewed question
about his running again.
Weight Disclosed
The matter of his weight was
not mentioned during his news
conference. Maj. Gen. Howard
M. Snyder, the Presidents per-
sonal physician. disclosed earlier
this morning that his weight
reached a low point of 1874
pounds during his recent hos
pitalization.
The previous impression had
been that the Presidents weight
declined during his illness only
to 162 pounds figure an
nounced by White House Press
Secretary James C. Hagerty
after he had been in the hos
pital about a week.
Gen. Snyder said this morning
that Mr.. Eisenhower is doing
okay" in the weight department
now, fluctuating between 1852
and 1853 pounds. When he en-
tered Walter Reed June 8 for his
operation, Mr.. Eisenhower
weighed 1859 pounds. He weighed
lib before his heart attack last
fall. His doctors had tried to
keep his weight down to around
172 since then.
Gen. Snyder told newsmen he
thinks the President will be
liable to do just as much" in his
reelection campaign as he would
have without the operation.
No Campaigning Plans
But as for actual campaign
Ing plans. Mr.. Eisenhower said
"aS of this moment 1 have
none"
The Presidents remark about
the Republican Party needing
rebuilding came when a reporter
told him that some of his Gettys-
burg (Pa) neighbors have said
they wished he would not run
again because they think he al
ready has made enough sacri-
fees for the country and might
not live out another term.
Mr.. Eisenhower said he does
not think it is too important tol
an individual how his end comes
and that certainly he cannot
dictate the time.
What is important, he added,
Is the welfare of the country.
And, he said. the Republican
Party thinks he is still important
to it and the country. Remark
ing that he has believed the Re-
publican Party needed rebuild
ing badly and that he has been
working for that. Mr.. Eisen-
hover said he has made up his
mind that a second term is 1.-The
thing I should try"
"We'll See What People Say"
And we'll see what the Amer
lean people have to say about
it," he added.
A reporter wanted to know If
he had a long period of indeci-
sion after his operation about
whether he would be able to run
again. There was no public
word on whether the operation
had caused any change in Mr..
Eisenhower's plans until July
l0-a month after his OPERATION
wnen Republican Congressional
leaders conferred with him at
his Gettysburg farm and re-
ported he was staying in the
race.
Mr.. Eisenhower said there
never was any question in his
mind about this while in the
hospital because he considered
his health was merely being i'm
proved-not hurt.
Mai. Gen. Leonard D. Heaton,
Walter Reed commander who
performed the operation. told a
lime O news conference that the