Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-24

perience in international af-
fairs. Mr.. Lodge argued that Mr.
Eisenhower was in an unrivaled
position to lead America through
the next four years.
Political Considerations
Various political considerations
were advanced. Mr.. Stephens, in
urging the President TO run again
if his health permitted. suggested
that the decision should be an
nounced as early as feasible to
put other potential Republican
presidential candidates straight
AND encourage congressional
candidates to enter primaries. He
got laugh from Mr.. Eisenhower
by adding. This is important to
other presidential candidates, in
GLIDING me-"
The arrangement was that
Milton Eisenhower would sum
up the arguments in the end
II these guests. or most of them
had advised the President
against running, it is possible ia
imagine complete change in
the American political picture
in 1856. But the opposite hap
pened. BY the time Milton's
turn came every other person
had spoken in favor of the
Presidents seeking a second
term. To some of them later the
President said jokingly, II didn't
know you'd all be against me-"
DR.. Eisenhower summed UP
the pros and cons. One of the
most telling arguments he ad-
vanced in favor of a second term
was that the election of a Demo-
Graf to the White House would
make it difficult for Mr.. Eisen-
hover to work for peace because
the new President would resent
his intrusion into foreign affairs.
On the other hand. Milton ex-
pressed very forcefully the argu-
ments against the President S
running. He had devoted more
than 40 years to public service
-Four more years in the presi-
dency would be a great burden,
These were years Mr.. Eisen-
hover might spend with his
family, enjoying the things he
had long desired to do-read,
write, play. travel extensively
exert his influence as a distin-
guished private citizen for peace.
In the Presidents mind the
arguments in favor of candidacy
outweighed those against. From
that night on he gravitated
steadily toward his announce
ment on February 90 that he
would run again. The discussions
in his study epitomized the con-
siderationS that led him to his
decision.
Desired Only One Term
Mr.. Eisenhower had long de-
sired to be a one-term President.
He said this privately many
times. However. after Geneva.
where he sensed that more than
any other American he could
communicate with the Russian
leaders. particularly Marshal
Zhukov, he grew warmer TO the
idea Of a second term. But before
the heart attack he had never
finally reached a decision Once
he had recovered fully. the
heart attack no longer was a
factor in his decision. The con-
siderations that led him to run
are the same ones that would
have operated. illness or no.
One was his desire to rebuild
the Republican Party along the
lines of his own philosophy
Much fresh blood had already
been infused into the organiza-
ton since the 1852 Chicago con-
yention, and the President felt
this change could be carried a
long step forward in four more
years.
Another was the prospect that
the Democrats might win against
any Republican except Mr..
Eisenhower and reverse the
trend Of Government toward the
middle road" The President
took this threat seriously. In
December he allowed Gen. Lucius
D. Clay. chairman OF the board
OF the Continental Can Co., to