Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-16

Immediately an invitation to
congressional leaders of both
parties to attend a White House
briefing on foreign affairs. He
said he did not see how there
could be any question of the
need for the White House to
work with the Democratic
leadership because of the prob
lem of scheduling legislation,
hearings and so forth.
Then the discussion turned to
historical presidents. Secretary
of Commerce Weeks recalled the
relations between President Tru-
man End the Republican Eight
Iieth Congress. Mr.. Eisenhower
went back to the early 1906,
when Herbert Hoover was in the
White House and the Democrats
controlled Congress. Mr.. Hoover,
he noted, had been subject to
vicious partisan attacks and his
program stymied.
Secretary of Defense Wilson
observed that the situation was
different in 1854 because tele-
vision enabled the President
more effectively to take his case
to the people. Mr.. Eisenhower
interposed that the administra-
ton must conduct itself in a way
to convince the people it was
doing its best to cooperate with
Congress.
Nixon Sees Dead Heat"
Then Vice President Nixon
analysed the results of the elec-
ton. The outcome, he said, was
really a dead heat" and so made
it unlikely that Mr.. Eisenhower
would run into the difficulties
that beset Presidents Truman
and Hoover. He rejected the
idea that the Democrats had a
mandate to change the course
of policy.
Checking off Republican de-
featS in particular districts and
offering reasons for each. he
concluded that the credit for the
showing the Republicans made
was due to the Presidents pro-
gram and to the campaigning of
top administration officials, par
ticularly the President.
The party losing one election
has a natural advantage in the
next. he philosophical, since it
learns its weaknesses and re-
organizes its strength with new
blood and enthusiasm. He spoke
of the desirability of casting
about at once for strong candi-
dates for the Senate in 1856. And,
looking ahead to relations with
the new Congress. Mr.. Nixon pre-
dicted that the matter of foreign
policy the administration would
get on better than it had under
the Republican Congress.
Concluding these remarks with
a prediction that Democratic in
vestigations of the administra-
ton would be rife, Mr.. Nixon
brought from the President a
Irejoinder that in that case de-
Ipartment heads should imme-
diately step forward and offer to
Cooperate.
Toy Drummer Raises Spirits
Secretary of Defense Wilson,
who had just experienced a
taste of the campaign in Michi-
gan. remarked that a veri-
table labor party was forming
there as a result of CLIO in
fluence in the Democratic organ
ization. And Secretary Of Agri-
culture Benson warned that
there would be difficulties in the
new Congress with the House
and Senate Agriculture Commit
tees.
The discussion continued on in
this random and not very cheer
full fashion. Secretary Of the
Treasury Humphrey cautioned
that it would be difficult to
maintain current high levels of
prosperity, foreseeing that the
Democrats would press for high
er Federal spending along with
further tax reductions. And the
President remarked that it would
be a critical period in the next
two years for the administra-
tons policy Of moderation, espe-