Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-07
President Seen
Getting R0ugheI
In Vote Drive
By GARRETT d. HORNER

ny OARNE -. nOhNEh
President Eisenhower's agrees
sive reelection campaign. which
already has surprised some peo-
pie with its approach to "give
'em hell" tactics, probably will
get rougher from now to cleo
ton day.
That was the feeling around
the White House yesterday as
the President prepared to carry
his battle for a second term into
Pittsburgh Tuesday and into the
Pacific Northwest next week.
And, say those who ought to
know, the current step up in
both the number and the fire.
eating quality of the Eisenhower
campaign speeches does not re-
suit from any change in strategy.
Most political observers had
the impression, until less than
two weeks ago. that Mr.. Eisen-
hover intended to try to get by
this year with a very high-level
type of personal campaign,
geared to half a dozen mild tele-
vision speeches with little travel
ing, and leave it to others to
sling fighting words around with
the Democrats.
Expansion Now
Now it develops that this was
a false impression. deliberately
created in an effort to catch the
Democrats off-guard. At least
that's the way some people close
to the President are talking now.
They concede that there has
been "a little" expansion of the
Presidents campaign plans as a
result of pressure from Republic
can leaders around the country,
but they say "boSh" to reports
that signs of Democratic ad-
vances in some key States have
brought a drastic step up in Eli
senhower campaigning from
what was originally intended.
All along, the inside story goes,
Mr.. Eisenhower and his CAM
paign strategists have felt that
"a great many voters inclined to
like Ike" were undecided about
how they would vote November s.
because of concern about his
health after his heart attack last
year and his ileitis operation in
June.
Much Travel FOreseen
On the theory that the best
way to influence these voters to
go Republican was to let them
see for themselves how healthy
and vigorous the President looks
and acts. it was realized from
the beginning that he would
have to do a lot of campaign
travelling about the country.
And. the insiders say. the Re-
publicans also figured that Oc-
tober l would be about the time
for Mr.. Eisenhower to take of
the gloves and start getting
rough with the Democrats-as
he did in Cleveland that day
with his charges of political
bunk" "willful nonsense" and
economic thievery."
These people professed surprise
that anyone ever would have
thought that Mr.. Eisenhower
would wage a campaign that was
not as aggressive as he could
make it. 1t should be known by
now, they say, that he is out to
win any fight he gets into.
AS the President himself ex-
planned in his September q news
conference: Il just see no ex-
cuSe, if you believe in anything
enough. for not putting your
whole heart into it"
Fighting Mood Reported
Some Republicans who have
talked with Mr.. Eisenhower dur
ing the last week say he really
has his dander up now and is in
tougher fighting mood than
ever because of resentment over
some things Democratic cam
paigners have been saying about
him.
The President himself told a
news conference last Friday that,
while he would rather look
ahead" and does not "particu-
larly like just saying someone
else is wrong" he finds it is
to clear away under
brush of misunderstanding" to
show what the facts are when
other people "distort these
things"
How did the idea ever get
about that the President would
not be as personally active in
this campaign as he now OBJ
Viously is?
1t started with talk by Re-
publican National Chairman
Leonard w. Hall and the Presi-
dent himself that five or six"
major television addresses were
planned for him and that should
be enough for him to win.
Stand Explained
Now, insiders say that the talk
Of five or six" television
speeches was intended to be
taken as speaking very gen.
orally. 1t is recalled that White
House Press Secretary James C.
said often, through mid
September, that the Republicans
we're not going to give the Demo-
Gratis an advance blueprint Of