Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-26
'Hoqerty Curtain

In regard TO your editorial
Of July 20 on my "Hagerty
Curtain" speech in the SEN
ate, I hardly expected to draw
lavish praise from the press.
The criticism Of the press in
my remarks must be a bitter
pill to swallow, and antici-
pated much rising up in wrath
by the editorialists. 1t is en-
couraging, however, that the
reporters haven't joined in the
onslaught.
You seem to attach great
significance to facts" regard
ing the coverup of the Presi-
dents health which you say
I omitted in my remarks. I am
afraid I must point out again
that my speech was not occa-
stoned by personal and init
mate knowledge of Eisenhow-
er'S condition. My contact
with Eisenhower or Hagerty,
strangely enough, is nonex-
istent. This situation was called
to my attention by reporters
and by the newspapers them
selves: those few that ac-
knowledge there has been q
coverup. I respectfully invite
your attention to the cita-
lions in my speech.
Your columnist, Doris Flee
son, went to Gettysburg and
was one Of the courageous re-
porters who asked Hagerty for
the umpteenth time for an
other press conference with
the Presidents doctors. She
got nowhere.
Your cartoon portraying me
pointing q finger at j. Public
and saying, 'You haven't been
told all the facts" is quite &C
curate. j. Public is surrounded
by the litter of shotgun medi-
cal bulletins" and he is hold
ing a sheet labeled Press
Conference With Presidents
Doctors" I am happy to note
that the word conference" is
singular because only one has
been held following the Presi-
dents second illness, and that
just a few hours after the OPP
Grafton. There have been no
further conferences with the
doctors, nor with Eisenhower,
even though he apparently was
well enough to fly to Panama.
II you will permit it in your
paper, I would like to quote
briefly from a recent editorial
in the Detroit Free Press:
White House Press Secre-
tary Jim Hagerty is an apt
man when it comes to fielding
a question. But nevertheless he
fell on his face hard when a
reporter asked him what his
main interest is these days.
Get him elected Hagerty
answered. Meaning. of course,
Ike.
That underscores heavily
the truth in much of what
Ike's real well-wishers have
been saying in recent weeks.
To the men around the Presi-
dent he has ceased to be an
individual to whom the Ma
ton owes great consideration.
10 them he's become just the
biggest. blueSt chip in the 1856
political game"
Now. when q few writer's
and newspapers get their backs
up; when press conferences on
an important matter are not
held; when EiSenhower's doc
Tor refuses to explain conflict
ing opinions by the discoverer
OF ileitis; when even Time
magazine questions whether
eisenhower got the right oper-
alton, I think it's time for
other newspapers to refrain
from labelling as "irrespon-
sible" any legitimate question:
ing Of the handling of this
situation.
My personal feeling remains
tne same. I want Candidate
eisenhower to make a vigorous
campaign. I want the oppor-
tIunity to help defeat him on
MS basic failure as President
Pat Mcnamara,
Senator From Michigan.
Editors note: The point
OF the editorial was that SEN
ator Mcnamara did not cite
single fact to support his
charge that the truth about
the Presidents health has
been suppressed. Nor has anv
such fact been cited by those
on whom the Senator relies.
II is our belief that the accusa-
ton was made without knowl-
eoge OF any facts to support
it,
Questions u. S. Policy
Who's running this country
Americans? II Americans are
running it--then why are we
shipping $50 jet airplanes to
Tito Of Communist Yugoslavia?