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


lean citizen has a right to sup
port any one he desires for public
Office. He assured Mr.. Stassen.
he said. that he had this right.
But he also told Mr.. Stassen
that he would have to make his
campaign for Herter as a private
individual and not as a member
of the Presidents official family.
That. the President said. was his
first conversation on the subject
with Stassen. Later, he said.
Stassen found he had raised a
Storm" and he. Stassen. came
to him and requested a leave of
absence.
The President said he thought
this.was a wise act and he agreed
to the leave of absence.
Statement by Stassen
In a statement issued after Mr..
Eisenhower's news conference,
Mr.. StaSsen said:
Il am pleased with the PreSi-
dents press conference state
ment on the vice presidential
matter. I feel he has made ex-
actly the right statement with
regard to this at the present time.
1.-THE convention is now def
nltely open. The problem of the
vice presidential nomination can
now be considered deliberately
and thoughtfully for the next
three weeks.
"The American people can now
make their views known to the
delegates.
II continue to believe that an
Observation-Disclosures ticket would
be the strongest form in which
President EisenhowerS contin-
ued leadership for peace could be
presented to the Nation in No
vember. 1t is also the best way
to win a Republican majority in
the new Congress that will work
with President Eisenhower.
do you feel you have commit
ted yourself to Vice President
Nixon?" the President was asked.
Awaits Convention Decision
The President said he had left
no doubt in anyone'S mind of his
satisfaction with Vice President
Nixon. At an earlier press con-
ference he said that he would be
delighted" to have Nixon on any
ticket with him.
But. said the President, he
has not yet been nominated him.
self-which drew laughter
and the convention has still to
speak.
81 uphold the right of the con-
vention to nominate" the Presi-
dent continued. He said that
the convention will be an open
convention-and in this Mr..
Nixon had agreed. Indeed, the
President said. the convention
and it's nominations are not to be
considered a cut-and-dried at
fair.
He was asked If he had made
a list of acceptable vice preSi-
dental candidates as he did in
1952-before Mr.. Nixon was.
nominated and after he himself
had been nominated for Presi-
dent.
No." the President replied.
He said he would not make such
a list public even if he made one.
A reporter asked the President
If he would be pleased with any
other candidate as vice presi-
Dental nominee, as he is pleased
with the Nixon candidacy.
I'm not going into COMPARE
sons" the President said firmly.
Won't Discuss Herter
He turned away similar ques-
tionabout Gov. Herter, in partic-
ular. The President said he
could not be expected to answer
questions about everyone who
might be suggested as a candi-
date for the vice presidential
nomination.
do you think that Vice Presi-
dent Nixon will detract from the
strength of the Republican
ticket?" the President was
asked.
Il don't know" the President
replied. He didn't In 1852" He
added that Mr.. Nixon had made
a splendid record as Vice Presi-
dent and he assumed the Amer
lean people knew he had.
The President also said in an
swer to question that he did
not oppose the taking of any poll
to test the strength of Mr.. Nixon
as compared to other potential
candidates.
People will take them any,
way, the President added. And
he continued: II don't think 1t
makes any sense"
The President explained that
he had talked about Mr.. Nixon
and the vice presidency because
the matter first came up when
he himself announced he would
run for recollection and Mr.