Evening star., 1960-03-16

EISENHOWER
Continued From First Pag
his news conference severa
weeks ago, after New Yorl
Governor Nelson Rockefelle
withdrew from the race for tn,
Republican presidential nom
ination, that there seemed Il
be no competition to Mr.. Nixor
as the nominee.
| Obviously taking Mr.. Nixon,
nomination as a foregone con,
clusion, the President appar.
emily feels there is no Longer
any reason for him to try tC
maintain any appearance oi
neutrality.
Phones Vice President
Less than two hours after the
news conference. Herbert Klein
Mr.. Nixon's press secretary
told the Associated Press that
Mr.. Eisenhower had telephoneo
Mr.. Nixon in New York after
wards and told him of the in
dorsement.
Mr.. Nixon told reporters that
he planned no comment, but
left open the possibility that he
might have something to say
on the matter later in the day
Mr.. Klein said the President
talked with the Vice President
a few minutes after the latter
had arrived at the Waldorf
Astoria hotel. The Endorsement
was among topics they dis
cusssed, he said.
Mr.. Nixon few to New York
this morning to fulfill several
engagements.
Addressed Gridiron Dinner
The Endorsement was an out
growth Of the Presidents off,
the-record remarks at the
Gridiron Club dinner Saturday
night.
BY Gridiron tradition. no re-
porters are present" at its din
ners. But reporters who did
not attend heard of and wrote
about the Presidents remarks
which clearly indicated his
preference for Mr.. Nixon.
Mr.. Eisenhower was asked
today to reconstruct his re-
marks for the benefit of those
who were not at the dinner.
The President sat two seats
away from the Vice President
at the Gridiron head table
After watching skits depicting
a scramble for the Democratic
presidential nomination. Mr.
Eisenhower said it would be
far less bother just to move
a man to this seat by moving
two chairs"-that is by having
everyone move over two places
at the table.
The President said today he
did not mind clarifying what
he thought, but he hardly
could reconstruct his remarks
because he was talking about
the geographic locations" o1
people seated at the dinner.
Firm in Preference
He then went on to say he
very definitely does have a per-
sonal preference in the presi-
Dental race.
Asked about what part he
would play in the election cam
paign, Mr.. Eisenhower said he
would want to give such sup
port to the Republican nom
inee as he could. But he point
ed out that there are certain
limits" on what he should dc
because no candidate wants il
to appear that someone else
is responsible for putting him
into prominence.
He conceded that there OBJ
viously have been some differ
ences over details between him
and Mr.. Nixon. but emphasized
that never in the last seven
years has there been any "im-
portant difference.
Therefore, Mr.. Eisenhower
said, he would not feel any
particular need to go over with
Mr.. Nixon every line of any
campaign speeches he might
make.
Insure on Farm Program
One reporter asked the Pres
ident about reports that Mr..
Nixon was preparing to advo-
cate in the election campaign
a farm program different from
Eisenhower administration pro-
posals.
Mr.. Eisenhower recalled that
Mr.. Nixon was a party" to the
farm program he recently SUBJ
mitted to Congress. He added
that he suspects any different
campaign approach by Mr.
Nixon would be ito bring into
sharper focus some local prob
lem"
The President laughingly
washed his hands of any Demo
cratic Party squabbles. When q
reporter said Senator Humph-
rey and several Southern Demo
Gratis want to kick Paul Butler
out as chairman of the Demo
cratic National Committee, anC
asked if the President "woulc
like to make it unanimous" Mr.
Eisenhower replied: IF the
Democrats have any trouble.
I'm not going to try to helr
them out"
Won't Discuss Kennedy
The President also was asked
today if he agreed that Senator
Kennedy appears to be out II
front in the Democratic nomi
nation race. Il am not going t,
make any predictions for thu
. othar eido - ha rayNIiaJ