Evening star., 1961-01-26


difficult circumstances.
Powers Case
Not Discussed
@. In discussing with the
Soviet Union the release Of the
RB-47 fliers, MFR. President.
did we also take up with Mr..
Khrushchev the fate Of Gary
Powers. the U-2 pilot. and the
IL fliers that were missing
from the C-130 that was shot
down inside Armenia in 1888?
A. The matter Of the II fliers
was discussed, and the Russians
have stated that their previous
public statements on these fliers
represent their view on the mat
ter, that the newspaper maga-
zine story, which was written
by an Eastern German, did not
represent the facts. So On the
matter Of Mr.. Powers, we have
not discussed 1t at this time
because he Is in q different
category than the fliers that
were released. One was an over
flight and the other was not.
@. Mr.. President, did the
Russians ask any quid pro quo
or did We make any concessions
to them In exchange for the
release Of these fliers? II not,
how do you account for this
remarkable turnabout in their
relations with us?
A. The statement which I
have made is Q statement which
the United States Government
put forward on this matter.
which read to you earlier in
regard to over-flights. I would
not attempt to make q Judgment
as to why the Soviet Union
chose to release them at this
time.
I did say in my statement to
Mr.. Arrowsmith that this had
removed q serious obstacle In
the way of peaceful relations
between the Soviet Union and
the United States. and I would
Judge that they desired to re-
move that serious obstacle.
@. Does that mean, sir. that
they accepted q reinsurance Of
no more over-flights as Sn ex-
change?
A. It Is = fact that / have
ordered that the flights not be
resumed. which is q continua-
ton Of the order given by Pres
ident Eisenhower in May Of
this year.
@. Mr.. President, your own
election has stimulated renewed
proposals for electoral reform.
Do you have any objection to
changing the present method
Of electing Presidents, or do
you favor any Of the proposals? ?
A. Well, ] do have some
thoughts on 1t. One Il that in
the first place, having been
through the experience in 1855.
I think 1t was, Of an attempt to
substantially change the cleo
toral college, 1t II my Judgment
that no such change can secure
the necessary support In the
House, the Senate and in the
States Of the Union.
The area where I do think we
perhaps could get some i'm
provements would be in pro-
viding that the electors would
be bound by the results Of the
State elections. think that
that would be Q useful step for
ward.
The electors. after all. when
the people vote. they assume
the votes are going to be cast
In the way which reflects the
judgments Of o majority Of the
people in the States.
Therefore, I think It would
be useful to have that auto
matte. and not set I'D this in
dependent group who eould d
vote for the candidate who car
ried the State or not, depend
ing on their own personal
views. That would be the first.
Secondly, I am hopeful that
the Congress will consider the
suggestions made, I think, first
by President Theodore Roose-
welt and later by Senator Rich
ard Neuberger, Of having the
National Government partici-
pate in the financing Of ma
tional campaigns. because the
present system Is not salts
factory.
Perhaps 1t would be useful TO
go into that in more detail
later. because I do think 1t is Q
most important subject. But I
would say for the present that
this matter of the electors
would be an area where I think
1t would be useful.
@. Mr.. President. on q re-
lated subject, without being
morbid, have you given any
consideration to the problem
which President Eisenhower re-
solved with his Vice President,
that is the problem Of success
sion in the case Of injury. ILL
ness, or some Interpretation? !?
Have you thought of some
agreement with the Vice Presi-
dent. such as your predecessor
had or some other?
A. Well, I have not developed
that at this present time.
though I think that President
EiSenhower's decision was q
good one. and I think 1t would
be a good precedent. Nothing
has been done on 1t as yet,
but I think it would be q good
matter.
@. Thank you, Mr.. President.
A. Thank you.