Evening star., 1961-06-27
Eisenhower Appears to Have a Boil
In New Role as Political Loymon

f1EtCSt1EY, "a, JUNE ~
,(AP).-The nice thing about
being President is what hap
apens once you get out of office.
A big welcome home" party
was held for Dwight D. Eisen-
hover last night. And during
it the former President gave
glimpSes of an Eisenhower no
one saw, or even suspected,
during his eight years in the
White House.
Who would have thought
that Gen. Eisenhower, so long
lowered over by Secret Service
men, would give out auto
graphs so generously that ad-
mirerS would jam about him
until it looked like a junior
grade mob scene?
Or that he would leap niIm-
bly, to his feet and, along with
former Vice President Richard
M. Nixon. join a male chorus
lin singing a parody, Jack the
knife" mildly poking fun at
President Kennedy?
Or that he would have Negro
walters line up for him to shake
hands in a personal demonstra-
.tion of how Republicans can
win friends and presumably in
.fluence voters?
Enjoys the Party
Through it all. Gen. Eisen-
hover acted as if he were hav-
ing a ball.
:, This was a money raising af-
fair. Tickets cost $109.50, with
$3.50 going for food and $100
,going to the G. o. P.
: At such a price, there were
serious moments, Of course.
For example:
Gen. Eisenhower took dim
view of Mr.. Kennedy's legisla-
tive plans, saying:
Nov for the school program.
fwell, I can't describe it, and
the farm program that's been
offered Congress. it's even more
of a monstrosity."
And he sized up the new
administration in this way:
THE picture of Government,
sas I see it, is of a gigantic Santa
Claus, and we're dancing
around the Christmas tree, hop
ing for our presents. But each
package is marked in fine print,
so we don't have to read it,
You don't have to pay for this,
but your grandchildren will.'
Gen. Eisenhower also was
quoted by Senator Scott. Re-
publican of Pennsylvania, as
saying he had a lot of plans for
This life from now on and they
didn't include the Senate. There
had been some reports that the
former President might be
sought to run next year for the
Pennsylvania seat now held by
Democrat Joseph S. Clark.
But while Gen. Eisenhower
went about his chores relaxed
.and folkSy, Mr.. Nixon was buSi-
5nesslike as usual.
The former Vice President
returned to a theme he used
when he first broke his self
imposed silence on the Kennedy
administration more than a
month ago.
Mr.. Nixon's thesis: That
President Kennedy has failed
in foreign affairs because he
has been talking big and act
ing little"
I'VE never had an admins
tration," Mr.. Nixon said, that
talked more courageouSly and
eloquently and acted more tim
idly than the one we have to-
day."
This. Mr.. Nixon insisted, en-
courages Russia's Nikita Khru-
Shchev.
Khrushchev More Arrogant
To-day we find Mr.. Khru-
shchev is more arrogant, more
cocky and more beligerent,"
Mr.. Nixon said.
And he got a big hand from
the l 500 diners when he added:
'"The eight years of Dwight
Eisenhower were successful in
keeping the peace, and keeping
it without surrender of prin-
ciple."
But mostly this was like an
overgrown-and overly plush
neighborhood party.
Even the gifts had a honey
touch.
Mrs. Eisenhower was told as
she was given a picture of a
Pennsylvania covered bridge:
tits rather dilapidated, but
it's awfully picturesque"
Gen. Eisenhower was given a
bust of himself.
Mrs. Eisenhower studied the
bronze critically and then said:
1T looks like he's got a lot
of hair"