Hail to the Chief!

Firecrackers popped and bands blared at Rio's international airport last week. It was 107DEG in the shade. A yelling, flag-waving mob broke through the police cordon and surged forward to greet President-elect Juscelino Kubitschek, returning from a slashing three-week tour of the U.S. and nine European nations with bolstered prestige and a handsome collection of medals.*

Carried on men's shoulders from Constellation to open Cadillac. Kubitschek rode triumphantly down Rio's streets, trailed by trucks and buses jammed with cheering fans. Beside him sat blue-eyed Julia Kubitschek, 83. weeping happily at the homage paid to her only son. In Rio's parklike Prac.a Floriano, decorated with strings of blue lights, the President-elect listened patiently to ten welcoming speeches. Cheers and firecrackers punctuated his own 25-minute speech. "Promises made will be kept," he vowed. Meanwhile, preparations went ahead for this week's inauguration ceremonies. On the program is a banquet for 2,500 guests, including a 16-member U.S. delegation headed by Vice President Richard Nixon.

* The Order of the British Empire, Luxembourg's Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, Belgium's Order of Leopold, France's Legion of Honor, Italy's Order of Merit, the Vatican's Order of Pius IX, Spain's Order of Isabella the Catholic, Portugal's Order of the Tower and Sword.

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