Convalescent Abroad

The morning sun was hot as President Eisenhower's Columbine touched down at Panama's Tocumen Airport. Firing borrowed U.S. Army guns, the Guardia Nacional boomed its 21-gun salute, the honor guard snapped to attention, and the band swung first into The Star-Spangled Banner and then Panama's Himno Nacional. The President of the U.S. stepped from his plane, was greeted warmly by Panama's President Ricardo Arias, dozens of military and diplomatic VIPs (including John Foster Dulles, who had arrived 13 minutes earlier). Ike, his collar size down to 15 1/2 from 16, looked pale and tired after the seven-hour flight, although he had slept well in his airborne berth.

After the customary exchanges of welcome ("A great honor for me," said Ike, "I left here in 1924 after three years of wonderful service among a wonderful people"), Ike, Dulles and U.S. Ambassador Julian Fiske Harrington got into the President's black Lincoln (brought down by ship), which has a sliding rear panel in the top, headed for Panama City and the long-heralded meeting with 18 heads of Latin American states (see HEMISPHERE).

"Viva Eisenhower!" The route--like virtually everything else in the area, from doorways to rooftops--had been canvassed, scouted, cased and haunted by guards and secret-service agents of all the American republics, including a thorough, unobtrusive U.S. Secret Service detail headed by Spanish-speaking Agent John Campion. Ike rode a good part of the 17 miles standing up in the car, waving and smiling. As the 14-car cavalcade neared the outskirts of the city, the crowds got bigger. Bunched six-deep along the streets, the Panamanians shouted "Viva Eisenhower ! Viva Eisenhower!"

Later, after a change to a beige tropical suit at his air-conditioned apartment in the U.S. ambassador's residence, Ike left with his brother Milton, Dulles, Adviser Sherman Adams, Dr. Howard Snyder and Press Secretary Jim Hagerty for the Presidencia (the presidential palace). Again, the crowds swarmed along the streets to see him and cheer in the 90DEG heat. When he arrived at the Presidencia, he paused for the inevitable photos, then went inside, took a heavy, carved-mahogany chair at a long table in the banquet hall. The main and strange order of business: formal exchange of autographs among the American Presidents, each one presenting to the others a folio of his country's postage stamps. Eisenhower was clearly tired; as the proceedings wore on, he clasped his hands tensely in front of him. Said one aide: "He's gotten more exercise today than any time since his operation. He'll feel it, too."

"I Haven't Much Strength." The afternoon of dignified salutations wore on. At the tomb of Panamanian President Jose Antonio Remon, who was assassinated 19 months ago, President Eisenhower laid a wreath, paused to chat with Remon sister, Carmen Hortensia Remon, who asked about his health. Ike's reply quickly buzzed through the press corps in three different languages. "I am feeling fairly well," he said. "I haven't much strength, but I keep going."

As he was leaving the cemetery, the afternoon thundershower broke. For some strange reason, nobody replaced the canopy on his car, so the President, Harrington and Dulles got thoroughly soaked on the last three minutes of the ride back to the residence.

Tuckered Out. In the evening, refreshed by a rest and supper, Eisenhower set out again for the Presidencia and the big reception thrown by Panama's Arias. Milling through the brilliantly lit yellow chamber were hundreds of guests, the men in uniforms or white dinner jackets, the women resplendent in luxurious gowns and sparkling jewels. With his fellow Presidents, Ike received from his host a magnificent gold-and-white enamel necklace decorated with Indian designs, two stars and a miniature medal (see cut).

Soon thereafter President Arias took a sidewise look at Ike, tactfully suggested that the President of the U.S. skip the day's final event, a gala reception at the plush Union Club. Ike gratefully agreed, shortly slipped back to his apartment for a night's sleep, plainly tuckered out and no better for the day's wear. By next afternoon Eisenhower was feeling better. It was then that he got his biggest thrill. Driving to the El Panama hotel, where he was to participate in the signing of the Declaration of Panama, he was beset by the most wildly cheering throng he had ever experienced, finally arrived at his destination--a short three miles away--in 32 minutes. Before leaving for Panama last week, the President: P: Conferred with Treasury's George Humphrey, Commerce's Sinclair Weeks, Labor's James Mitchell, Economist Arthur Burns and Federal Mediator Joseph Finnegan on the steel strike, expressed concern over the delay in settlement (though he stuck to his decision to stay out of the case); at week's end steel and union scheduled new negotiations for this week.

P: Vetoed the $2 billion military-construction bill because its wording tended to encroach upon the executive department (see below).

P: Learned that British Ambassador to the U.S. Sir Roger Makins is to be recalled to London to become Permanent Secretary to the Treasury. Sir Roger's successor: the Foreign Office's Deputy Under Secretary Sir Harold Caccia, 50.

P: Met daily with Civil Defense Administrator Val Peterson, who briefed him on the nationwide Operation Alert. When the warning blasts sounded on Friday morning, Ike met with an "expanded" National Security Council, but later stuck to his deskwork as 10,000 federal employees and officials scooted out of town to secret emergency headquarters.

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