Atomics to Billboards

Once brother Edgar was laughed out of the way, the President's fast-moving press conference ranged through 32 questions--from Britain to the Middle East, from atomics to billboards. What was the news from the disarmament talks in London? "Of course, I'm not there," said Ike, but Presidential Disarmament Adviser Harold Stassen, attending London meetings, had indicated that "we are now engaged in the most serious talks on disarmament . . . since World War II." This brought on a query on armament: Since the U.S. has agreed to arm Britain with guided missiles without atomic warheads, does the U.S. plan similarly to place guided-missile sites "all around the Soviet Union?" Said Ike: "Well, I wouldn't comment on the general policy. I will merely say this: we have no such plans."

What about the statement of General Curtis LeMay, boss of the Strategic Air Command, that SAC is ready to put out brush-fire wars with nuclear weapons? Replied the President: SAC can be used wherever the Defense Department sends it. But "when you get a picture of the great Strategic Air Command charging all over the world for little police troubles, of course, that would be entirely wrong."

Nagging Worries. One newsman quoted a State Department official as saying that "the U.S. would come to the aid of Jordan if it were attacked." Did this mean that the Eisenhower Doctrine would apply, assuming that Jordan's King Hussein requested help? The President cited two vital instruments that are applicable: 1) "The May 25th statement, which was an effort to promote peace in the area as between Israel and the surrounding Arab countries, in which the U.S. joined with Britain and France in saying we would come to the aid of the victims if either were attacked," and 2) "the Mideast resolution [i.e., Eisenhower Doctrine], which authorizes the U.S. to go to the aid of any nation which is attacked by Communist aggression, and where it requests our aid."*

Many a U.S. policy planner was still nagged by worries that Great Britain's revolutionary defense cutback (TIME, April 15) would lead to a general weakening of NATO, and a newsman put the question to Ike. "Everybody agrees," he replied, "that Britain must have a sound economic base on which to build its forces, or in the long run it is not an effective partner . . . Now, while we are disappointed to see in this coming year 13,500 [British] men taken out of Europe, still it does not, in our opinion, obviate the necessity for a shield ... in Western Europe. And certainly," said Ike, taking oblique note of German talk of cutting NATO commitments (see FOREIGN NEWS), "the compromise plan that was adopted and the phasing out of these people was in order to give the Germans an opportunity to fill that gap."

Fixed Responsibility. Twice reporters popped out straight into Ike's mitt on domestic questions. Scripps-Howard Newsman Andrew Tully tried to find out if Ike would support Indiana's recalcitrant Republican Senator Bill Jenner in his 1958 re-election campaign. Snapped Ike: "Well, aren't you asking a question way ahead of time? The primaries are not over yet."* Another time, he showed how he viewed the supposed temerity of eleven members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy, when they sent him a personal letter recommending the reappointment of Commissioner Thomas Murray to a new term. "It is my responsibility," he said crisply, "to appoint people in the Executive Department." Asked for his opinion on the growing rumbling created by the outdoor-advertising lobbyists who are fighting for the right to erect billboards along the future federal highway system. Ike sighed: "Like everybody else, I would rather see something more beautiful than a signboard. But I don't believe the Federal Government can just pass [antibillboard] laws willy-nilly . . . and have them obeyed in every state, merely because we are buying ... a 300-foot right of way . . . While I am against these billboards that mar our scenery, I don't know what I can do about it."

* Next day the State Department pointed out that the Eisenhower Doctrine does not apply in the present case of Jordan, since the resolution specifically mentions attacks by countries "controlled by international Communism," and the U.S. does not regard any Middle Eastern nation as yet in that category.

* Another Republican Neanderthal, Nevada's Senator George ("Molly") Malone, paid a call on Ike last week, later allowed as how he would welcome the President's support in his 1958 campaign. After all, said Molly, he would support Ike "if he were running again tomorrow." Nevertheless, the customary news photo of the President warmly greeting his visitor never quite developed.

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