Journey's Beginning

With the eyes of the world's millions following him as never before, Dwight Eisenhower flies out of Andrews Air Force Base, Md. in his VIP-styled Boeing 707 this week on his historic mission to eleven nations in Western Europe, South Asia and North Africa. First stop, for refueling: Goose Bay, Labrador. Second stop: Rome. Before he completes the circuit and touches home again, he will travel for 19 days through 19,600 miles by plane, 270 by helicopter, 1,500 by ship, 1,000 by train and car on the longest overseas trip ever made by a U.S. President in office.

All last week the President was clearing the desk of his domestic problems, and getting ready for foreign problems to come. He conferred with Treasury Secretary Robert B. Anderson and Budget Director Maurice Stans on next fiscal year's $81 billion budget, presided over a meeting of the National Security Council on next fiscal year's $41 billion defense budget. He took time out to reassure NATO's visiting Secretary General Paul-Henri Spaak of the U.S.'s strong support for NATO, to reassure the Soviet Union's Atomic Energy Boss Vasily Emelyanov (see SCIENCE) of his hopes for a peaceful atomic future. He got a personal report from the State Department's Livingston Merchant, just back from Panama, on the troubles for the U.S. still simmering on the isthmus (see HEMISPHERE).

On Thanksgiving Day the President worked alone over the drafts of two major speeches he will deliver to the Indian Parliament in New Delhi and at the opening of the U.S. exhibit at New Delhi's World Agricultural Fair. Draft writer: Kevin McCann, president of Ohio's Defiance College and author of Ike's 1952 campaign biography, Man from Abilene. The theme was the theme that led the President to seek a second term: the quest for peace and for the goals that free nations share and should share. He skipped Thanksgiving services (Mamie went on alone to the National Presbyterian Church), found time late in the day for turkey with Mamie (who will not go on the big trip), Son Major John and Daughter-in-Law Barbara (who will), the four Eisenhower grandchildren and two unannounced visitors. Cinemactress Rosalind Russell and her husband. Producer Frederick Brisson. (The Eisenhowers, confided Roz Russell to newsmen afterwards, did not serve cranberries, settled for applesauce.)

His tightest-packed briefing of the week came from three veteran, well-prepared briefing officers: Son John, Press Secretary Jim Hagerty and Appointments Secretary Tom Stephens, all just back from riding the presidential jet over the whole 22,370-mile route. For two hours they went over the schedule in detail, pointing up problems, pitfalls and plans. The President suggested a few changes, approved the bulk of the plans. Highlights:

Rome (1 day, 22 hours): Airport greeting from Italy's President Giovanni Gronchi; conference with Italy's Premier Antonio Segni (who has long complained privately that the U.S. takes loyal ally Italy for granted); round of official lurches and dinners (nothing more formal than black tie on the whole trip); private Sunday audience with Pope John XXIII, after which Ike will leave the Vatican by helicopter for the airport.

Ankara (16 hours): Turkey's President Celal Bayar leads airport welcome, followed closely by a wreath laying at mausoleum of Turkey's first modern leader, Kemal Ataturk; meetings with President Bayar and Premier Adnan Menderes, who never waver before Red threats.

Karachi (1 day, 16 hours): Dine with Pakistan's Sandhurst-trained President Ayub Khan (probable discussion topic: Pakistan's hopes for combined Indo-Pak defense against Red China); visit tomb of Pakistan's austere founder, Mohammed AH Jinnah; attend a vast citizens' reception in Karachi.

Kabul (5 hours): A bold detour into the raw Hindu Kush to try to assure Afghan leaders of U.S. friendship; Afghanistan trades 50% with the U.S.S.R.

New Delhi (4 days, 14 hours): In trip's high spot, the President will deliver address to Parliament and open the U.S. exhibit at the Agricultural Fair, will also accept an honorary degree from Delhi University, take a side trip by helicopter to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Although the President will negotiate nothing on the trip, he may well get into serious talks with Nehru over Communist China's border threat.

Teheran (5 hours): Lunch with the Shah.

Athens (22 hours): See King Paul, Queen Frederika and Greek government leaders; board U.S. cruiser Des Moines for a leisurely cruise (2 days) to the North African coast; helicopter into Tunis for talks (2 hours) with Tunisia's pro-Western President Habib Bourguiba; cruise on to Toulon, France.

France (3 days, 1 hour): Meet Secretary of State Christian Herter at Toulon, journey by train together to long-heralded Western summit meeting at Paris. At the Western summit the President will serve as chief of U.S. delegation, attempt to tamp down the differences between allies that have flared up since his triumphal trip this fall.

Madrid (19 hours): Fly to the big U.S. Strategic Air Command base at Torrejon, ride through the streets of Madrid with Generalissimo Franco, who wants a broader role in Western defense planning, may get it (see FOREIGN NEWS).

Morocco (6 hours): In his last stop and one of his most important, the President will confer with King Mohammed V of Morocco and his ministers at Rabat or Casablanca, may be able to test out the new U.S. popularity that followed the U.S.'s recent announcement that it will quit Strategic Air Command and Navy bases there.

At last the President will start the homeward 9 1/2-hour flight in his gleaming jet via another refueling stop at Gander, Nfld. He plans to get back to Washington at 10:30 p.m. just three days before Christmas. "He knows he will come back tired," said a White House aide. "But then we'll all come back tired."

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