National Affairs: Overriding Smell of Pork

Dwight Eisenhower's 146th veto message whirred through the White House Mimeograph machine one morning last week before Congress had even sent him the bill to be rejected: the $1.2 billion rivers and harbors appropriation, almost exactly the same old vote-catching "pork barrel" smashed by the 144th veto two weeks earlier. This time, Ike knew, Democrats were dead certain that they could muster the necessary two-thirds to override—and end—the remarkable string of unbeaten Eisenhower vetoes.*

Perfect record or no, the President did not consider signing the bill, which still contained down payments to start 67...