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Nixon's simple way to express friendship: shaking hands with close to 100,000 amazed Asians. Aloft between countries, while Pat wrote thank-you notes to the last stop, the Vice President prepared for the next stop with intensive briefings by embassy officials. Since Nixon's return, and partly as a result of his findings, certain viewpoints are gaining headway in Washington. Among them:
China. The U.S. must not even talk about recognizing Red China. One reason: such talk would discourage 13 million overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia from their present strong anti-Communist drift.
Japan. The Communist menace, especially in the labor unions, has been underestimated. Needed: more encouragement of non-Communist laborites.
Indo-China. Strategically and economically, Indo-China is three times as important as Korea. Needed: stepped-up U.S. assistance (equipment, not men) for the French effort to win the war.
India. The U.S. should not appease Nehru. Reason: he is contemptuous of such weakness.
Iran. The British are not seizing their opportunity to be reasonable in the oil dispute; their stubbornness may provoke another crisis.
Back in Washington, Nixon found that his prestige had grown with the success of his trip. He took up his role of adviser on domestic policy, argued the Cabinet into proposing changes in the Taft-Hartley Act, reversing a decision to duck such political dynamite in an election year. Sold on Nixon's view, the Cabinet asked Ike to plump for the amendments in a major speech. This time the Vice President sounded a note of caution: save the President for the real fight: don't waste his prestige where it isn't needed. The Cabinet agreed. Then it assigned the Vice President the job of nursing the improvements through Congress.
On Capitol Hill, Nixon is a presidential agent, not a congressional leader. His fellow Californian, William Knowland, the Senate Majority leader, has immediate access to the President when he wants it, so Nixon would never dream of telling Knowland, "This is what the President wants." Knowland must decide what bills the Senate will take up; Nixon can only advise the President on what to ask for. Knowland must worry about every Administration program; Nixon leaves many of them to White House liaison men. Another difference: Knowland may, on occasion, disagree publicly with the President; Nixon submerges his views if they conflict with Ike's.
The Common Touch. Vice President Nixon and his wife Pat (she hasn't used the Thelma since grade school) live in a $41,000 home in Washington's Spring Valley. Their two exuberant daughters, "Tricia," 7, and Julie, 5, wake Nixon every morning at 7:15. From then until after breakfast is his only time to play with them. At 8 he leaves for the Capitol and a full day of meetings, handshaking, appointments and phone calls.