The place was the unadorned, ink-stained President's office in Gettysburg College's Glatfelter Hall. Seated in black leather chairs in a semicircle were seven top Republican congressional leaders headed by Big Bill Knowland, the Senate Minority Leader, and stormy-browed Joe Martin, the G.O.P. leader of the House. Facing them from behind a wooden, felt-topped desk was Dwight Eisenhower, ruddy, bright-eyed, and looking better than he has for weeks. Ostensible purpose of the meeting: resumption of Ike's weekly conferences with the G.O.P.'s congressional leadership.
Bill Knowland was booming his way down a list of 14 legislative items that were considered "priority." When the talk turned to the imperiled foreign-aid program, Knowland paused to let the President review the difficulties as he saw them. Then, without warning, Ike said quietly: "I feel very deeply about this, and I intend to campaign very vigorously and hard on this issue before the country this fall."
"Why Shouldn't I Run?" Fourteen respectful eyes widened abruptly. Then Knowland's face lighted up. Said he, harking back to Press Secretary Jim Hagerty's grinning hint (TIME, July 16) that Ike was once again in a political frame of mind: "That's much better, than trying to interpret Jim Hagerty's smile." Ike laughed, then bared the heart of the matter in three brief sentences. "Why shouldn't I run?" he asked. "Last February 29 I surveyed all the reasons pro and con when I announced my decision. I'm in much better condition today than I was then." With that, the talk returned to foreign-aid problems (see below).
The meeting over, the President drove back to the farm. Hagerty flashed the news to G.O.P. Committee Chairman Len Hall, then huddled with Knowland and the others. Asked Knowland: "Shall I tell the press right away he is going to run again, then take up the legislative matters later?" "No," said Hagerty. "Why not just tell what was decided on the legislative program, and let the reporters bring up the political question?"
"Hat in the Ring?" In came the correspondents. "Today," began Big Bill pompously, "we had our regular conference . . ." He droned amiably on, touching hard, while he was at it, on the mutual-aid problems. At length came the inevitable question: "Was there any discussion of the President running again?"
Knowland gulped a mouthful of air, exploded: "There was!" he boomed. "The President was in excellent spirits and good humor. The President discussed the situation with the legislative leaders, and stated he felt .that he was in better shape than he was when he made his announcement last Feb. 29. He and we are looking forward to an active, vigorous campaign under his leadership." This time the reporters gulped. "Are you telling us," asked one, "that the President told you he would keep his hat in the ring?" Said Knowland, savoring every second: "I am telling you precisely that." Moments later the classroom bell clanged through Glatfelter Hall, and the reporters took the cue to dash for their telephones.