<--PREV Doc #409  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #411 Document #410; September 11, 1953 To Milton Stover Eisenhower Series: EM, AWF, Name Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIV - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part III: The Space Age Begins; October 1957 to January 1958 Chapter 6: Building strength when there is "no perfect answer"   Dear Milton: First of all, my hearty congratulations on your anniversary coming up on the fifteenth. It is difficult for me to believe that you will be fifty-four years old. A "baby brother" has no right to push along to the point where he makes all his older brothers feel like they belong to the Mexican War era. I do hope that you and your family have a most enjoyable day. We wrote you in response to your suggestion regarding Mr. Forbes, and this morning I received also your note on developments in Argentina. In the past I have had individuals tell me that the reporting of the New York Times from the Argentine area was inexplicably bad. I think that fundamentally Arthur Sulzberger is a man who pays great attention to standards, but it is possible, of course, that he is so dedicated to the organization that he fails to see defects in any of its members.1 He is, however, a very human and efficient individual, and I suspect that even though he may defend his representative vehemently, he will begin to watch very carefully once his attention is attracted to the kind of possibility you raise. It is difficult indeed to avoid asking about Helen's health.2 I well realize that there is nothing much that can be done except wait--and pray--but I hope at least that she has so well rallied from the operation that she is going about her usual pursuits and really enjoying her day-to-day life. It seems to me that it has been too long since I saw you. When I heard that you intended to come soon to Washington, I rather hoped that I would get to see you yesterday morning when I was there to attend Judge Vinson's funeral.3 However, I am delighted that you did not come down because I really had a morning, starting at seven and ending only as I practically scraped the skin off my face trying to get in a shave before going to the funeral at two o'clock. I now have two big appointments to make--one to the Supreme Court, one as Secretary of Labor. I have been thinking over your friend Hannah for the second job (I haven't the slightest idea whether or not he would accept it, if offered), but it is my impression that he is known as a liberal, is a man of high standing in educational circles, and has already established a good reputation in Washington.4 As far as the Supreme Court vacancy is concerned, my problem is to get a man (a) of known and recognized integrity, (b) of wide experience in government, (c) of competence in the law, (d) of national stature in reputation so as to be useful in my effort to restore the Court to the high position of prestige that it once enjoyed. This prestige, I think, was lost in the appointment of such men as Murphy, Rutledge, and a few others.5 If you have any suggestions at all, please write to me confidentially as soon as you can. Maybe you had better direct the note to Ann Whitman, and then no one in Washington or elsewhere will open it.6 John arrived last evening from San Francisco, where he and Barbie had been for a couple of days. His orders will take him to Benning, where he will arrive about October fifteenth. If Buddie is still there, they should be able to get together occasionally.7 Love to the family, As ever 1 Milton had written on August 31 regarding John Joseph Forbes (B.S. Pennsylvania State College 1911), soon scheduled to retire as Director of the Bureau of the Mines. Milton had suggested that the President, as "good politics and in the interest of efficient management," retain Forbes until his retirement. The President subsequently had written Secretary of the Interior McKay asking that he consider leaving Forbes in his post, because it was "in the interests of the public and deserved by the individual" (Eisenhower to McKay, Sept. 4, 1953). McKay had responded that he had received the same suggestion from others in his department and that Forbes's retention would help to create "harmonious relations" within the department (McKay to Eisenhower, Sept. 9, 1953). In a memorandum to his brother on this same date, Eisenhower, referring to Secretary McKay's letter, said that the retention of Forbes was under serious consideration. "Good things keep happening in Argentina," Milton had written. He added in a postcript, "I am developing a private quarrel with Arthur Sulzberger, because practically every dispatch in the N.Y. Times from Argentina is 100% wrong" (Milton Eisenhower to Eisenhower, Sept. 9, 1953; all correspondence in the same file as this document). For background on U.S.-Argentine relations see no. 259; on Sulzberger see no. 34. 2 For background on Helen Eisenhower's illness see no. 159. 3 The President had flown from Denver to Washington on September 9 to attend the memorial service for Chief Justice Frederick M. Vinson, who had died of a heart attack the day before. 4 Secretary of Labor Martin P. Durkin had resigned his position on September 9 (see no. 457). John Alfred Hannah (B.S. Michigan State College 1923), who was active in national and international agricultural affairs and was a former president of Michigan State, was currently Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower. Milton would write once on September 15, recommending Hannah as a "powerful, intelligent, [and] forthright fellow," and again three days later, adding to his list of qualified candidates Dean Manion, "a man of ability and force" whom labor would accept even though he was "very conservative"; Harold Stassen, who has had "better labor support than most other Republican leaders"; Arthur Flemming, whose abilities "I needn't outline"; and Senator James H. Duff (Rep., Penn.), who had "never been opposed by labor . . . and might do an outstanding job." For developments see no. 457. 5 Frank Murphy (LL.B. University of Michigan 1914) had served on the Supreme Court from 1940 until his death in 1949. Wiley Blount Rutledge (LL.B. University of Colorado 1922) had served from 1943 until his death, also in 1949. 6 In his September 15 response Milton would write that "the public will support you in an effort to restore dignity to [the Court] and thus build new public confidence in it." He would later recommend elevating an associate justice to the top position and appointing California Governor Earl Warren as an associate. He also suggested that the President consider for either position Chief Justice Arthur Vanderbilt of the New Jersey Supreme Court, "who seems to have good qualifications, including a long service at law, the presidency of the American Bar Association, and statesmanlike service on the New Jersey Bench" (Milton Eisenhower to Eisenhower, Sept. 15, 18, AWF/N). For further developments see nos. 373 and 457. 7 Milton Stover Eisenhower, Jr. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Milton Stover Eisenhower, 11 September 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 410. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/410.cfm <--PREV Doc #409  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #411

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