<--PREV Doc #11  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #13 Document #12; January 29, 1957 To Henry Robinson Luce Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVIII - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace Part I: A New Beginning, Old Problems; January 1957 to May 1957 Chapter 1: The Mideast and the Eisenhower Doctrine   Dear Harry:1 Your note reminds me that toward the end of last week I had an opportunity to talk to Sid Richardson.2 I had to interrupt his moaning about the situation of the independent in the oil business today in order that I might present my idea to him.3 I told him that you were in charge of raising money for the National Presbyterian Church and that you would be approaching him--and that I wanted him to know of my interest.4 Incidentally, I pointed out to him that if he was actually stopping drilling, as he told me he was, then his taxable income would go up rapidly because of his inability to charge off drilling expenses. This should make it possible for him to give quite large sums, out of income, with almost no cost to himself. This seemed to startle him, but he then replied about as follows: "My full gift possibilities are mortgaged for the next three years, but I would be glad to talk to Mr. Luce on the basis of what I could do at that time." In spite of this, I think it is possible you could present the case in such a way that he might be able to rearrange his plans and begin to help immediately. I am sure he will be glad to talk to you.5 You know how enthusiastically I support your effort. My warm greetings to Clare and, of course, all the best to yourself,6 As ever 1 Luce, founder, owner, and publisher of Time and Life magazines, had written to Eisenhower on January 26 (AWF/A; for background on Luce see Eisenhower Papers, vols. VI - XVII). 2 Eisenhower had seen his old friend, Texas oil tycoon Sidney Williams Richardson, on January 25 (Telephone conversation, Eisenhower and Allen, Jan. 24, 1957, AWF/D; and President's daily appointments). For background on Richardson see Eisenhower Papers, vols. X - XVII. 3 The blocking of the Suez Canal in November had forced the United States to supply oil to Europe. In addition to tanker shortages, the crisis pointed up the inadequacy of the nation's pipelines for moving crude oil from interior fields to the coast. While the nation had built up a large reserve, it was useless without the necessary pipelines (see Dwight D. Eisenhower, The White House Years: Waging Peace, 1956 - 1961 [Garden City, N.Y., 1965], pp. 80, 95 - 98; Richard H. K. Vietor, Energy Policy in America Since 1945: A Study of Business-Government Relations [Cambridge, 1984], pp. 105 - 8; New York Times, Jan. 1, 4, 6, 1957; for background on the Suez crisis see Galambos and van Ee, The Middle Way, nos. 2027 and 2057). 4 Luce had written that he was "engaged in drafting a 'prospectus' for the National Presbyterian Church." The Church was seeking money to provide facilities for congregational activities and to develop a national center on the Church's present site at Connecticut Avenue and N Street, NW, in Washington, D.C. (see Galambos and van Ee, The Middle Way, no. 308). The Eisenhowers had joined the National Presbyterian Church in 1953. 5 On February 20 Luce would write "Your 'follow-through' on the matter of the National Presbyterian Church puts me to shame." He said he was not in a position, however, to "tackle Sid" at this time. For developments see no. 133. 6 Luce's wife was Clare Boothe Luce, former U.S. Ambassador to Italy (for background see Eisenhower Papers, vols. I - XVII). Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Henry Robinson Luce, 29 January 1957. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 12. 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/second-term/documents/12.cfm <--PREV Doc #11  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #13

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