Presidential Papers, Doc#32 To Harry James Carman, 8 February 1957. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower
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Document #32; February 8, 1957
To Harry James Carman
Series: EM, AWF, Name Series: Columbia Miscellaneous
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: Your letter reached me just as I was preparing to take off for the South for a week's recreation.1 I have had no chance to consult my colleagues, so I don't know what will be the attitude of the Vice President and the Cabinet Members toward your proposition.2

In many ways the idea is most appealing, but for myself the question of precedent almost compels a negative answer. I am invited to participate in so many different types of public discussions that to accept your invitation would create for me very great embarrassment.

However, as soon as I return from the South, I shall get in touch with the Vice President, discuss the matter with him, and see whether he could get together a group that would meet your requirements. As you know, our Vice President has been better acquainted than any of his predecessors with all the activities of government. You would find his participation in a panel discussion very satisfactory indeed.3

Of course I deeply regret that I cannot comply with a request of such an old and good friend as yourself, to do something that would give me great personal satisfaction, but I hope you will understand the reasons that I have merely hinted at above.

With warmest personal regard, Sincerely

1 Carman, dean emeritus of Columbia College, was a professor of history at Columbia University (for background see Eisenhower Papers, vols. X - XVII). He had written on February 4 to invite Eisenhower and the Cabinet members to serve on a panel discussion at the annual dinner of the Citizens Union of the City of New York. The Union, a non-partisan organization formed in 1917, was composed of business and civic leaders and represented New Yorkers in local, state, and federal matters.

Later this day the President would travel to Thomasville, Georgia (see no. 7).

2 Carman had suggested that if Eisenhower could not attend "perhaps Vice President Nixon could honor us . . ." (see also Carman to Eisenhower, Mar. 4, 1957). On February 13 Carman would thank the President for offering to "intercede with the Vice President on our behalf."

3 As it turned out, Nixon could not "arrange his schedule in order to participate" (Eisenhower to Carman, Mar. 4, 1957). Carman's March 25 thank-you letter to the President and all correspondence are in AWF/N: Columbia Miscellaneous.

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Harry James Carman, 8 February 1957. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 32. 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/32.cfm

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