National Affairs: Welcome Mat

The visitors to the U.S., on hand and in transit at Eastertide, were a varied company. In age they ranged from Ireland's white-thatched, sprightly President Sean Thomas O'Kelly, 76, to Jordan's young (23), furnace-tested King Hussein. In geography and position they ranged from vest-pocket-sized Denmark's Premier and Foreign Minister, H. C. (for Hans Christian) Hansen, to vast Brazil's powerful, unbending War Minister and possible presidential candidate, Henrique Teixeira Lott. But for all their differences, they had one thing in common: all were friends of the U.S., and they meant their visits to tighten the ties.

Jordan's Hussein can and does thank the U.S. for the continued existence of his tiny, beleaguered Middle East kingdom, now shored up by the U.S. at a rate of $50 million yearly. Hussein has sat six precarious years on his throne, twice since Suez alone has been almost toppled by attack without and within. Finally, in a bold and deliberate show of control, he left Amman in early March, traveled leisurely past Formosa and Hawaii, hit the U.S. mainland at San Francisco. In Washington, Hussein was greeted by Vice President Nixon, feted by President Eisenhower. Said Ike to the sinewy little (5 ft. 7 in.) monarch at a White House luncheon: "Since the American people honor and admire courage, they have for you a real feeling of friendliness and admiration." Replied Hussein: "We believe in the same things and we have the same path."

Ireland's O'Kelly, having weathered a New York ticker-tape parade and the Washington ceremonial circuit, including St. Patrick's Day at the White House, was bounding about Chicago like a leathery leprechaun. Proving himself of noble stuff, he managed to down such items as green rice, green clam chowder and green cookies without turning green himself. Steadfastly refusing to discuss political issues, he was nonetheless proud of his calling: "I have been a politician all my life. There is no nobler profession—except perhaps that of the church." Bussing and blarneying almost every woman in sight ("My, you're a beautiful thing"), Sean O'Kelly was a hit wherever he went.

Denmark's Hansen, 51, actually came to the U.S. to attend a friend's wedding in Manhattan, traveled on to Washington for a 30-min. White House call and a cornerstone ceremony at the new Danish embassy in Dumbarton Oaks. Hansen made a point of sending a get-well message to John Foster Dulles. Unmentioned, but appreciated by the Secretary of State: Hansen recently was found to have throat cancer, apparently conquered it with an operation last October.

Brazil's Lott, 64, scheduled to arrive this week (see HEMISPHERE), could boast closer U.S. ties than the other guests. Lott's daughter is married to an American. One of Dutch-English-descended Teixeira Lott's 17 grandchildren is, as a result, Brazilian-American-descended William Nelson Monies, 8, of Springfield, Va.