THE PRESIDENCY: Dienbienphu to Texas City

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From time to time, a reporter slipped in a question of local interest. A Texas reporter wanted to know if the President planned to reverse the Budget Bureau and keep the Texas City tin smelter open. Without batting an eye at the assumption that he would be fully informed on such specific details, the President said the possibility is being studied, but he has made no decision.

Before the conference ended, Dwight Eisenhower had given 28 answers that would be analyzed and dissected around the world. As he marched out of the room, he shook his head, whistled and said under his breath: "Whew! Well, another one."

Last week the President also:

¶ Accepted, with regret, the resignation of Budget Director Joseph Dodge, who plans to return to the board-chairmanship of the Detroit Bank.

¶ Reasserted his belief in a more important role for local government as he signed a bill giving the states clear right to regulate intrastate sale and distribution of natural gas.

¶ Was host to 30 guests at two stag dinners at which the main course was chukar, a species of south Asian partridge. Among the guests was Columbia University's Football Coach Lou Little, who first met Dwight Eisenhower in 1924 when Ike was coach of the Fort Meade, Md. football team. Little's expert sizing-up of the President: "Excellent physical condition, looked well and acted like an athlete."