THE PRESIDENCY: Fencing Lesson

As Dwight Eisenhower marked his 63rd birthday this week, he was still suffering from a stiff elbow and a mild touch of flu, but generally he was in good health. At his press conference the President showed a new capability for fencing with the press. In conferences past, Eisenhower has almost always given straightforward answers to every question—even those questions he was unready to answer. Last week, the President adopted new tactics. Samples:

¶ On balancing the budget: with any Administration that believes, as his does, that the soundness of the money must be assured, balancing the budget will always...