THE PRESIDENCY: Rolling Along

The big glass doors of the Executive Wing of the White House are apt to fool a stranger—they open inward, in violation of Washington's fire regulations. In the first weeks of the Eisenhower Administration, the doors rattled constantly, as new hands tried to familiarize themselves with the place. But by last week there was little fumbling at the doors, the President and his staff had shaken down, and the office was ticking competently along.

For the moment, at least, the affairs of state were in such good order that the President found time for the first real relaxation he has had since the inauguration. One day last week, he knocked off for an hour after lunch and whacked golf balls around his backyard, while ex-Sergeant John Moaney, his Negro striker, shagged them. Later in the week, Dwight Eisenhower (who has trouble sleeping if he goes very long without exercise) was able to take his first afternoon off for 18 holes of golf with Omar Bradley, Washington Banker Robert V. Fleming and Colonel Thomas Belshe, an old friend, at swank Burning Tree Club. Ike's score: "in the low 90s," a poor showing for a golfer who shoots in the low 80s when he is on his game.

Ike and Mamie continued to resist the blandishments of social Washington, stayed mostly at home (their only outing: a preview of a film on the life of Mahatma Gandhi), but during the week the President asked some more Congressmen to lunch. To their utter surprise, House Democrats were included in the guest list, and the White House announced that eventually every Democrat as well as every Republican in Congress (and Maverick Wayne Morse too) would be invited to one of the frequent luncheons.

The President also:

¶ Signed the second bill of his Administration, a reform measure giving the President powers to revamp the Government.

¶ Accepted the resignation of AECommissioner Gordon Dean, who agreed to stay on for three months to break in his successor, still to be named.

¶ Settled his own personal affairs (in line with his stern code on private holdings) by placing his personal fortune (estimated at $400,000, from sales of Crusade in Europe) into an "irrevocable trust" over which he will have no control, sold the herd of 41 Guernseys and Holsteins which he and George (Presidents Who Have Known Me) Allen held jointly at his Gettysburg farm for an undisclosed sum.

¶ Asked Congress 1) to frame a resolution repudiating all secret agreements made by Presidents Roosevelt and Truman with Communist governments, and 2) to elevate the Federal Security Administration to Cabinet status.

¶ Nominated Samuel Wilder King, 66, to be governor of Hawaii. Republican King, who has Hawaiian blood, was delegate to Congress from the island territory (1935-42), graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a naval officer in both World Wars.