The President

Although the recent ailment of the President should prove disastrous to neither the nation nor the President, it has severely complicated an already difficult and dangerous situation. At the present time, and for the past few years, there has been an exasperatingly obvious need for Presidential leadership of the strongest and most active type. This nation's foreign relations, military preparedness, economic development, educational levels, and scientific activities need the firm leadership which can be provided only from the highest governmental levels. The President's latest attack will probably make it still more difficult for him to devote even as much time and energy to his position in the future as he has in the past.

It would be dangerously naive to believe that even if the President is capable of a "complete" recovery within a "reasonable" period of time, as his doctors have suggested, that he would even seriously consider increasing his work load or even continuing the limited pressures of his past work schedule.

From whom the necessary leadership is to come, if it is to come at all, is a difficult and critical question. The President may decide that he cannot fulfill the demands of the Presidency, and then resign in favor of Vice President Nixon. Even if Mr. Eisenhower remains in office, the Vice President will have to assume a more active role if the executive branch of the government is to provide the necessary leadership. In either case, the need for a stronger and more positive program by the Democratic majority in Congress would seem apparent.

Unfortunately, neither Mr. Eisenhower, Mr. Nixon, nor the Democratic Congress seems likely to emerge as the answer to the present crisis.