In the Mawnin'

From Wheeling the Eisenhower special went southeastward across the Alleghenies to stop at Martinsburg, W.Va. Ike picked up a motorcade for a short circuit across western Maryland, reboarded his train at Frederick, rolled through the suburbs of Washington, then northward to Baltimore.

Over & over again the story was repeated at the whistle stops: a popular turnout that defied comparison--even for memories that stretched all the way back to William Jennings Bryan. Democratic Baltimore, which had just barely mustered a welcome for Adlai Stevenson earlier in the week, turned out 100,000 strong to line the streets for Eisenhower. After dinner at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, Ike drove through more crowds to the packed Fifth Regiment Armory to deliver a speech on armed forces policy. Considering how much Eisenhower knows about this subject, the speech was disappointing to his friends--although the Baltimore audience cheered it uncritically.

Next day the train swung south for Ike's second excursion into solid Democratic country. This time the candidate shied away from civil-rights issues, attacked the Administration but not the Democratic Party. The crowds were enthusiastic. In Salisbury, N.C., the train drew up for servicing at 6:45 a.m. Most of Ike's staff was sleeping, but Ike heard a clamor outside his car, ducked out in his bathrobe to greet some 50 railroad workers, women and youngsters. They called for Mamie, and in a moment she popped out in pink pajamas and dressing gown with a ribbon around her hair. Shouted a male voice: "Boy, Mamie sho' does look good, even in the mawnin'. "

At Charlotte, N.C., the Memorial Stadium was jammed to overflowing for an 8:30 a.m. speech, billed as "Breakfast with Eisenhower." At noon in Winston-Salem, Ike spoke from a platform in front of the station to a crowd that backed up into the adjacent streets, beyond reach of his voice. In neighboring Virginia, he openly wooed the support of Senator Harry Byrd, political boss of Virginia and open enemy of the Truman Administration. "I remember reading a crack that we have too many Byrds in Congress," said Ike, harking back to a 1949 Truman remark. "Well, I disagree; I would like some more like this."

In Richmond, Ike had his first brush with accident. He had just finished talking from a temporary platform in front of the old Capitol when the platform collapsed. Ike fell five feet, went to his knees. Then he stood up unhurt, grinned and brushed himself off.

After Richmond, the campaign train headed back to New York. There Ike stopped just long enough to catch his breath, then take off again on another tour which would range from Michigan to the West Coast.

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