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Show (Seliind the JJeadfined Vice President Richard Nixon, who might normally perform the chore during the President's absence. Nixon has already aroused the ire of the supporters of his expected ex-pected rival for the Republican presidential nomination, New York's Governor Rockefeller by his active role since the President Presi-dent went abroad. Left behind to "mind the store" and to be on hand in emergencies emergen-cies in the President's absence, the busy Vice President has been presiding over routine Cabinet meetings and the National Security Se-curity Council. He is known to be making important patronage decisions, playing a key role in shaping the Administration's 1960-61 Budget and legislative program to be presented to Congress, Con-gress, and is active in helping to Community Christmas trees, in addition to those on private lawns and in living rooms, are lighting up the nation and proclaiming pro-claiming the, Christmas spirit. As the decorated firs break forth in all their twinkling, dazzling daz-zling splendor to the tune of Christmas carols, everyone is reminded of the real spiritual essence that is America. Something Some-thing of the nation's strength can always be seen and felt as groups often gather about the base of their holiday firs and, forgetting race, religion, nationality, politics poli-tics and all their other differences differ-ences send up their voices in common song. The lighting of the community Christmas tree has always been an especially important event, particularly in the small towns and villages that are ,the very heart of the country. lay the groundwork for the GOP Chicago Convention next year. Some of Nixon's own enthusiasts enthusi-asts admit that the Vice President's Presi-dent's long stay in authority in Washington while the President is abroad so long is inevitably enhancing his political power and prestige. Hundreds of key Republicans across the country already look to him as the likeliest GOP Presidential nominee and heir to the Presidency, and are using the President's absence to get close to Nixon. The Vice President Presi-dent himself is tightening his ties to likely delegates to the 1960 convention. Everyone in politics expects this. No one is criticizing it. Prospective rivals in both parties wish they had the same opportunity. It just isn't being publicized. Yet, thens of thousands always swarm into the larger cities at Christmas time too, to shop and see the holiday extravaganza. New York City estimates that close to 1,000,000 people make a particular ritual of seeing the 70 foot tall beauty that is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, normally lighted by the mayor as mayors do throughout the country. . In Washington, there is more open concern about who may or may not be on hand for the official of-ficial lighting of the Christmas tree. Traditionally, this takes place in what is called the "Pageant of Peace.", on White House grounds several" days" before Christmas. But this year, President Eisen- But for Nixon to stand publicly Sin the President's stead at the traditional lighting of the national na-tional Christmas tree could and would dramatize his admitted long lead over Rockefeller for the GOP Presidential nomination. nomina-tion. If the President should be delayed a single day in returning to Washington from his good will tour and Western summit talks; on Berlin, this is likely to happen, much to the ire of the Rockefeller backers. It certainly wouldn't be monumental. monu-mental. But for Nixon to preside on the White House lawn at the traditional tree lighting might symbolize the Vice President's dazzling political fortunes. His rivals' only comfort is to remind themselves that the tree lights go out just as quickly when the Christmastime has ended. hower, traveling abroad, is not expected to return to the Capital until December 22 or 23, and if the stormy air and sea weather encountered on and over the Atlantic and in Western Europe is any indication, the White House advises that the President may very well be delayed another an-other day, or the best part of it, so that he would not . return to Washington until Christmas Eve. In such case, we can disclose, the White House says that the official lighting of the national Christmas tree, a stately white spruce from Presque Isle, Maine, will not wait upon even the President. If President Eisenhower has not returned from his world good will tour and crucial Western West-ern summit talks by December 23 as scheduled, the White House says definitely that "some one" else will hold the national spotlight, spot-light, make the brief speech re-dedicating re-dedicating the nation and the people to the Christmas ideal that is broadcast on nationwide radio and TV, and also light the tree. Official , Washington's latest guessing game is to wonder who that "someone else" will be. Mrs. Eisenhower, the First Lady, who dislikes flying, is of course not traveling with the President. But she says that she intends to remain in Denver with her mother, Mrs. John L. Doud, who is ill, until almost the very moment the President returns to Washington and the Eisenhower family gather together to-gether on Christmas Eve. It is by no means certain that Mrs. Eisenhower plans to be on hand in the crush at Washington Air Field that is expected to welcome wel-come the President back home. The politicians, in particular, are wondering if the "someone else" who may speak, light up the tree arid preside at the 15 minute ceremony may not be ( |