MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28447, 29 November 1957, Page 15

MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN

WASHINGTON. Nov. 27. From London, the Queen has< Sent a message of sympathy and "heartfelt good wishes” to President Eisenhower. "I am so sorry to hear that you we ill,” the Queen said. “My husband and I trust that your recovery will be early and complete, and we send our heartfelt good wishes to you and to Mrs Eisenhower.”

Regimental Merger.— No definite decision has yet been announced about whether or not the Royal Scots Fusiliers and the Highland Light Infantry will finally be merged under the British Army's plan. Protests have been flowing into the War Office and after seeing a deputation of Scottish M.P.’s, the Secretary of State for War (Mr John Hare) bas promised to examine alternative suggestions.—London, Nov.

Mr Nixon told a press conference at the White House last night that the President would not decide on United States representation until the N.A.T.O. wishes were known.

The Vice-President pictured President Eisenhower as being “like a caged lion” anxious to get back to his full-time duties. Mr Nixon set out to squelch rumours, coming mostly from abroad, that the President mighi resign

“I have no reason whatever to believe that the President is considering or will consider resigning,” he said.

I “I would like to scotch once and for all any more rumours that the President is in a condition which would make it necessary for him to consider resigning.”

Each item of news from the White House emphasised what the doctors described as the excellent progress being made by the President after the cerebral attack which, it was disclosed on Tuesday. had slightly impaired his speech.

Today was Thanksgiving Day in the United States and the President was to celebrate it like most other Americans with his family, including his four grandchildren. The White House said that the dinner menu was expected to include the traditional turkey. The President’s son. Major John Eisenhower, his wife Barbara, and their four children, were to come from their home in Alexandria, Virginia. A plea that the nation join in thanksgiving prayers for the President’s speedy recovery was made by his pastor, the Rev Edward L. R. Nelson, of the National Presbyterian Church in Washington. “Up and About”

Bulletins issued by the Presidential press secretary, Mr James Hagerty, said that the President was up and about. He signed some State papers, saw some of his top assistants with whom he discussed affairs, conferred for 10 minutes with the visiting King of Morocco and spent part of the day painting a portrait of Princess Anne, the daughter of Queen Elizabeth. The Vice-President expressed the view that the President’s recovery would be completed sooner than might normally be the case. The doctors reported on Tues-

day that the President would “require a period of rest and substantially decreased activity estimated at several weeks.” Mr Nixon said that the President had asked him, almost casually, to take up the same duties he had when the President suffered his heart attack in 1955. These extra duties were largely ceremonial, Mr Nixon said. They also included his taking the chair at Cabinet meetings and National Security Council meetings. The Administration demonstrated yesterday that it could still function vigorously even when the President was ill. Mr Neil McElroy, the Defence Secretary, announced at a Senate inquiry into the missiles programme that the decision had been taken to produce both the Jupiter and Thor intermediate range ballistic He also said they could be supplied operationally to Britain by the end of next year Mr Hagerty reported that Mr Eisenhower was amused rather than disturbed at the slight difficulty he was said to be having in speaking tongue-twisting words.