PRESIDENT’S FATHER ILL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29702, 21 December 1961, Page 15

PRESIDENT’S FATHER ILL

f.V.Z. Press Assn.—Copyngnti WASHINGTON, December 20. President Kennedy last night prepared to break a vigil at his sick father’s bedside to start wide-ranging talks with Britain’s Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan). The two lea ers are due to meet in Bermuda on Thursday for two days of talks expected to encompass the Indian attack on Portuguese enclaves in India. Indonesian threats against West New Guinea and the Congo situation. _ . , M There were unofficial reports last night that Mr Macmillan might fly to Palm Beach for the talks because of the serious illness of the President's father Mr J os *“ h Kennedy. Unite’ Press Inrernationai reported » these could not be cocfirrnea and the information m wasnington was that the was going ahead with his plans to fly to Bermuda on time

President Kennedy's father suffered a stroke while playing golf. The President and other members of the Kennedy family rushed to his bedside at a Palm Beach hospital There were varied reports on the condition of the 73-year-old multi-millionaire. Mr Joseph Patrick Kennedy, but the White House Press Secretary (Mr Pierre Salinger! said last night: “Doctors say that prognosis will not be known for 24 to 48 hours His condition is described as serious.” Shortly after Mr Kennedy senior was taken to hospital the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church were administered. From New York, a vascular specialist. Dr. W T. Foley, was flown to Palm Beach to discuss an operation on the former Ambassador to Britain But the Associated Press said President Kennedy was told at the end of his emergency two-hour flight from Washington late in the evening that doctors bad decided against an operation. That was taken as an ominous sign. A.P said. The White House yesterday released a schedule for the

meeting between President Kennedy and Mr Macmillan which listed four conferences in addition to social occasions, the Associated Press reported. Mr Salinger said at the time there was no change in the plan for the President to go to Bermuda. Any change would have to await further information on the condition of the President's father If the President goes to Bermuda he will leave from Palm Beach instead of from Washington. as originally planned Reuter's cmef Washington correspondent said that during the two days of talks priority would be given to the question of further talks with the Soviet Union on Berlin, whether atmospheric testing should be resumed and where, and the state of negotratio over Britain joining the Common Market But a joint effort by the United States and Britain to help stave off actual military operations in West New Guinea was seen as a distinct Do-«ibility. he said The timing of the talks might allow some initiative to be taken towards trying to persuade President Soekarno to exercise patience in the hope that his dispute with

Holland could be solved peacefully. The sombre warning issued yesterday by the United States Ambassador to the Uniteu Nations (Mr Adlai Stevenson) that Security Council inaction over Goa might be the first act in a drama that cou'd end with the death of the United Nations. provides a clue to the nature of the discussions that will probably take place over the United Nation's future. But the first thing likely to be tackled by President Kennedy and Mr Macmillan as they sit down together on Thursday is precisely how further diplomatic talks with the Soviet Union over Berlin will be conducted Authoritative sources said that the United States Ambassador alone or with his British co’league or even with the West German Ambassador as well could enter into talks, which would be more like negotiations but still would not be a formal conference. The emphasis at the moment was on negotiations through regular diplomatic channels. Only at the end of that stage might there be a foreign ministers’ meeting.