Mineral Daily News Tribune
'Ike' Greeted By More Than 3,000 During Stop Here
General Blasts Truman Administration Ten-Minute Talk From Train
September 25, 1952
A crowd estimated by police at more than 3,000 persons greeted Dwight D. Eisenhower, Republican nominee for president, when his special train stopped in Keyser this morning before 9 o'clock.
Swelled by school children whose classes were dismissed for the occasion, the crowd, was larger than the 2,500 that greeted President Truman when his train stopped here a few weeks ago.
In his ten-minute talk from the rear platform of his train, Eisenhower accused the Truman administration of having "no program for peace" and "giving use no assurances there will not be another Korea."
He also accused the administration of permitting thievery in high places" and said the "national leadership has not performed well in the past seven years."
"Those," said Eisenhower, "are a few reasons why it is time for a change."
The Republican nominee also touched slightly on the economic situation when he said "we must produce the military strength to fight Communism economically without burdening our people with an $85,000,000,000 budget and high taxes."
He said that would be the subject of his address in Baltimore tonight.
Eisenhower closed the main part of his talk with:
"The only pledge I make to all of you.if you want to give use the reins of the administration for the next four years is two things. First, there will be men of integrity and high type in the government that will excite the pride of everyone; second, every policy will be based on what is good for all of the United States, not one class or one section."
The crowd applauded the general only a few times during his speech, and there was cheering only when he was first introduced by Rush D. Holt, Republican candidate for governor, when Eisenhower introduced his wife, Mamie, following his talk, and when he referred to his running mate, Senator Richard Nixon.
He brought up the Nixon incident, which was so dramatically resolved in Wheeling last night, when he said: "I like to travel around the country getting the reactions of people. Sometimes there is applause, sometimes cheers and yells, and until yesterday telegrams. But I understand the facilities of Western Union were so swamped with telegrams asking us to keep Dick Nixon on the ticket that nobody else could get any wires."
The crowd roared its approval.
A box of apples donated by E.A. Leatherman, Jr., owner of the Cheat Mountain Orchard, was presented to the general by John I. Rogers, III, son of Mr. and Mrs. John I. Rogers, on behalf of the Mineral County Republican Executive Committee.
W.B. (Ted) Kesner also placed aboard the special train a pair of deerskin gloves for Mrs. Eisenhower, made from the hide of a deer Kesner killed in 1951.
Introduced from the rear platform by Holt before Eisenhower spoke were Kermit Mason, candidate for the House of Representatives from this district; Chairman Revercomb, candidate for the U.S. Senate; John McIntyre, candidate for attorney general; and National Committeeman Walter S. Hallanan.
Eisenhower opened his speech with a humorous and oft-heard description of West Virginia;
"Its most northern city is north of Pittsburgh; so it must be considered a northern state. Its most southern city is south of Roanoke, Va., so it must be considered a southern state. Its most eastern city is east of Rochester, N.Y.; so it must be considered an eastern state. Its most western city is west of Canton, O.; so it must be considered a western state."
"So," said the general, "think West Virginia is a pretty fine state for the shape it's in - geographically, that is."