Eisenhower Library, James C. Hagerty papers
Hagerty Diary, February 2, 1954
[Extract]
. . . . . . .
Bricker problem still up in air. Brownell and Knowland came in at 9 A.M.—final result was that Knowland, Ferguson, & Millikin to submit substitute with #3 out—doubt if this is going to work–afraid whole thing will be recommitted which would leave it hanging over our heads thruout session. Later Brownell called me and said still working [?] on letter, but present plan was not to send it up for a while—really getting [?] screwed up.
Pres. called me in at 230 and he and I went over proposed letter—outlines his objections to #3 and flatly says won’t compromise with any plan to change constitution—Pres. “Leaders admitted yesterday that they were trying to cut down on my power thru executive agreement plan”—Pres. quite exercised, strode around office, while talking—has pretty low opinion of GOP leadership [Page 1846] right now—I urged him to put out letter from.W.H.—or at press conference tomorrow—to get back on initiative again—said “if its true that when you die the things that bothered you most are engraved on your skull, I am sure I’ll have there the mud and dirt of France during invasion and the name of Senator Bricker”—Pres. determined not to give in on this principle—said “If our leaders had any guts this would all have been over last week.”