Evening star., 1945-03-23

Perhaps in gen. Frank R. Kent.
erations far ahead the stage may
be reached where patronage will
be distributed on nonpartisan
basis, but it is unlikely any one
living today will see it. So far as
we are concerned, except in a war
or domestic crisis, or in individual
instances, the established custom of
distributing the jobs among the
party people and in accord with
recommendations from supporting
party leaders will continue to pre-
vail. Moreover, some rather sound
arguments can be offered in sup
port of the custom.
A Limit Somewhere.
Nevertheless, there is, or any
how should be, a limit somewhere
Conceding the necessity of recog-
nizing practical political realities,
the recognition should not be raw
At least certain regard for ap-
pearances should be maintained.
For example, it was generally
agreed-even by his friends-that
the manner in which Mr.. Roosevelt
openly declared in his letter to Mr.
Jones that the Wallace appointment
as his successor was reward for his
political support was, indeed, crude.
It offended the Sensibilities of a
great many persons who like, at
least, to pretend that the selection
of men for high posts of great re-
sponsibility and Importance are not
made for that reason, nor did it do
Mr.. Wallace any good. His oppo-
nents used the undisguised political
nature of his selection as potent
argument against him.
1t was mistake for the Presi-
dent to put it so badly. 1t also was
a bad example, the effect of which
is shown in the recent conduct of
Vice President Harry Truman. Mr..
Truman is openly and actively
opposed to the reappointment of
Maurice G. Milligan as United
States attorney for the Western
Missouri district. Mr.. Milligan was
the man who prosecuted and sent
to Jail the late, corrupt Thomas j.
PendergaSt, former Democratic boss
of Kansas City and Mr.. Truman S
political godfather.
Mr.. Truman insists that his pres
ent opposition to Mr.. Milligan had
nothing to do with his own loyalty
to Mr.. Pendergast or the Pender-
CAST machine, remnants of which
still exist. He makes no criticism
OF Mr.. Milligan's record. He does
not even propose any one else for
the job. All he says is that Mr.
Mllligan has been in long enough
and "it is time We gave some other
good Democrat a crack at his job. n
Case Even More Crude.
Now the Vice Presidents position
In the case of Mr.. Milligan seems
even more crude, than the President s
in the case of Mr. Wallace. In behalf
OF Mr.. Roosevelt the excuse is ad-
vanced that he did not intend his
letter to Mr.. Jones to become public
though Mr.. Jones asserts that there
was no indication that it was conf
Dental and no request came from
the White House not to give it out
though he waited seven hours after
he had notified the Presidents Sec
retary of his intention.
But Mr.. Truman has advanced no
such plea. He has personally urged
the Attorney General to ask the
President not to rename Mr.. Milli-
gan. This is equivalent to personal
request from the Vice President to
the President. 1t isn't easy to turn
that sort of request down-and well
Mr.. Truman knows it. When the
facts are fairly considered it is not
a very creditable thing for the Vice
President to do, certainly not calcu-
lated to increase respect for him in
the country as a whole.
1t would be different if there were
charges against Mr.. Milligan or il
he had made a poor record or if he
were a Republican or if there were
a superior man available for the job
But there are no charges. His record
is an outstandingly good one He is
a strong Democrat and no better
man is even proposed.
Close friends of Mr.. Truman who
deplore his determination to prevent
Mr.. Milligan's reappointment ex-
plain it by saying he is just another
Missouri feudist."
Point to Example.
Others point to the example of the
President and say: well, you can't
blame Harry for opposing the re-
warding of his foes any more than
you can blame the President for re-
warding his friends"
Perhaps there is something in that
point, and one ought not to indict
Mr.. Truman too severely, though it
would have been fine to have had
this very decent man (who may be-
come President) demonstrate his
ability to rise above Missouri politi-
cal grudge. 1t is unfortunate that
: Mr.. Roosevelt cannot point this out
to him without embarrassment
However, there is reason to believe
that neither the President nor At
torney General Biddle relish the
position in which the Vice President
has placed them.
= OF course, there is a way out for
them and it already has been sug-
.gested. They might acquiesce in the
Truman demand and then Mr. Rid