Detroit evening times., 1945-05-28
POLITICAL
PARADE
BY George
Rothwell Brown

RothWell Brown
DRESlDENT TRUMAN'S
common sense is reflected
not only in the changes he has
made in recognizing his cabi-
net, but even more strikingly
in those that he has refrained
from making.
Those who had expected the
President to revise his official
family from the top down, in
regular order, failed to take
cognizance of the peculiar
status at this time of Secretary
Stettinius and Secretary Nor
genthau.
Obviously il would have been
disastrous 10 call new men 10
the departments of state and
treasury at moment when one
incumbent was guiding the
United States through the
labyrinth of the San Francisco
conference, and The other was
in-the- midst of the gigantic
task of floating the Seventh
War Loan.
WHILE eventual changes in
both these posts are looked
for. they probably will not
occur for four of five months,
and in the case of the secre-
tary Of state. if Mr.. Stettinius
comes hack 10 Washington with
a proposal TO be submitted 10
the Senate, il would seem most
TN Ike that he wGuid-he
replaced until after he had
obtained the necessary ratifica-
ton
President Truman showed his
usual Missouri canniness in
avoiding these mistakes.
He struck at the weakest
places in the old Roosevelt
cabinet
His changes will alter con-
ditions on the domestic front,
where m some instances they
had become -tntaiefahle.-
"
THE@S selection of Clinton p.
Il Anderson Of New Mexico as
secretary Of agriculture. should
he carefully studied by those
who would Hike 70 ascertain how
the Truman mind works
Mr. Anderson lS Democratic
member of tho ways and means
committee which had had under
consideration the extension Of
the reciprocal trade agreement
law He was under great pres
sure from the cattle and wool
industries 20 vote against IL in
committee. and his colleagues
understood that he would do 80.
A week ago four Democratic
members stood with the 10 Re-
publcans 10 constitute Ia votes
against the bill. or enough 10
defeat i, IL 10 II. Anderson
was one of the four.
But last Sunday the state do
partment poured on the heat,
and -, fE. Eruf
committee three Democrats. in
cludlng Anderson. voted 10 re-
port the bill 70 the House.
PEFERRlNG sarcaStically 70
~ this last-mlnute Democratic
detection, Republican Knutson
OF Minnesota said in the House:
IL do not know what Iegerde-
main they used in order to line
up the three who had said they
could not 20 along with the pro- Y
gram. Far be IL for me to inti-
mate there are any judgeships
or collectarships or marshals
involved.
Any assumption from this
that 4 question Of patronage In
f1uenced Mr.. Anderson-includ-
ing a cabinet Job for himself
would be fantastic. Anderson
is not that type.
What happened is this:
Anderson, as chairman ~
special committee investigating
food shortages, has recently
submitted two reports bristling
with damning but constructive
criticism.
THESE reports made the
Il bungling New Deal bureauc-
racy squirm. Notwithstanding.
Anderson has been a pretty good
New Dealer himself.
These Scathlng reports were
after President Trumans own
heart. They were Of the kind
the old Truman committee used
10 turn in, TO drive the bunglers
frantic.
What the President said in
effect was:
"AlI right, Mr.. Anderson,
you've found out what's wrong:
] give you the Job of stepping In
there and correcting IT,"
Down al the Capitol, they will
tell you that Truman has put
Anderson on the spot.
Actually, the President has
picked TO remedy the food mess
the man who exposed il.
That's the smart Missouri way
TO go about getting results, and