Evening star., 1945-04-13
Truman Became Known as Symbol of Honesty
While Serving as Watchdog Of War Spending

nominated him for the vice presi-
dency. he said he was not inter-
ested and wanted to stay in the Sem
ate. But Mr.. Roosevelt let it be
known he thought Mr.. Truman
would strengthen his ticket.
Four generations of the Truman
family lived at Grandview. roll
ing bottomland farm on the out
skirts of Kansas City, but Mr. Tru-
man was born at Lamar, Mo, May
8, 1884. while his parents lived away
from the old home briefly. His mid
die initial, IS" was just letter.
it didn't stand for a name.
Likes Mothers Tribute Best.
That was because his parents
didn't want to play favorites be-
tween his two grandfathers, he eZ-
planned. The first name of one
grandfather was Solomon, of the
other Shippe. So tine parents cCm-
promised on the initial.
Mr.. Truman failed to accomplish
one of his most earnest desires
to acquire college education About
pllC llC Slloulu lldfC Gu
college his father, known as the
best horse trader in the county,"
suffered financial reverses. Young
Truman received an appointment
to the United States Military
Academy but failed the physical
examination because of weak eyes.
So after finishing high school he
went to work. holding such jobs as
one in the mailing room of the Kan
sas City Star, on railroad con-
struction gang and as bank clerk.
Five years after graduating from
high school he was making only
s100 month.
About this time his grandmother
asked the elder Truman and his
sons to take over the 600-acre FAM
lily farm and for 10 years the fu-
ture Vice President was a farmer.
Years later, when he was receiving
thousands of congratulatory mes
sages as result of the investiga-
ton of war spending, he said he
liked best the tribute his mother
paid him:
That boy could plow the straight
est row of corn in the county. He
was farmer who could Go every
thing there was to do just a little
better than any one else"
In Heavy Fighting.
When the United States entered
the World War, Mr.. Truman went
with his National Guard unit and.
as a captain commanding Battery
ID of the 129th Field Artillery, 35th
Division, he saw some of the heav-
lest fighting of that conflict, includ-
ing the ST. Mihiel and Meuse-Ar-
gonne offensives. Before he was
discharged he had been promoted
to major.
On the troopship that returned
the battery to the United States a
COLLECTION was taken up and the
commander presented with a huge
loving cup.
Back home he married a child
hood sweetheart, Bess Wallace, and
they have one daughter, Mary Mar
garet. He and an Army buddy
went into the mems clothing busi-
ness in Kansas City's old Baltimore
Hotel. For time the haberdash-
cry f1ourished, but then business
fell off as the defation of the earlv
20s set in and finally the store
failed.
Mr.. Truman attained his first. po-
litical Office in 1922 when he was
elected to one of the three positions
on the County Court, governing
body OF Jackson County, equiva
lent to board of commissioners or
supervisors in some States.
He had won the nomination over
four other candidates in the Demo-
cratic primary. Two years later he
was defeated for reelection, but
was elected again in 1926, becoming
presiding judge with Pendergast's
Endorsement. AS presiding Judge he
was responsible for the greatest
county road and public building
program ever undertaken by any
county in Missouri. 1t was carried
out successfully.
His political successes continued