Evening star., 1945-08-08

interior. lneTe Is HOIIllIlS dDout
his career, his record or his per-
sonality to justify enthusiasm
about the prospect of his eleva-
ton to either.
On the contrary, the mere idea
depresses a considerable number
who knew him during the years
he was in the Senate. For, 1t is
entirely accurate to say that Mr..
Minton was not loved by his COL
leagues. It was not at all because
he was an ardent New Dealer that
the anti-New Deal Democrats and
Republicans had a distaste for him.
Some ardent New Dealers were
personally popular with both sides.
For example, as earnest New
Dealer as Assistant Secretary Arch
ibald MacLeiSh had personal
friends among some really horrid
reactionaries. What aroused feeling
in the Senate about Mr.. Minton
was his ability to put his argu-
ments in the most offensive pos
sible way. This was his peculiar
gift.
Called One More Politician.
The explanation advanced OF his
expected appointment is that ne
wants to get back into political
life and that Mr.. Truman, who
served with him in the Senate,
liked him, which is surprising be-
cause they are so completely dlf-
ferent personally - and not en-
couraging.
But, aside from the personal angle,
another reason for something al
most like dismay which the like
lihood of Mr.. Minton entering the
cabinet stirS among those anxious
to see the Truman administration
strong and competent, is that he
is just one more politician.
The feeling is growing here that
Mr.. Truman is rather badly over
loading his administration with
politicians and that the need for
some one of administrative ability
and experience in that body is be-
coming clearer with every new Sc
lection.
Within a little more than three
months the President has made SIX
cabinet appointments. Though
there is Justice in the claim that,
individually and collectively, they
are an improvement over the Roose-
velt group. the Truman appointeeS
come very far, indeed, from consti-
tuting a great cabinet, and Mr..
Truman has disappointed those who
hoped he would surround himself
with advisers chosen from the ablest
and most experienced men available.
ANY analysis of the six Truman
chosen cabinet members reveals that
their ability and experience almost
exclusively has been in the field OF
politics. So far as business and ad-
ministrative experience is concerned,
they have had little more than Mr..
Truman himself some of them
even less.
Byrnes' Ability Noted.
There, for example, is Secretary
of State James F. Byrnes, whose
whole background, until he went on
the Supreme Court, was political
He is recognized as a very shreWd
politician. but his warmest friends
do not clothe him with administra-
tive ability.
Then there is Secretary of the
Treasury Fred VinSon, an old-llne
Kentucky politician; Secretary OF
Agriculture Clinton Anderson, who
has been in politics most of his life;
Postmaster General Robert Hanne-
gan, Missouri machine politician;
Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach
a Washington politician and sena-
torial intimate, and Attorney Cen
eral Tom Clark, who is Texas
politician.
There is nothing especially the
matter with any of these politicians
Some of them are pretty good fell
lows who should make pretty good
records. They are not brilliant, but
they are decent and sensible But, If
to this list of six politicians there
Is added another politician in the
person of Mr.. Minton of Indiana
(and Indiana politicians are reputed
more purely political than. those
from any other State), it does seem
that will be almost too many poll
ticianS for the good of Mr.. Truman
the good of the administration and
the good of the country.
Politicians, of course, are not
necessarily inferior individuals, and
it is an undoubted asset to have
men in the top layer of government
who know politics and politicians.
But it is easily possible to overdo
politics. Certainly it is possible to
have too many politicians, not one
of whom is an administrator, in
any Presidents cabinet.
1t may be Mr.. Truman does not
realize that his appointments,
limited so far to friends from
Missouri and politicians with whom
he served in the Senate, indicate his