Detroit evening times., 1945-07-11
PAUL
NfALLON
Behind
The News

hIS resignation story told how
he had become irriatcd by con-
stantly recurring rumors Of his
impending departure, that these
We're interfering with his work,
So ne went 10 President Truman
and said he would not stay un-
less he received backing
Mr. Truman offered Ia deny
the mmors Mr. Morgenthau
thought the denial should prom
iSe his continuance in office at
least until Japan IS defeated
The President seemed 10 feel
this would commit hum too far.
Mr.. Morgcnthau wrote out his
rCSTgUauOn, although he had not
planned doInG so.
The other side OF the story
implies that many of Mr.. Tru-
mans highest placed associates
were worried about Mr. Nor
genthau possibly succeeding 10
the presidency position for
which he would he the first 10
concede his uniitneSS by tenn
perament, experience or ability.
Now MeSSrS. Truman and
ByrneS are going TO Berlin for
the Big Three Conference. but
not together, as precautlonl
Mr.. MOrgenthau was still clearly
next in hne-untll his squeezed
resignation placed him in posi-
ton where unQueStionablN he
would have TO decline the office.
This situation may not have
worried Mr.. Truman, hut aSso-
ciates working in his interests
no doubt were the authors Of
what Mr. Morgenthau thought
to he irritating rumOrs.
4 ROUND the top Of this adj
- miniStratlon Mr. MorGen-
than had been regarded AS
man with good New York bank
ing connections but -eXpendable.
Now he will continue at the
treasury until probably Aug. IS
when his successor, Fred NJ Vim
son. will take over
At matter Of full truth. Mr..
Morgenthau was slated 10 go
any way when his Breton
Woods plan cleared Congress
and the war loan drive wound
up There was no lOgiCal eX-
ruse for him 10 continue 10 de-
lay fulfllment of the custom,
permitting a president to choose
his own cabinet. without the
slightest embarrassment.
Indeed this column was able
10 lead off. in newspapers last
May -
"A complete cabinet shake
down is coming. State and
treasury will surely he involved
in addition 10 agriculture, jus
tiCe and labor"
Both angles of that forecast
now have been fulfilled
| am therefore inclined TO be-
lieve both sides of the story. Mr.
Morgenthau's and the untold
one that Mr.. Truman's friends,
knowing we'll the personalities
involved. nettled Mr.. Morgen-
thau into making the break,
THE equally important reSig-
L nation Of Supreme Court
Justice Roberts lacked such
thorough eNpl ton. He
lodged inquiries, Yet his asSo-
ciateS knew he was 50 COM
pletely out -ot-tuHe with the
Black crowd on the court and
the majority trend Of that
tribunal, they were not sur
prised when he graSped the
excuse of his crossing Of the
retirement age. 10 bow himself
out diplomatically
Justice Roberts was such a
pleasant friendly man he was
accustomed 10 call his associates
brother. The Black men would
naturally consider such frendli-
ness a weakness. They are
hitter UnqueStionably splits on
legal interpretations have cut
harShly into the personal lives
Of the justices. That bench is
no place for friendly man
Now the Black faction has
been IN the majority only about
half the time, mostly. | believe.
in union labor cases in which
they have rewritten the anti
trust law and greatly expanded
the immunity of unions.
In other cases the Stone
Roberts -Frankfurter group, pre-
Senting what might he called
the legal from. of the court,
frequently has been Joined by
justices Reed and Jackson TO
make a majority of five against
the Black group.
If Mr. Truman chooses as
Roberts successor any one who
viii join the Black group. the
court may be gone for the next
10 10 20 years.
If he appoints another Reed
or Jackson, the present de-
plorable prcdCament Of the
highest tribunal will be still fur
ther complicated.
If he tries 10 get another
Stone or Roberts he will, Al
best, he able 10 keep the court
bewllderiuE.