The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-12
By DresC Pearson

The President listened carefully as Koppismann told him o cor plans io introduce in the hoose the same erippling Amencmenis offered by sen Taii os Ohio, though finally defeated.
 As Kopplenann was about io leave. Truman SDoks almost his first word.
 -Aar Kopplemann.- he said Tim glad yOu came in. know Of your deep interest Tn this iesslatson and appgcciate your advice uA dscnss C with the speaker and the Majority Leader.
 Perhaps you noticed that I vas making noies whie were talking. ! like Co Go that when talk with people-booause to oft4n ! find that there h much can learn from the people who come io this office"
 One day earlier. however C a different story. when the Presidents old cronies of the Truman Com mitiee gnOw the Mead Committed came up to talk about the way the Army s hoAraing surplus material
 Chairman Jim Mead oi New York and Commit lee counssl George Meader had prepared detailed report showing how the Army b hoarding millions Of blankets sheets. underdrawers and other surplus goods Mead began 10 read from this document. but before he could get into l. the President took over
 Yes. know about that. Jim" said Truman. Eve been doing e oi oi thinking about this whole question Of surplus disposal, and I'm going 10 work out new scheme to push the stuff out. I'm going give the whole sales Job to the REC. and put some top-flight merchandisers in there Wen put meTchan disers in the REC Regional offices. too. 10 get the goods moving. knog some Of you don't like the way the REC has been functioning. but n is the organ ization which has Regional Offices already set up, and think it will be better to work through an op- erating set-up.'
  He told the committee that the Smaller War Plants Corporation would be kept in the picture as claiming agency for small business and veterans. and talked at length of the urgency of getting sur plus property moved.
 Sen. Harley KilgOre, of West Virginia. interrupted a. point to remark:
 But, Harry, all this merchandising is fine Idea only if you can to it that the Army will declare these goods surplus"
 Kilgore and Sen. Owen Brewster, of Maine, made the further point that there must be assurance that the Army declare commercially valuable goods surplus.
 You're perfectly right about that" Truman agreed but he did not offer any assurance that he would take steps to see that the Army unloads His attitude seemed be that the Brass Hats will come around to it shortly.
 Mead never did get more than started on his re- port of Army Stockpling because Truman did prac- tically all the talking. Apparently he felt he was right back in his old job of committee chairman
 As the Senators left, Mead shook hands with the President and had walked halfway to the door before he remembered that he still holding the special report in his hand Returning to the Presi- dents desk he said
 We made this up for you Harry, and guess we might as well leave it. You seem to know the story but anyhow the details are here"
 AS the committee left the White House, one Republican Senator remarked, Harry never used I've never known him to carry the ball all alone like that" That's the way FDR used to act when we'd call him. I'm worried about Harry.