Evening star., 1945-04-16
Moment Of Anxiety
Cribs Stunned Nation
Writer Recalls Similar Times in
Changing of Administrations
Bv David Laurence

Changing of Administrations
BY David Laurence
This is a moment of bewilderment-
of stunned anxiety-fOr the Nation.
The shock of sorrow at the loss OF
great President has been followed by
inevitable concern as to whether the
new President will make good.
Similar moments in history have come
and gone even in our times. The Ma
ton was stunned by the death of Presi-
dent Mckinley in 1901 and knew little
about Theodore Roosevelt for he had
been Governor of New York but briefly.
However, it didn't take long after he
took the oath of Office in Buffalo for the
Nation to realize that he was not afraid
to make decisions and to chart new
course for his own party.
Again in 1923 when a Vice President
came to the presidency, the Nation was
intensely curious about Calvin Coolidge
the man who rose from simple Ver-
mont background to be Governor OF
Massachusetts and yet was not known
nationally either as to his views or per-
sonality or his capacity for administra-
ton.
Emphasize Basic Fact.
Such transitions emphasize one basic
fact. 1t is the ineXorable continuity of
Government itself A Presidents per-
sonality can dominate and an impress
sion of one-man government is readily
developed but nevertheless the moment
the dominant personality is gone, the
resiiency and vitality of the govern
mental institution assert themselves.
President Truman comes in at time
of crisis but our forefathers wisely drew
the design of constitutional government,
and he needs only to select good execu-
tves and give them sense of respon-
sibility over the executive departments
and agencies and he will find that con-
stitutional government is neither cum
bersome nor illiberal.
There are those who are already urg-
ing Mr.. Truman to aim for the center
and not left of center" or right of
center The new President will accom-
plish much more for the American peo
pie if he ignores the left, the right, the
left of center, the right Of center and
the center too, and begins to bypass
ideologies and rigid predispositions as
such. He would start new era in this
world if he concerned himself not with
who is right but with what is right.
The art of successful government IS
the adjustment of conflicting interests,
This is mistakingly called compromise. -
which is too often a patchwork affair
that usually satisfies neither side. But
adjustment" of conflicting interests
means decision and a deep sense Of
what is Just. 1t recognizes no compro-
mise with evil. 1t seeks to bring to
public policy the idea of the maximum
good.
To be good President Mr. Truman
can never forget that this is a Nation
of 100000 600 persons. that it has a
written Constitution and a set Of pow
ers delegated by the people to each of
three branches of government. that
these branches are independent of each
other and must not be undermined by
| the opponents of the short cut and
that the good of the common man can
be achieved administratively and legis-
! lativelv, by honestly written and hon.
estly enforced laws.
! Worked Self to Death.
Franklin Roosevelt was great Presi-
dent. He courageously sought to better
! the lot of the common man, but his
greatest achievement was his readiness
to perceive in 1910 that our destiny was
bound up with saving Britain. BY that
act he saved American homes from
bombings-he kept the war from our
shores He saved America. Yet he tried
to do too much himself. He did not
know how to delegate responsibility. He
conceded that he was not a good ad-
ministrator. He literally worked him
self to death.
That simple lesson stands out as a
guide to the future.
President Truman is OF a different
type He is likely TO build up cabinet
government and strive for new era
of cooperation between the executive
and legislative branches of the Gov
ernment He may even find a way bv
new appointments. as they arise, t.
instill in the Supreme Court Of the
United States feeling, that it is not 2
legislative or executive instrumentallty
but purely judicial tribunal.
Harry Truman's opportunity to move
America forward is greater than that
which ever confronted Vice President
upon taking the presidential oath. He
will succeed if he decides to look ahea
and not behind and if he will think al
ways of what is best not for clique
or class or personal friend or a parti-
san. but Tor the 10000 900 people OF
the United States of America.
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