Evening star., 1945-04-15
Truman Foreign Policies
To Follow ROOSevelt1an
New President Finds Highly Experienced Aides
on Hand to Advise Him in Secretaries
Stettinius and Stmson
Bv ,J0sebh II. Baird


land after it is reorganized to include
democratic elements; and for Anglo
American-Russi cooperation in re-
storing free governments in the Balkan
states.
Broad Policies Accepted.
It is true, of course that all these pol
icies have not yet been supplemented and
that vexations are likely to arise in
working them out. For instance it has
not yet been possible for the three
Allies to agree on the personnel of the
new Polish administration. But at least
the broad lines of policy have been
drawn and agreed upon. Consequently,
! the new President will not be forced to
! face a new set of major issues, which
would have been true had Mr.. Roose-
, welt died before the Yalta meeting.
( AS Mr.. Truman always attended cab
met meetings, he is undoubtedly aware
| of the full history of the Yalta Confer
ence including those details which did
not form a part of the late Presi-
dents public statement on it.
1t is the consensus of Mr.. Trumans
colleagues that be is not we'll versed in
| foreign affairs. During his service in
| the Senate he was not a member of
the Foreign Relations Committee and
showed more interest in domestic than
| in foreign policy
However, the Missouri statesman's eX-
! perlence as chairman Of the special Sem
ate committee that investigated the war
effort has given him good background
on the military aspects of our foreign
! relations.
Two Experienced Aides.
| Mr.. Truman is fortunate, too, in
having in his cabinet two men upon
| whom he can rely for wise counsel on
foreign problems. Mr.. Stettinius-frst
as Undersecretary and since last De-
cember as secretary-has been in the
! State Department nearly two wears now,
or long enough to be thoroughly familiar
with all aspects of American foreign
! policy. Second, the Secretary = War,
Henry l.. StimsOn. was Secretary Of
State for a four-year term l929-1933
during which many of the problems now
facing the American Government orig
mated 1t was during Mr.. Stimsons
term that Japan first invaded Man.
churia and Adolf Hitler came into power
in Germany.
Thus, with Mr. Stimson and Mr..
| Stettinius IN his cabinet and former
Secretary Hull in Washing on where
he is constantly available for consulta-
ton, the new President will have a
complete personal link with those who
have shaped foreign policy during the
last Is years. This should be a tre-
mendous advantage TO him.
Mr.. Truman's Senate record fully
supports his statement that he expects
to carry out the late Presidents for
eign policy Beginning in 1885. he
voted for American entry into the World
Court, a measure strongly backed by
Mr.. Roosevelt but nevertheless defeated.
He supported the administration bill
to END the embargo on sale Of arna-
ments in 1889 after war broke out
in Europe. He voted in 1887 for ex-
tension of the administrations power
to conclude reciprocal trade agreements
and also for the extension of lease-lend
aid to the Allies.
Backed Roosevelt Policies.
If Mr.. Truman adheres to the prln-
ciples he enunciated when he was CAM
paigning for the reelection of Presi-
dent Roosevelt last summer he will
probably rely heavily on the advice
of Mr.. Stettinius. Mr. Stimson and Sem
ator Connally on foreign problems for
some time to come. In supporting Mr..
Roosevelt. he constantly urged voters
to keep him in the White House be-
cause of his long and invaluable eX-
perience.
There is no substitute for experience.
which can be gained only through years
of application and service he told a
Missouri audience.
In his campaign speeches he also gave
an indication Of his own frame OF mind
by constantly praising Mr.. Roosevelt's
broad and liberal international views.
Many times he stressed the theme that
the election of Gov. Thomas E. Dewey
would be "a victory for the isolatlonlsts' >
While supporting the Dumbarton Oaks
plan for the use of an international
police to keep the peace in postwar
/ GAYS. llle new fl6SluellL HAS NdIllcu
against sole reliance on military force.
After our troops march through the
avenues of Berlin and the streets of
Tokyo" he said in a recent speech.
there still remains the complicated task
of social and moral rehabilitation of
millions long taught a dangerous code
of ethics.
Eorca AIoue Futile
For the victors to rely upon force
alone would be futile. Any order which
hopes to survive must ultimately appeal
to the minds of men. Enlightened
Worldwide education may be the key to
lasting peace. However, such program
requires tolerance"
In determining the broad aspects Of
foreign policy, Mr.. Truman has empha-
sized that he will drink from the we'll
springs of tradition and public senti-
ment
Il am perfectly willing" he has said,
"to trust to the judgment and common
sense of the American people to decide
who is going to be responsible for max
ing peace lasting long enough so that
our grandsons won't have to do it all
over again.
1t is both tragic and ironic that the
late President, who was reelected for
an unprecedented fourth term largely
on the basis of his brilliant conduct of