Evening star., 1945-06-16
Desire for Unity Seen
In PorIey Site Choice
Yet Truman Faces Big Risk in
Berlin, Writer Points Out
BY David Laterence

~"Sf~ A%eDT
Again a President of the United States
goes across the seas to meet the head
OF the Soviet Union and the Prime Min
lister of Great Britain. Again the meet
ing Is held in a territory under Russian
control, instead of on the soil of either
the United States or Great Britain.
No announcement has been made as
to the reason why the vicinity of Berlin
was selected as the place for the meet
ing of the Big Three, but it Is evident
that Marshal Stain did not feel he
could travel outside his own jurisdiction,
and rather than not have any meeting
because of possible difference of opin-
ion on the location of the conference,
the heads of the British and American
governments acceded. This has hap
pened twice before and rather than
interpret 1t now as sign OF Russian in
sistence on her viewpoint, it might
better be construed as a manifestation
to all the world of the lengths to which
the United States and Britain are ready
to go to assure Russia of our desire for
friendship and unity.
For this is really no time for the new
President of the United States to be
away. Marshal Stain always used to
plead military necessity as reason
for not going far from Russia. But Mr..
truman can make stronger plea. Eu-
ropes war and Russias big military
operations are at an end The war.
however, between Britain and the
United States, on the one hand,
and Japan, on the other, remains
yet to be won. Also Mr.. Truman
Is new at his job He needs every
single hour that he can get to become
familiar with it and supervise the many
readJustments to our national economy
that now are in progress as a result uf
the termination of the European war.
Assumes Big Risk.
unfortunately, due to the indifference
OF Congress, no provision has been made
by law as yet for the selection of an
elective officer to succeed to the Presi-
dency If anything should happen on
the hazardous trip that lies ahead. To
venture into German territory SO soon
after the surrender and into areas where
there are all sorts of persons running
around who have hostility in their
hearts, Is to assume risk. The Nation
will pray that fears may prove ground
less but the Congress has a duty to
amend the presidential succession law
so that the Speaker of the House of
Representatives rather than the Secre-
tary of State shall succeed the Presi-
dent when no Vice President is in Office
to succeed President. Then special
election-to be held along with the next
Congressional election-can be stipu-
lated in the law as a means of filling
the vacancies in the Offices of President
and Vice President.
Naturally this isn't the kind of a re-
form that Mr.. Truman would feel it
was proper for him to initiate and, as
for the Speaker of the House, it might
be embarrassing for him to press such
a bill. The opportunity is there for the
House leadership, Republican perhaps
more than Democratic, to put through a
Joint resolution in the next few days.
Taking Top Advisers.
1t is noteworthy that Mr. Truman Is
going to take with him not only Secre-
tary Stettlnius but also James F. Byrnes
and the top military advisers. Doubtless
Gen. Eisenhower will be back in Berlin
by the time the conference begins and
will take charge of Americas arrange
mentS.
The Russians can be counted on to
police meticulously the area where the
meeting Is to be held and keep everv
one who doesn't belong in the vicinity
away from the conference The exact
date Of the meeting has not been di-
vulged. 1t is most unfortunate that the
British carelessly disclosed the place.
1t doesn't augur we'll for the ham
ding of the news of the meeting and
unless all the governments concerned
keep these matters secret until after
the participants are on their way home,
repetition of previous blunders NAV
be anticipated. The movements of a
President and a Prime Minister ought
not to be revealed any more than news
Of Marshal Stalin's itinerary. The leaks
in London will have to be plugged up
tightly as the leakage of news on pre-
vious international meetings has come
primarily from the British Capital.
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