Detroit evening times., 1945-06-27
PAUL
NlALLON
Behind
The News

ne News
WASHINGTON, June 26 -
W How Mr.. Truman happened
TO burst out suddenly for a new
line of succession to the preSi-
dency, just before he took a
plane trip west, was not eX-
planned 10 his congressional
leaders, TO whom he recon-
mended il.
This is the only legislation
he has suggested without con-
sulting the big four OeaderS OF
Senate and House) who meet
with him weekly That may be
one of the minor reasons for
the gruff diStaste Congress Is
showing for the idea of making
the speaker of the House next
in line.
l suspect sly Hatton Summers,
Texas chairman of the House
Judiciary Committee, had an
under hand in developing the
notion that his fellow Texan,
Speaker Sam Ray burn, be
pushed into the second slot one
of Sum n RS subcommittee
looked quietly into the question
of succession for months and
produced a bill, which no one
noticed, proposing something
very, very similar to the whole
Truman scheme. Jim Farley
made a speech advocating SINH
lar action about month ago.
nEEPER behind the dispute
~ lies the conflict and jockey
ing over continuance of State
Secretary Stettinius in the first
cabinet office, from which he
would succeed Mr.. Truman un-
der existing law.
Deeper yet is the fact that
Mr. Roosevelt's assistant presi-
dent, James -FEByrnes, is being
ardently promoted for the Stet-
tinius job, not only to handle
that post, but because he has
unique experience and ability to
take over the country if any
thing happens to Mr. Truman.
In fact, | happen to know
from an unquestionable author
ity twho incidentally is opposed
to Byrnes) that Mr.. Roosevelt
considered him to be, the best
fitted man to succeed Every
enc knows by now that Byrnes
was crowded out at the Chicago
convention by political consid-
erations, and by one -conSidera-
ton IN particular-he could not
clear with Sidney.
MR. TRUMAN is personally a
Nl close friend and admirer
of Speaker Sam Rayburn. The
Texan knows all there is TO
know about legislation and
Washington politics, and man.
aged to survive the CIO effort
to stampede all national politics
last year, although Rayburn is
not too clear with Sidney,
either.
House speakers are usually
men Of this same legislative and
political experience. They must
be, under the system of their
selection, giving the oldest Gin
length of service) and best fit
ted politico, first the leadership
of the party in the House and
then the speakership if his
party becomes a majority or a
vacancy develops. Thus the
speaker is always a party man.
! believe this was the main
consideration in the Truman
recommendation. Mr.. Stettin-
ius is able, but not party. He
has-ReFeF listed IA party-fU for
himself in Who's Who. Mr..
ByrneS is party, but at least
one of Mr., Truman's top man.
ayers, is against him. There
would probably be no opposi-
tion to the appointment OF
ByrneS as state secretary if
Congress made the Hous e
speaker next in line for the
presidency.
(MoSt people here think
Byrnes will get the state ap-
pointment anyway, as Mr.. Tru-
man is taking him TO Berlin,
along with Stettnius. who no
doubt would have TO stay in Of
flee until after the San Fran
cisco treaty is through the Sen
ate, probably in September, as
no one else knows enough about
il, although then he could take
the ambasSadorship TO London)
THE essence of the succession
Il matter as il stands now,
therefore, is this:
Mr.. Truman wants -to-keep
succession to experienced party
men who are elected by the
people, and his party leaders in
Congress are likely 10 turn
down his recommendation be-
cause a Republican might slide
into the presidency that way
if the opposition won the House
next year, for instance, and
elected its man as speaker.
An early decision which will
ease the apprehension over the
state seCretaryShip and provide
definite succession will not be
easy to reach. Both Truman and
the resisting congressman have
sufficient arguments TO make
them firm for their position, yet
Congress will never pass a sue
ceSSion order which would allow