Evening star., 1945-04-15


President Harry S. Truman carries huge
burdens. To be an effective Executive,
he must command the support of his
own political party primarily. He must
demonstrate his ability to lead.
During the dozen years of the Roose-
welt administration, strict party lines
became more and more obScured. The
late President, however, was so much
a leader he was able to weld together
many factions and to present united
front when election days rolled around.
President Truman starts his admin
Stration with the good will of Demo-
Gratis of all factions. He has made no
enemies. His years in the Senate won
him many friends on Capitol Hill He
is a simple and a friendly man. There
is an excellent chance that better rela-
tiOnS may be established now between
the executive and the legislative
branches of the Government than have
existed for many months. While Mr..
Truman has been a liberal he has not
been a radical-not one OF the 100 per
cent New Dealers. The chances are
he will be more near the center than
the left of center which was Mr..
Roosevelt's most recent description of
his own attitude in domestic public
affairs
Changes Are Likely.
The new President has announced he
will retain the Roosevelt cabinet. This
is regarded as a promise for the i'm
mediate present rather than as a long
time policy, however. Presumably the
White House inner circle-knoWn in
recent years as the palace guard
will change. The Hopkins, the Fran
furters. the RosenmanS. the NileseS may
pass from the center of the stage.
Of all the men in the Democratic
political picture, Robert E. Hannegan,
chairman OF the Democratic National
Committee, is probably the closest to
President Truman, He. like the PreSi-
dent, is a MlSSOurIan. 1t was Mr.. Han
negan-With the assent of the late PreSi-
dent-mOre than any other man who
engineered the nomination of Mr.. Tru-
man for Vice President at the Democratic
National Convention in Chicago last
summer For the last - years Mr..
Hannegan and Mr Truman have worked
together politically. Mr.. Truman was
pleased when President Roosevelt
picked Mr.. Hannegan for the chair
manship of the national committee last
spring. He was a backer of Mr. Han
negan for a place in the Roosevelt
cabinet at the opening Of the Roosevelt
fourth term. place which was denied
Whether Mr. Eannegan is to become
the jim Farley of the Truman ad-
ninistration remains to be seen. Should
Postmaster General Walker, a close
personal friend of Mr.. Roosevelt de-
eide to relinquish his cabinet Office, the
chances are that Mr. Hannegan would
be named as his successor.
Fight for Control Looms.
The scramble for high place, or for
retention of high place, in the new
administration promises to be intense.
Mr.. Roosevelt, because of his hold on
majority of the American people, was
able to dominate and to weld together
the factions of the Democratic party,
especially in election years. 1t is likely
now that the efforts will become more
and more strenuous.
Mr.. Truman is literally an "un-
known to the vast majority Of the
American people They have as yet no
way of estimating his abilities or of
knowing his purposes. He has an
nounced his intention of driving ahead
with the Roosevelt policies. Some of
these policies, however, have widely
divided Democrats in the country and
more particularly in Congress.
The new President will be faced with
the fact that member of his cabinet.
Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wal
lace, is the recognized favorite of the
more radical elements of the Demo-
cratic party, some of which already
have proclaimed their support for Mr..
Wallace for the Democratic presiden-
tlal nomination in l948 One thing is
certain, however If Mr. Wallace under
takes to buck the new President. he
will find himself outside of the admins
tration-and his political activities will
be on an entirely different footing.
Wallace Dropped.
Mr.. Wallace is the man who was dis
placed last year on the Democratic ma
tional ticket by Mr.. Truman. He was
the choice of Sidney Hillman. head of
the CLOS PAC, and of many of the
more radical New Dealers for the vice
presidential nomination. For reasons
OF political eXpediency Mr.. Wallace
was dropped by the administration
leaders, on the theory that too many
conservative Democratic voters would
not stand for his election. realizing that
it might mean putting him in the White
House-IuSt as Mr.. Truman has now
been placed there.
Riding herd on the many discordant
elements in the Democratic party of
Roosevelt is tough assignment. Their
interests are so divergent. Once the
war is over this may easily become an
impossible task. Mr.. Truman, however,
has a certain ability, shown during his
service in the Senate and more re-
Gently as president of the Senate, Of
getting people to work together.
Much will depend upon whether
President Truman plans to run the
executive branch of the Government
for the next three and a half years
without any ambition to be nominated
for a four-year term in the White
House in 1948. II he has political am
bitions and places them first, the pic
ture may be very different. If he de-
termines not to make a try for such
a nomination, he will be the one ex-
ception among the Presidents of the
United States-With the pOsSible ex-