Evening star., 1945-04-18
Press Finds Truman
A Man on His Toes
Alert to Pitfalls but Won't Be
Rushed, Says Observer
By David Laurence

BY David Lawrence
Although Harry Truman has been in
the National Capital more than decade,
it was necessary for him to reveal him.
self anew to Congress on Monday and to
the assembled press and radio corre-
Spondents on Tuesday.
The more severe OF the two tasks was
the second. For while the new Pres
ident could prepare in advance every
word Of his address to Congress, he
could not know what questions the re-
porters would ask.
The size-up by the press was
favorable The newspapermen like to
see how Chief Executive stands up
under barrage Of questions. 1t isn't
that they expect him to answer all their
queries, but they want to know even
how he avoids answering them. Mr..
Truman handled himself well. He was
positive and direct. He was unequiyocat.
In many respects, the conference was
reminiscent Of the first one held by
Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Short, terse
sentences were characteristic then as
now. There was no hemming and haW-
ing and no straddlng.
The new President, however, has an
advantage which Mr.. Coolidge didn't.
have in assuming the reins Of govern
ment. In this instance policies Of the
predecessor have been outlined over
long period of time have been approved
at the polls and are now familiar to the
people. To say, as President Truman
did, that he favored the Breton Woods
agreement or the Missouri Valley Au-
thOrity or the Reciprocal Trade Agree
ments program was to indorse in
word or two policies that are highly
controversial but which are evidently to
be championed without hesitation.
One gets the impression that Mr..
Truman will move cautiously about
personnel. 1t is premature to pick a
new cabinet for him or to bid farewell
to the New Deal group still in high
Office. The new President will proceed
slowly about any changes and will wish
to learn the details of the job that has
been suddenly thrust on him. But
those conservatives who have been
reacting in effect as If a Republican
has been placed in the presidency are
much mistaken For this is a Demo-
cratic administration and will continue
to be.
Ther are, to be sure, two kinds of
Democratic administrations. One is the
kind that picks personal friends and
strays away from the party, as hap
pened in 1918 and twenty years later.
and the other is the kind that began to
make its appearance in the second term
of the Wilson administration.
The second kind IS the sort that be-
lieves in party government. One phase
of this is belief that cabinet officers
are not to serve life terms and that
somehow there must be efficient Demo-
Gratis available who have served the
party and who can handle the cabinet
jobs.
The war, of course, prevents a COM
plete change in the cabinet. The War
and Navy Departments would benefit
by continuity but otherwise there are
hardly any cabinet portfolios that must
keep the present secretaries because of
anything connected with the war.
Won't Be Rushed.
In due time the new President will
make whatever changes seem desirable.
But if he is to clear away the irritations
which helped to bring Dewey such
big vote last autumn and if he is to give
the country the idea that he is standing
on his own feet and is looking forward
to making a record of his own, the new
President will not feel bound to keep in
Office men who have already served
longer than almost any cabinet officers
in history. Otherwise. the issues for 1948
will be made to order for the Repub-
ucans. They will be able to say that the
new President Is good man but he
hasn't cleaned house in Washington
and that in his entourage are still the
tired administrators who have been at
their jobs too long.
One thing, however, is clear already.
President Truman isn't going to be
rushed into anything-into any changes
of policy or personnel He wants har-
mony and teamwork and he will 60
slow about lifting anybody out OF any
lob connected with the war effort. He
will pick good men for such vacancies
as occur but in all probability he will
seek to find good Democrats, which is
after all what party man thinks about.
The first press conference was sue
cess in the sense that Mr.. Truman
showed himself to be on his toes
alert to the pitfalls of impromptu an
swers to questions of public policy and
at the same time fortnight in his
desire to carry out the basic program,
domestic and foreign, Of the late Presi-
dent.
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