Evening star., 1946-02-06

VoSol0C tllC S1o-
nainistration
and among Frank \. Kent
newspapermen--there is q very diff
ferent feeling. The President Is
criticized by these for big things
and little things; for, what he does
and for what he fails to do.
Right now the attack centers on
the Truman appointments, particu-
larly those of the somewhat un-
savory Edwin w. Pauley and George
Allen. While there is full justifica-
ton for criticism of these and OF
Mr.. Truman, too, the extent to
which it is carried beyond makes 1t
seem almost like calculated cam
paign of presidential disparagement.
And some of it is petty, strained
and not well based.
Though the critics are not always
IN accord, their general theme Is
the Truman inadequacy. What they
differ about are the details. For
example, some of our professional
liberals with CIO connections and
intimate touch with certain not
too-loyal cabinet members, strain
edly agree that business" has
moved in and taken charge" This
Is repeated and repeated though it
seems in direct conflict with the
facts and certainly clashes with the
contention Of another group which
asserts that, with the Presidents
approval, Robert E. Hannegan is
bringing in to the Democratic COM
mittee for policy-forming purposes
some of the young and ardent "ad-
vanced thinkers" of the Roosevelt
regime.
Attack Snyder.
The main purpose Of these is
openly stated to be the elimination
as a presidential adviser of the un-
fortunate John r. Snyder, against
whom a persistent propaganda has
been directed by the labor liberals"
in an effort to make him out a
sinister as well as Q stupid figure.
OF course, Mr.. Snyder is nothing Of
the sort, and the attempt to make
this quite average, wholly we'll
meaning, entirely orthodox and very
capable st. Louis banker appear a
malign influence is absurd.
What it really seems to be Is part
OF the Truman attack, which is de-
signed to paint the President as a
weak and inadequate little man,
Influenced toward the right by one
set of advisers who are pro-busi-
ness and then swung to the left by
another set, who are strongly CIO
and very radically inclined.
The general idea Of both seems
to be to picture Mr.. Truman as q
very poor excuse for a President,
indeed. At this time, hardly any one
in the Capital has a kind word for
him. It has reached the. stage where
a cheap labor leader like Walter
Reuther can come here and, in talk
ing to group of newspaper men,
speak of the President of the
United States In a tone of plying
contempt-without rebuke.
Inherited Mess.
1t is true that MIR. Truman is far
from the strongest President we
have had. But he is by no means
the weakest. OF course, he lacks
the dramatic showmanship and ego
ism of his immediate predecessor
which covered up so much incom-
potency and concealed so many
mistakes. But he is not at all the
dreadful nincompoop so many of
the smart boys here who never
peeped over some of the utterly un-
fit Roosevelt appointments are try
Ing to portray Mr.. Truman.
The present unhappy state of the
Nation is not his fault. He in
herited the horrible mess into which
our domestic affairs are now from
Mr.. Roosevelt, whose policies and
politics were directly responsible.
He made his Arst and worst mistake
by the pledging himself to carrying
out the Roosevelt policies without
being the kind of man who at heart
believed in their soundness. This
has prevented him from firmly
graphing with the realities of the
economic situation or seeing clearly
that from the political angle the
O-Roosevelt alliance is becoming
more of a liability than an asset.
Nor is he helped either economic
ally. or politically by the sort Of
advice he has been getting from
two of his cabinet members, who
are becoming generally identified
as sources" for the left-wing Jour-
nalstic sharpshooters.
Must Fight II Out.
Perhaps Mr.. Truman may find q
way to pull himself out of this
situation. Perhaps he can put an
end to the bad press" with which
he is now afflicted and bust up
what almost seems political and
press effort to gang I'D" on him.
He needs few breaks. It Is the sort
of thing that can change very
quickly.
Meanwhile, there are two things
which he can do for himself. One
Is to stop depreciating himself. Too
often he plaintively says to indis-
Greet persons that he never wanted
to be President and that he wishes
some one else had the job. Men
to whom he makes this and kin
dred remarks repeat them. The
ehect Is not good. There Is no
sense in saying these things, even
4 ~ l. IL