The Wilmington morning star., 1946-03-29
By ARTHUR KROCK

by AR1hOh NNONN
WASHINGTON. There was grumbling here
over the Presidents speech at the jackson
Day dinner in Washington Saturday night
Some commented that the delivery was not
linspirational and should have been on such
an occasion Others, the party fre-eaters,
whose favorite viands are the flaming PAM
phlets and statements issued by the leaders
of the c. I. o., and the word fascist (con-
tinuously applied by Henry A. Wallace to those
who disagree with him), complained OF the
moderate tone of Mr.. Truman's text.
How inspiringly by contrast the late Presi-
dent Roosevelt would have spoken, n1urmured
the critics, and how F. D. r. would have
pitched into the Republicans and the Demo-
cratic backsliders in Congress. But at the
Jackson Day dinner the only comparable
Of Mr.. Wallace and National Chairman
Hannegan-not from the party leader, who is
also the President of the United States.
These criticisms again call attention to an
effort which Democratic political managers
and groups whose radical and aggressive doc
trines were voiced by Mr.. Roosevelt have been
making ever since his successor took Office.
This effort is not only to bind the new
President to the policies and legislative pro-
grams Of his predecessor; they agree that
the record is satisfactory on this. 1t is also
OLA dttcAlpt w uldAC ONCI N11. 4TuIHdu 1tU
a chief executive who employs the tactics and
methods Of Mr.. Roosevelt
That task is as hopeless as it Is unwise,
and once more on Jackson Day Mr.. Truman
demonstrated its hopelessness. The speech
and the manner Of delivery were typical
of him, and he will never take another man
as tactical or physical model even if he
were actor enough to do so. The President
will 80 on being Harry S. Truman, and this
should have been apparent to those who helped
to nominate him for Vice-Presdent and elect
him. In fact the available data on why Mr..
Roosevelt chose Mr.. Truman for his running
mate testify strongly that this fixity Of type
and personality was one OF the principal
reasons. It the CLIO leaders, who are now
so critical Of Mr.. Truman, did not realize
this, they made very short-sighted appraisal.
Maybe being Harry s. Truman at all times
and in all situations may prove to be an
unsuccessful political and administrative
formula in this critical period Of history.
Perhaps the Democratic party might regain
strength and unity more quickly and more
surely # the President were someone else or
behaved like someone else. But 1t should now
be clear even to those who would recast him
that this Is no more possible than to make
him into another person. Therefore 1t would
appear to be the better part Of wisdom if
his Democratic critics would give UP the
attempt and try to capitalize the many excel
lent points that are his own.
The fire-eaters wanted him on Saturday
night to produce bell, book and candle and
read the Congressional backsliders out of the
party, as Mr.. Wallace has proposed. But
the President knows this is both legally and
politically impossible. And also he has no
reason to suppose that, il he could do this,
recruits would make up the losses in member
- -
Yet the Presidents belief in party regularity
is as strong as Mr. Wallaces recent profess
sions. And his record in that respect Is I'M
broken, which Mr.. Wallace's Is certainly rot.
Mr.. Truman simply does not know how
to assure that registered Democrat who
votes often against the high party command
will be denied party denomination and re-
election in his district There is the method
OF the purge. But the failure Of Mr.. Roosevelts
attempt at this in 1888 is still a vivid and
warning memory. II the party voters of a
district will not reject representative for
independence, the elimination can come only
by act Of the otfice-holder himself.
forgotten incident in the second Wilson
administration, when determination actually
occurred, is recalled by Ames Brown in
letter to his former editor, Josephus Daniels.
Representative Robert N. Page off North
Carolina, brother Of the then Ambassador to
Great Britain, retired from Congress volun-
tarily Che had no opposition for reelection
because he could not support Mr.. Wilson on
what was definitely a 'fundamental' issue.
1t was in March, 1916 and sentiment in
Congress was strong for a resolution warning
Americans not to travel on armed ships be-
longing to belligerents in the European war.
Mr.. Page, learning that the President was
bitterly opposed to this, suggested that Con-
gress instead pass resolution expressing
its confidence in Mr.. Wilson to conduct diplo-
macy under his Constitutional powers in
way to preserve American lives and welfare.
But the President insisted instead that the
original resolution be voted down.
The North Carolinan, a very high-minded
man, declined to take responsibility which
he said was clearly the Presidents. He said
he would not stain his hands" with the
blood Of those who might board such ships
and lose their lives If the resolution were
rejected by Congress. Yet he felt that as
Democrat he must uphold his leader by
voting that way or quit Congress. He chose
the latter alternative and "purged' himself.
1t remains the only effective procedure in
free country.-New York Times.