The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1946-02-28
Truman Labors Under
New Deal inheritance
Congress Seen Taking Advantage of Presi-
dents Rightist Leanings; Lacks InfIu-
ence of FDR to Put Policies Over.
By BAUKHAGE
Netus Analyst and Commentator,

fort (begun by Theodore Roosevelt)
to try to house the office work Of the
President under the roof Of 1.-The
Presidents House." but I mention
this controversy simply because 1t
reflects the seamy side Of White
House-congress relations. Many of
the Presidents friends feel that
trying to make a modern Office out
OF a beautiful old American colonial
residence is folly, but they also felt
that much Of the Juror raised in
congress was due to a desire to en-
barrass Mr. Truman.
Why can't Truman get on with
congress? Perhaps because he is a
little too much like them. This is
merely a bunch but I am not the
only one who has toyed with the
Idea: both congress and the Presi-
dent II realize that congress" is a
loose term because the legislators
are a collection of many men of
many minds) inclines farther to the
right than the inherited Roosevelt
program is targeted. Congress, the
part Of it that knows Harry Truman
well. undoubtedly feels that his
heart leans just about as far in the
same direction. Therefore, he just
can't get these more leftish ideas
across. Harry Truman has a tre-
mendous respect for the Office of the
presidency, a deep feeling Of duty to
carry out the program which death
placed in his hands-a duty and a
function he never sought. He can
not toss this heritage into the dis
card. And he probably reasons that
If he feels that responsibility, the
members Of the party should do like
wise. But it must be remembered
that it Vas the powerful influence of
a personality which could win an
election four times, a task no
American had dared to attempt
even for the third. which kept con-
gress obedient and ever then, to-
ward the end. only falteringly.
Truman Reveals
His True Self
On this particular day Of which I
am speaking, l think we heard Tru-
man revealing his true self. He be-
lieves that the White House should
be enlarged. He resented the op-
position which he suspected was at
least in part personal and political
rather than the product Of sincere
conviction. I thought I heard that
in his voice.
But I also think I heard in his
words. a similar expression Of his
W philosophy. when he said that
he thought the present industrial
strife was a struggle for power be-
tween labor and management. In
other words that basically it was
not the demands of the men who
work for more pay nor was it an
objection on the part of industry to
pay higher wages, as much as it
was a pitch battle between labor
leaders and the top men in manage
ment to see which could beat the
other down.
To one who brags about being
middle-class. without even a drop of
blood Of an Irish king in his veins,
it sounded like good, sound (call it
stufy if you WANT middle-class re-
sentiment. Then the President add
ed that he thought that both labor
and management had too much
power and it vas time for the gov.
eminent to step in and assert the
power OF the people which govern.
ment is supposed to represent.
But when we asked the President
if and how the government was 60.
ing to assert itself to exert the POW.
er of the people" to settle the mess.
all he said was that he had done
all that he possibly could do.
He could have called out the
army and the navy. the national
guard. the FBI and the United
Marching and Social Clubs. and TAX
en- W the steel industry the next
day. But a step like that. which
was no more than the wave of a
tapering cigarette holder yesterday,
was n which no cautious middle.
class, middle-western. middle-of-the-
road American would like to take
except under duress. Il say that
as one such.)
And so congress, part Of it respond
ing to the pressure of management
and part of it under the pressure of
labor. iddles and 6libusters while
industry c~ontentedly lives off its fat,
labor on union funds or relief and
the people" with all their alleged
power wonder how long, oh Lord.
how long!