Evening star., 1946-09-21

aged 1t personally as he should not
have done-or at least have done
quietly-in such manner as to do
himself the maximum harm. The
harm of his dallying again with the
discredited Pendergast machine also
balances the defeat OF Slaughter.
For some reason Mr.. Hannegan
did not or could not manage this
affair for him.
When Mr.. Wallace back in June
began to kick over the traces On,
foreign policy, in cabinet discus
sions and private conversations with
the President, it was a danger sig
nal of the first magnitude.
Warning on Policy.
1t said stop. look, listen on foreign
policy itself at q crucial iuncture
And an election was impending.
But the President, it is now clear
was not particularly perturbed, not
even after he got the excellent Mr.
Wallace's letter which drew the is
sue SO clearly He made no effort
to bring Mr.. Wallace and Mr.. Byrnes
together He went of Yachting with
his cronies. George Allen and Harry
Vaughan and John Snyder, who
could not, even if he wanted to-
discuss intelligently the points raised
by Mr.. wallace and help Mr.. Tru-
man decide whether they merited
consideration. Mr.. Wallace was not
invited even for a day. Neither was
Mr.. Bernard M. Baruch, who might
have umpired admirably. Just the
boys.
During the days when Russian
policy was never more vital and Mr.
Byrnes was preparing in Paris the
orninous Stuttgart speech regarding
Germany, Mr.. Truman saw no one
who could read the portents in the
Wallace letter.
Mr.. Wallace got very glum From
his point of view he was talking to
himself. Realistically he knew sena-
tors Connally and Vandenbere. and
probably Mr.. Byrnes, didn't give a
damn what he thought. But they
were in Paris devising a set-tough-
with Russia policy Mr.. wallace was
sure wouldn't work.
Mr.. Wallace had confidence that
Mr.. Truman was not hostile to his
views, but he began to wonder how
much effect Truman was having In
Paris.
Hannegan Only Supporter.
Wallace's only cabinet support
Mr.. Hannegan, was junketine
around the world. He said he was
investigating postal rates. There
was no ranking politician available
with whom Mr. Wallace could con-
fer.
Over At the Democratic commit
tee the underlings were taking the
flood OF pivotal State requests for
Mr.. Wallace as campaign speaker
and were perfecting 15-State
transforming tour. They were very
cheerful. They were sure Mr.. Wal
lace would put over their doubtful
Senators and Representatives.
Speech No. on that itinerary was
the now famous Madison SQUARE
Garden address which the networks
ignored and for which PAC refused
to buy time. They said it was
routine.
Mr.. Wallace knew it wasn't. His
close friends and people in public
life deemed sympathetic all got a
crack at it. They were grave. But
Mr.. Wallace tucked copies under his
arms and went OF whistlins to the
White House.
He was crossing the Rubicon and
he was glad Of it. The Russian
policy was hardening at Paris into
a mold he thought catastrophe. He
was prepared TO resign If necessary
IN order to proclaim the views hi
was taking to Mr.. Truman.
An attempt has been made BY Mr.
Trumans friends-the President ha,
not tried to duck-to say that the
President had time to give the speech
only a cursory glance. The fact
is Mr.. Wallace took one copy, Mr.
Truman he other and they scanned
1t together Mr.. Wallace directed
ms attention to crucial spots, say
ing: IT'S rather warm here" etc
BESIDES Mr.. Truman already knew
py conversation. cabinet discussion
and letter that Mr.. Wallace differed
from Mr.. Byrnes.
Pleased at Approval.
Mr.. Truman said he approved
When Mr.. Wallace left the study
happily surprised, q representative
OF the Democratic National Com.
mittee was waiting to 70 in with ont