Evening star., 1947-10-18
Truman Error Raises
Democrats Fears Of
Losing t94S Issues
Bad Statistical Mistoke
Made by President on
Normal Grain Exports
By Doris Fieeson

Reporters at Thursdays White
House press conference noted Presi-
dent Truman's airy dismissal of price
control and rationing as police
state methods" and promptly re-
duced Senator Taft to second place
in the foot-in-mouth derby.
With 4 chivalry not toa often
extended talkative politicians they
had given the President several
chances to take shelter but he OBJ
stinately refused. Yes, he meant
OPA, rent control, etc. He rated
them as police-state stuff justified
only by an emergency-a word he
has rather freely applied to the
save-food crisis which had prompted
the whole line of questioning.
Such an invitation to the Repub-
licans to chortle that he was taking
the words out of their mouths will
probably not be too sternly resisted.
It represents an acute headache to
Democratic politicos who have been
building up as sacred shibboleths the
lost controls which the Republicans
opposed.
Issue Of High Prices.
In casting about for '48 issues
the Democrats have figured that the
high-price issue, at least, is all
theirs. Their story is that the Re
publican Congress cut controls too
much and too soon-the part played
by conservative Democrats is natu-
rally ignored. However, Senator Taft
himself has displayed some fear of
this as an issue in repeated careful
attempts to prove that Mr.. Truman
by various mistakes had already
made effective control impossible.
Headlines on the Presidents desk
as he spoke showed Mayor ODwyer
of New York calling for return of
price controls and rationing. The
CTO convention this week did the
same. So did the anti Communist
liberals Of the party-the Americans
for Democratic Action.
The President went on to make
an important statistical mistake by
contending that we normally export
one third of our grain. This, ac-
cording to the Agriculture Depart
ment, is incorrect; we have rarely
done so.
One slip or two does not make a
debacle, but Democrats, remember
ing the sad summer of '46 when the
President seemed continually to be
explaining and correcting, are ex-
tremely sensitive to the White
House climate. Mr.. Truman's popu-
larity sank to an all-time low then;
his party reacts like a needed
thoroughbred when he shows any
similar signs Of confusion and in
eptitude.
Story Of Food Program.
Members of his Citizens Food
Committee will take the presiden-
tial impulsiveness in their stride
they've had it. Only now is the
entire story being told Of the cur
rent program which Is arousing
such controversy.
The meatless, poultryless days
were put up to the committee at
its first meeting. The committee
said no, to S, with many uncon-
vinced members abstaining. They
dispersed and over the weekend
their telephones began to ring
Chairman Luckman explained
apologetically that the President in
sisted on this program for an
nouncement Sunday night, would
they please vote again and yes, if
possible. Most Of them, sympathiz-
ing with the chairman, said yes
This weeks conclave opened with
Mr.. Luckman's apologies to those
members he had failed to reach and
who were presumably trifle aston
ished to discover the program they
had vetoed being put into action.
Nobody made point of it, however.
The 60-day shutdown of the dis
tilleries was also done at Mr.. Tru-
mans insistence. Members of the
committee felt the distillers had
. case in wanting to spread the pro-
gram over q longer period so they
would not have to shut up shop. No,
said Mr.. Truman-60 days.
(Released By the Bell Syndicate Incl