Evening star., 1948-11-07

Chances are President Truman won't seek
third term in 1852.
He's far more likely to use his newly-won
vote of confidence to help pick another Demo-
cratic candidate.
Long before last Tuesdays voting one Of Mr..
Truman's close associates said 1t was mil
lion-to-one bet" he wouldn't run again II
elected in his own right. The President will
be 6s in 1852.
The Truman victory may prove to have q
far deeper effect on the internal affairs Of both
big labor federations than meets the eye.
AFL President William Green was decidedly
pro-Truman. Some of his colleagues were par
tial to Dewey.
Had the Republican won, 75-year-old Green's
retirement might have been hastened. He may
still wish to step out at the AFL's national con-
vention this month after "a years in the job.
If he does, his successor doubtless will be
pro-Truman man. Outstanding among these
is George M. Harrison, head Of the Brother
hood of Railway and Steamship Clerks.
The fact that the Wallace Progressives
failed to knock Mr.. Truman out Of victory
may be factor in keeping left-wing unions
in the CIO.
Left-wing leaders supported Wallace despite
Official Truman Endorsement by CIO. If Wal
lace's campaign had aided the Republicans
materially. right-wing C1O leaders would have
demanded a showdown.
They still may, but the size Of the Truman
victory has softened anti-Wallace feeling
among more conservative CIO elements, who
are in the majority.
The labor organizations already are busy
popping up their members to vote right
Democratic, they mean) in the off-year con-
gressional elections Of 1850.
It's q good bet too, they will even CO.
operate q great deal more-posSibly amalga-
mating into single political-action group.
Labor often has split its vote. This year 1t
lined up against Taft-Hartley Act advocates
and now is quite impressed with what 1t can
do working together.
The House Un-American Activities Com
mittee probably will lose its role as page
one committee" Of Congress as Q result Of
Tuesdays balloting.
Representative Wood, Democrat, Of Georgia
is in line to resume his old post as chairman,
replacing Representative Thomas, Republican,
of New Jersey Wood is nothing like the
Snowman that Thomas is. The committee was
comparatively quiet under his direction in the
last Democratic Congress.
incidentally, defeat Of IS House members
may cost the Nation many thousands OF
dollars a year for many years-in pensions.
Congress voted itself into the Federal pension
plan in 1946 Former members are eligible
when they reach s2)
Farmers can expect Mr.. Truman and the
new Congress to strengthen farm commodity
price supports
It apparently was weakness in the present
program, enacted by the Republican Congress.
that put many normally Republican farm
belt States in the Truman column.
The Truman victory does not mean higher
farm prices. It probably does mean greater
effort to prevent farm price collapse than
could have been made under present laws
and conditions.
incidentally again: There's q piano-vocal
team in the administration now. The Presi-
dents q well-known pianist, Vice President
elect Barkley q lesser known bass singer. But If
they should get together they may have trouble
settling on q number. Mr.. Truman's favorttes
are Chopin and Mendelssohn selections Mr..
Barkley's is Wagon Wheels.~
Insiders expect housekeeping in the State
Department which will 60 far beyond re-
signations by Secretary Of State Marshall and
Undersecretary Lovett.
Already prepared is plan to line up po1ti-
cal, economic and intelligence operations ac-
cording to major world regions and put each
division under an Assistant Secretary Of State.
MFR. Truman may also consider some changes
in diplomatic personnel abroad. One replace
ment which seems certain will be for Ambas-
sador Walter Bedell Smith at Moscow.
Smith originally planned to come home
months ago. now is understood to be deter
mined to turn the arduous Soviet assignment
over to . new man.
Another change which has been rimored