Evening star., 1948-08-29
Truman Returns TODAY
Convinced Of Ability
To Defeat Dewey
By Joseph A. Fox
Stor Stoff Correspondent

WITH PRESIDENT TRUMAN.
Aug. 28.-The outstanding impress
sion left by this nine day "cruise to
nowhere" which President Truman
is winding up tomorrow afternoon
is that Mr.. Truman is convinced
firmly of his ability to turn back
the presidential challenge of Thomas
E. Dewey and is prepared to conduct
essentially street fight
to prove it.
Publicly, the President says what
he has always said:
He likes Gov. Dewey; he has high
regard for the New Yorker's running
mate, Gov. Warren of California.
whose views on conservation COIN
eide with his, and he is of no mind
to cross swords with people like
Senator Vandenberg of Michigan.
Sure He Can Make Case.
Even Senator Vandenberg recent
anti-Democratic sallies have not
brought the President to the point
of retorting in kind But along
with the velvet glove" approach
Mr.. Truman is satisfied that he can
make case before the American
people sufficiently strong to hold the
Democrats in power.
The record of the Eightieth Con-
gress, of course, is the keystone of
Mr.. Truman's attack and he had
made it rather clear recently that
he is not backing away from his
criticism of the espionage investiga-
tions on Capitol Hill.
The care with which Mr.. Truman
is approaching the campaign has
been demonstrated on his current
trip on the yacht Williamsburg,
which has taken him far north as
the Delaware River and south to
the Virginia Cape for q good view
OF Middle Atlantic inland water
ways.
The President is looking forward
to the campaign with a great deal of
zest," Presidential Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross reported today. 1T
Is going to be an extensive one, as
you know"
Mr.. Ross talked with reporters in
a visit aboard the press yacht Wan
derer, in which reporters have COW
cred the Chief Executives trip.
The cruise is due to end at 4 pm.
tomorrow when the Williamsburg
docks at Washington.
The campaign formally gets un-
derWay next week end when Mr.,
Truman goes into Michigan to ad-
dress a Labor Day celebration in
Detroit, in which both CIO and AFI
are joining. In addition to his ma jor
address in the automobile capital,
the President will revert to the back
platform technique of his westward
political swing a few weeks
ago and talk to audiences in
Lansing. Grand Rapids, Flint and
Pontiac also.
The polygot Michigan population
VIII provide an ideal forum for Mr..
Truman to discuss not only labor
as any Labor Day appearance will
entall-but also agriculture and dis
placed persons, two of the issues
which he has accused the COP of
evading
Still Drafting Speeches.
Naturally. living costs and hous-
ing will get their place in the Micfii-
gan program also. AS of now. the
President has proceeded so meticu-
lously that the speeches are only in
the early drafting stage.
Within a few days after the
Michigan trip, Mr.. Truman will be
on the move again. While there are
no definite plans, the next stop, it
seems probable, will be a atrip into
the rebellious South. The President.
1t has been indicated, wants to come
face to face with some of his Civil
Rights critics. He is anxious to do
thls early, and once he has an idea
how he stands in territory that
normally would be Democratic. he
can move on to more doubtful areas.
In the general work on his CAM
pal9n speeches, Mr.. Truman prob
ably will have the help of Judge
Samuel I. Rosenman of New York,
former presidential counsel. Judge
Rosenman, has put his services at
the Presidents disposal on an "if
and when needed" basis, and no
doubt will be called on from time
to time.
Whether any other old line new
dealers will be brought into the
Presidents campaign team is not
certain. In some instances, the
President nrnha hl1 uro1lld find IL