Evening star., 1948-12-23
The Political Min
Congress Lines to Form
With Truman Message
White House Inner Circle Believes
President Will Deliver on Pledges
i, The Political Min
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
President Truman, when he goes before the
Eighty first Congress to deliver his state Of
the Union message on January 5, will be in
stronger position than at any time since the
+, early days Of 1945. when he stepped into the
shoes Of the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt He
will come to Democratic-controlled Congress.
which rode to victory along with him last
November. His influence, growing out Of that
election, should be tremendously strong. And.
indeed, those Of the Truman inner circle are
saying confidently that this will be the case.
Nor do they hesitate to predict that Mr.. Truman
will have the easy and cordial relations with
Congress so necessary If he Is to deliver on his
campaign pledges
Notwithstanding all this, much is likely to
depend, so far as his relations with Congress
are concerned, on the content and tenor Of
the state of the Union message. That the
message will have impact on the country and
the world goes without saying. In addition.
Mr.. Truman and his particular friends in
Congress, will have to decide whether they will
back an immediate fight to change the Rules
Committee Of the House and another fight to
do away with the Un-American Affairs Com
mittee.
Could Take Licking.
If Mr.. Truman's past statements and action
correctly paint his present feelings, he would
like very much to have the Rules Committee
brought into line with the Truman admins
tration-i. e., get rid Of the Southern Demo-
Gratis on that committee who will be in position
to hamstring some of his legislative proposals.
as they did in the Seventy ninth and Eightieth
Congresses. Back in 1916 he sought to purge
and succeeded-a Democratic member of the
Rules Committee, former Representative
Slaughter of Missouri, for that very reason.
Mr.. Truman has left no doubt in any ones
mind regarding his attitude toward the Un-
American Activities Committee, which has
constantly bobbed up to embarrass him-and
continues to do so.
It is entirely possible, however, that Mr..
Truman and his friends might take q licking
in such contests. And licking at the very
outset of the new session would be bad, both
from the publicity standpoint and because it
would mark Immediately the formation of an
anti-Truman coalition in the House.
The Truman campaign promises embrace,
too number of extremely controversial sub
jects. Here they are: l, the civil rights anti
segregation program; 2, repeal OF the Taft
Hartley labor law; 3, tax increases to provide
the necessary revenue for the new government
projects; 4, socialized medicine; S, Federal aid
for housing and Federal housing; 6, Federal
aid to education: 7, expanded social security
and the European Recovery Program. Several
of these WILL in all probability, be hard fought,
Notwithstanding a Truman claim that the
electorate has given a mandate for the enact
ment of legislation to put them into effect.
Lines to Form at Once
Much has been written about the probable
content Of the Truman state of the Union
message though its actual content has been q
closely guarded secret. Mr.. Truman since he
has been in the White House, and particularly
during the last campaign, has not pussy-footed.
1t may be expected, therefore, that he will say
quite clearly what he wants Congress to do.
And If he does, for example, demand what he
promised in the campaign-outright repeal Of
the Taft-Hartley Labor Act, the lines will start
forming without delay for the contest.
Doubtless the President is being pulled this
way and that by advisers on the civil rights
program There are those who remember that
80 electoral votes were denied President Truman
in nve States Of the solid South because Of
this program. Some Of them are wondering
whether it is wise, either from the short or
long range viewpoint, to insist on immediate
enactment Of this program into law. Yet 1t
might be construed as a sign Of weakness on
the Presidents part If he relented at all. Nor
will Mr.. Truman have easy sailing on the
proposal that the excess profits tax be restored
and individual incomes taxes be hiked.
Within a few months after Mr. Truman
took over in 1945 he fell on difficult days, in
his dealings with Congress. This time, how
ever, he will have the aid of the experienced
Vice President Barkley, who is expected to do
more than preside over the Senate, and Of
Sam Rayburn of Texas slated to hold the
Speakers position in the House. And last, but
by no means least, he will have Leslie L. Bifie,
= good trouble shooter in any mans language.