Evening star., 1948-07-28
Politics, More PoIitic,
Is Seen in Truman's
Congress Message
1t Would Tuke Months
To Tackle All Proposals
Made by President
By Dapid Laurence

consider the worst President in
American history" and the man who
called the Republican Congress the
worst Congress in history" have
now come face to face, and the
answer 10 politics and more poll
tics.
Mr.. Truman lost God-given
opportunity to reveal himself as q
President OF stature-far above the
iowly ways OF party politics. He
could have presented a persuasive
message on the essential needs of
the country, with a bill of particu-
lars. But instead he just made a
palpably political address-almost
unashamedly So
When the President made his
speech at the Democratic national
convention two weeks ago he said
that Congress could pass needed
legislation In about IS days and still
have time for campaigning. But
when Mr.. Truman talked to Con-
gress, the propaganda opportunities
apparently oyercame his better
judgment He made stump speech
for the record.
Would Take Months.
II Congress were to tackle all the
proposals made by the President, 1t
would be in session for months, not
Just weeks. Mr.. Truman failed to
point out either to the Democratic
national convention or to the Con-
gress that the 10th Congress, which
was controlled in both houses by
the Democratic Party, failed to pass
q housing bill and other important
measures for which Mr. Truman now
blames the Both Congress.
After detailing some Of his rec
concentrations on prices and hous-
ing, the President spoke of "otheI
problems of great moment and
urged that "if the Congress finds
time to enact any of them now, the
country will greatly beneflt-cer-
tainly the next Congress should
take them up Immediately"
Thereupon Mr.. Truman made q
political speech on what the pexl
Congress, which will be elected ir
November and begins in January
should do. He urged ,aactment ol
the following:
"A comprehensive health pro-
gram, based on health Insurance
a fair and sound labor management
relations LAWN place of the Taft
Hartley law which has proved tt
be unfair and unsound and whlcr
should be repealed; real long
range farm program; stronger
reciprocal trade agreement act,
universal training program; ma
tional science foundation; strength
ened anti trust laws; and approva
of the st. Lawrence waterwa!
treaty"
These are things which the Pres
ident knows are for political con
sumption. He admits they haV
little to do with the present Con
press. Yet he wonders why he ha
been so severely criticized for uSin
his high Office to advance his owl
personal ambitions. Politics can, o
course, be utilized to advance tn
interests OF the people. There woul'
have been nothing wrong in callin
an extra session If the President hat
any constructive program to of1el
But he called the session just to tr
to put his political opponents In
hole. His speech shows he ha
nothing really new to offer. He has
moreover, succeeded in estranglnI
members of the Democratic Party
so many of whom voted for the en-
actment of the Hartley bill
over his veto.
New Low In Politics.
Somehow or another the peopl
do not expect Presidents to us
presidential messages or persona
appearances before Congress +
make campaign speeches. No Pres
ident has ever done it in such ex
plicit terms, and it represents neS
low in modern politics.
The Republicans in Congress can
not be absolved from playing poll
tics. They, too, have avoided an
eVaded. But two wrongs do no
make right. Mr. Truman woul
have been better advised to haV
stated in a dignified way the re
qurements which were immediat
and to have requested Congress t
act expeditiouSly on them. A Pres
ident who diScards dignity lose
prestige inside and outside his ow
party.
Whatever advantage in the gam
OF politics there may have been i
calling an extra session has bee
erased by the emptiness of tn
Presidents message, its failure t
come to grips with essentials, an
its plain effort to use the extra
session speech as a sounding boar
for a campaign. Such an episod
IL to be deplored by persons in a
parties as tending to undermin
faith in the institutions of democ
racy at a time when men should b
rising above personal ambition t
strengthen the institutions of de
mocracy.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)