Evening star., 1948-06-10
Truman Hints Broadly
That He May Extend
Speaking Campaign
By Joseph A. Fox
Stor Stoff Correspondent

WITH PRESIDENT TRUMAN,
June 10.-President Truman con-
tinued today to pound away on
the twin themes of a big Demo-
cratic vote in November and
more money for water power
and flood control, as he stumped
through the Northwest.
Riding for miles by car and train
along the food-swollen waters OF
the Columbia River and its tribu-
taries, the President was conducting
his cross country speaking tour
against a background of disaster,
and he was pounding home at every
opportunity his argument that the
stay-at-home vote in 1916 elected
the Republican-controlled Eightieth
Congress-and that this particular
collection of legislators is cold to
the needs of the Pacific country.
Suggests Return Later.
Mr.. Truman punctuated his long
distance attack on Congress with
broad hint of a more extended
speaking campaign when things
warm up, and we get into politics" "
He joked with a trainside audi
ence at Everett last night about
this bipartisan, nonpolitical trip
of mine"
To audience after audience, in
trainside and other appearances, the
President suggested the possibility
of his return later to discuss the is
sues of the campaign.
At rear-platform stop late yes
terday at Wenatchee, where the Co.
lumbia rolls by over the tops of
small trees and through the lower
floors of riverside buildings, the
President accused Congress of Grip
pling his efforts to bring relief toI
the areas by cutting emergency
funds that normally would be used
for such purposes.
Will Turn on Heat.
Something new had been added,
too, as the President turned toward
Seattle, where he was promising to-
turn on the heat against Congress-
with renewed force today in the
third major speech of his trip which
started a week ago. He was bark
ening to the memory of Franklin
D. Roosevelt and what his prede-
cessor had accomplished in devel-
oping the natural resources OF the
land. The President is speaking at
t2:3O pm. Pacific daylight time,
$3.50 EDIT to the Washington State
Press Club.
Mr.. Truman told the Wenatchee
audience:
I'm going to discuss in detail the
problems facing us. I'm going to-
ask Congress to do something about
it or quit talking"
Effect Undetermined.
What effect the President is hav-
ing cannot be assayed at this state.
Gossip here is that the Democrats
face hard shedding for both State
and national tickets in the fall.
Henry Wallace will be running, and
he likewise has gubernatorlal
candidate, and what one veteran
political writer terms "a volatile
Communist movement" is expected
to draw enough ordinarily Demo-
cratic strength to put the COP
across in Washington, which last
voted for a Republican presidential
candidate in 1923.
President Truman's old Senate
friend, Gov. Mon Wallgren, who is
his host here, is seeking reelection
and is likely to be the Democratic
nominee. Former Gov. Arthur B.
Langlie shapes up as the Republican
candidate.
Advance reports from Seattle
were that the Presidents non
political" appearance before the
Washington State Press Club is be-
ing stage-managed by Republicans,
and the Democrats are correspond
ingly unhappy, as their brethren
in some of the other points visited
by Mr.. Truman have been, under
similar circumstances.
The President has had Democra-
tic company since he came into
the State yesterday, however. Gov.
Wallgren, Senator Magnuson and
Earl S. Coe, secretary of State, who
also is Democratic State chairman,
have been riding with him.
Will Stay With Governor.
The President had a busy day
Yesterday, starting about $50 in the
morning, when his train arrived in
Spokane, and ending around mid
night, when, with Mrs. Truman and
Margaret, he arrived at the Cover
nor's House in Olympia, where to-
night also will be spent. Between
times he travelled about 100 miles
by car and 260 by train.
On arriving at Spokane from