Evening star., 1948-08-20
Truman Slap at Dewey
Injects Foreign Policy
Into Fall Campaign

Into Fall Campaign
The foreign policy issue is
edging into the presidential
campaign despite the efforts of
President Truman to confine the
fight to domestic questions.
The implied rebuke the President
administered yesterday to Gov
Thomas E. Dewey for urging restor-
alton to Italy Of her pre-war col
onies-Eritrea, Libya and Somali-
s1and-seemingly marks a definite
burning point. A spokesman for the
Republican presidential candidate
promptly responded to Mr.. Truman's s
news conference comment with the
declaration that the New York gov
.ernor considers 1t his solemn obli-
CATION to speak out on foreign af-
fairs.
He will do So" Paul E. Lockwood,
Dewey secretary, added.
O'Dwyer Urges Restoration.
The italian colonies, currently
under British military occupation
while the four big powers - the
United States, England, France and
Russia-debate their future, also
threaten to cause some disharmony
among the Democrats themselves,
for the Presidents dig at Gov.
Dewey came almost simultaneously
with statement by Mayor William
ODwyer of New York likewise urg-
ing that Italy get the territories
back.
Thus foreign policy becomes an
issue against the background of re-
peated statements by President
Truman praising the partisan
conduct of this Governments inter-
national affairs. and his often
reiterated assertion that politics
ends at the waters edge"-or
should.
Gov Dewey's proposal for res
toration of the colonies to Italy
under a United Nations trusteeship
was made at Albany early this week
to a group of visiting Italo-Ameri-
cans. 1t created something of stir
here in high political circles, for
1t was evident the plan bordered
closely on that brought by the
American representatives to the
London conference where the mat
ter is being threshed out with
Great Britain, France and Russia.
In political circles here 1t was felt
that Gov. Dewey was trying to
strengthen himself with the Italian
vote by making political use of in
formation obtained through opera
ton of the bipartisan foreign policy.
Puts Matter Up to Powers.
When the President was asked
about the Dewey suggestion yester-
day, he responded somewhat tartly
that the whole matter was before
the big powers and added that 1t
was one that either they or the U.
N. should settle, with the latter STEP
ping in in event of deadlock.
The question cannot be handled
politically in the United States, he
stressed.
Gov Dewey. who in the past has
had few words to say on the con-
duct of Americas foreign affairs,
came back quickly, through Mr..
Lockwood, who said:
AS a founder of the bi- partisan
: foreign policy lifting the creation OF
the United Nations above partisan
discussion, Gov. Dewey has con-
sistently sought united national
front in foreign affairs. He deeply
believes, however, that this should
not rest upon secret understandings,
but rather on the informed judg-
ment of the American people.
Solemn Obligation Seen.
In his opinion this puts upon him
q solemn obligation to lay fully and
frankly before the American people
his views on foreign affairs and the
steps he considers necessary in the
interests of the American People
and the peace of the world, and he
will do So"
Friends of Mr. Dewey said he re-
garded Mr.. Truman's comment as
an effort to minimize discussion of
foreign policy in the campaign.
Gov. Dewey. as Mr.. Lockwood's S
10 CT hn1 n
the bipartisan program. But he
is known to take the stand that
the Roosevelt and Truman admin
istrations have bungled the job.
The statement by Mayor O'Dwyer,
who was a party to the ditch Tru-
man" drive before the Democratic
National Convention. was directed
to II ProgreSso, Italian language
newspaper in New York City, which
has been conducting a campaign
for restoration of the Italian
colonies.
Truman Ready for Cruise.
Meanwhile, the President was
ready to pull out of the Capital on
the yacht Williamsburg this after
noon for a nine-day cruise in the
Chesapeake and Delaware Bay re-
glon, during which he hopes to relax
and make campaign plans.
On the trip, the President will get
a chance to map out his Labor Day
speeches in Michigan. where Detroit
and five other points will be covered.
While the Detroit speech will be his
first big bid for the labor vote, and
will likely tie in labor and living
costs, it is believed also that the
President will deal with agriculture
and displaced persons in Michigan
as stops at Lansing and Hamtramck
the latter a populous Polish suburb
of Detroit-provide ideal forums
for these two topics.
Taft Act Attacked.
The President nodded in the di-
rection of labor Yesterday with an
attack on the Taft-Hartley labor
law and National Chairman Nc
Grath followed this up last night
by saving the failures of the act
will plague the Dewey-Warren
ticket.
Senator McGraths statement was