Evening star., 1949-02-25
Truman May Become
Best Asset Of 6. @. p
70 Months. Hence
Confidence in Himself
Turned to q Cockiness
Amazing to Many
Bv David Laurence

President Truman may become
the best asset the Republican
Party has in the congressional
elections twenty months hence.
Mr.. Truman has developed the
idea that the election was an over
whelming victory for him. that
the people told him in effect to do
as he pleased and that minority
opinion can be brushed aside and
disregarded.
What used to be o wavering
confidence in himself has now ap-
parently turned to q cockiness. II
not arrogance, which is amazing
to many people in Washington
who never believed he would con-
tradict the impression Of humble
ness he gave when he first took
office.
The zest of the campaign and
the feeling that he alone was right
In assessing the trend of the elec-
ton last November-despite the
fact that it was really close con-
test-have tended to increase ma
terially the Presidents estimate
Of his own talents.
Repercussions Certain.
This is bound to have repercus-
sions on public policy. 1t is bound
also to reduce the prestige Of the
Democratic Party and make 1t
more difficult for Democratic Sen
ators and Representatives to win
elections unless they begin, as so
often happens in political history,
to show an independence Of the
executive.
It is an unwritten rule that
when a President grows weak with
public opinion, members OF his
party begin to strengthen them
selves by separating their course
from his.
How is Mr.. Truman hurting the
Democratic Party? 1t Is because
he Is ignoring the vast body OF
independent voters who cast their
ballots for him when they merely
preferred him to Gov. Dewey and
, preferred Democratic policies to
the Republican policies Of the last
Congress. To assume that the
huge farm vote gave Mr.. Truman
the right to say the whole people
demanded the repeal Of the Taft
Hartley Act, for instance-as he
declared in his Jackson Day
speech-is to arouse doubts which
can only be resolved in the next
congressional campaign, when the
farm districts can pass Judgment
on Mr.. Truman's policies./
Mr.. Truman is bound to become
weaker If he flies IN the face of
public opinion. Today public opin-
ion wants balanced labor man
agement law and not cne-sided
law. Today also the American
people want their President to be
dignif1ed and respectful.
The fact that Mr.. Truman did
not see fit to apologize for his
IS. o. B." remark and, indeed,
treated it lightly may mean, as he
evidently thinks. that the people
gave him a mandate to talk as
he pleased or do what he pleased.
But the repercussions Of that re-
mark will be felt for long, long
time unless somehow erased from
the record on Mr.. Truman's initia-
tive.
Due For Surprises.
The jackson Day speech was a
political address in every sense Of
the word. It hit Republicans
hard, and that is customary at
political DINNERS. The circum-
stances surrounding the banquets,
however, will not be lost on the
American people. When 5000 per-
sons-primarily in public Office or
In the legislative lobbies and pres
sure groups-put up 500 apiece
for the political campaign chest,
it is obvious that this isn't the
kind of money the so-called little
people" who presumably elected
Mr.. Truman have in their pockets
nowadays.
Why do these persons on the
Government payroll spend 500 a
plate for the Jackson Day din
ners? 1t is because this gets
around the law that prohibits any
solicitation for political contribu-
tions being made among Govern
ment employees. Congress in
tended that any such contribu-
tions must be voluntary" The
political committees keep track OF
those who buy or don't buy tickets,
Mr.. Truman's speech was in
radical vein. He apparently in
tends to hew to tie line of the
last campaign. He believes he
won by what he said in his
speeches and that his tactics will
hold the Democrats in line and
Illustrate the Republicans. He is
due for a lot of surprises from
inside his own party before the
present session of Congress is over.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)