Evening star., 1949-04-17

policy. This is due, in large part
to the stout advocacy Of leadint
Republicans Of the bipartisan-o
nonpartisan-approach to th'
country's foreign relations. But u
Mr.. Truman will go great acclaim
and properly so, If during his ad'
ministration his policies result II
peace-protracted peace. TIT
Truman doctrine" which basical'
ly has been the preservation OF th'
Western democracies from Com
munistic Russia's domination. ma!
60 down in history alongside O
the Monroe Doctrine. as grea
factor for peace.
Already Congress has agreed u
the Presidents Recommendation
for authorization to spend $5.5oO,'
600 600 to continue the European
Recovery Program. Efforts to GU
down the total were turned bacf
by large votes in both the Senate
and the House. And while there
is talk of slicing these funds IN the
actual appropriations which mus
follow, there is definite assurance
that the recovery program Will &c
forward. The North Atlantic Sc
curity treaty, which has now beer
sent to the Senate, is a bold stroke
designed to convince Soviet Russls
that the United States will not si'
by and see Europe overrun. Here
again, the President is expected te
win a victory, with strong Senate
approval of the treaty. A fight nal
been promised over proposals N
help Europe rearrn, a fight still ir
the making, but that the Congress
will do nothing to implement the
security pact when the time arrives
seems at this stage incredible.
Of to Bad Start
When the President returned TO
Washington from his Florida va
cation three weeks ago the Con-
eress had dealt him several blows
First. the administrations enort
to have the Senate rules changed
so as to curtail fllibusters ano
make certain adoption OF at least
part of his civil rights program
had failed. Second. the House
had taken a crack at the admin
ietra tion rent-control bill by pro-
viding an amendment which would
permit States and municipalities
to end control. Third, the Senate
Armed Services Committee had
pigeonholed the nomination Oh
former Gov. Mon Wallgren OF
Washington, a great personal
friend of the President, to be
chairman of the National Security
Resources Board. Things seemed
to be going from bad to worse.
The President Cancelled all out
of-town engagements and an
nounced he would stick to his Joo
here. Obviously, he determined to
work personally at the task OF
bringing his Democratic Congress
back into line with the admins
tration and its policies as far as
possible.
Many conferences have been
held. The President has declared
himself certain that his program
was progressing and would pro-
gress satisfactorily. When the
rent-control bill was finally passed
and sent to him, MIR. Truman
praised it-although it was fal
from the control bill which he hao
at first advocated. But 1t was
something.
The Chief Executive Is friendly
likable and the possessor OF ar
engaging frankness. It looks as
though he has returned to a more
pacific way of dealing with mem
bers of Congress. Just before ne
left for his Florida trip he deliv-
cred q fighting speech at the JEFF
ferson-Jackson dinner here In
which he intimated that If Con-
gress did not carry forward his
program, he. the President, would
60 to the country and campaign
against the recalcitrantS.
Visits the Senate
If the President still has any
thing like that in mind, he's
not saying anything about 1t now.
His visit to the Capitol April IL,
the fourth anniversary Of Mr.,
Truman's swearing in as Presi-
dent. on the death Of the late
Franklin D. Roosevelt, showed a
vastly different attitude.
He went in answer to an invita-
ton to lunch with the members
of the Senate-all the members,
Republicans as we'll as Demo-
Gratis. He took it in his stride,
genially and improved his per-
sonal relations with that body
He went from the lunch into
the Senate itself and made .
brief and appealing speech, ir
which he described the events
which led up to his taking the
oath of office as President. II
was a friendly. simple statemen,
and was accorded great applause
as the Congressional Record re-
corded.
Beginning with a statement that
he highly appreciated the kind.
ness and cordiality Of the Senate
the legislative body to which
have been closest In my life
the President said:
"I was asked to come to the
Capitol for lunch with the SEN
ate. ! had lunch with the whole
Senate. and 1t was q good lunch
I had q chance to meet and tall
to nearly every member OF the
Senate, q privilege which I very
highly appreciate.
"The reason for this invitation
was the fact that In 1945 ! wa
presiding over the Senate as Vic
President Of the United States
On April IL, 1945, the Senate
adjourned at s o'clock. and ! hae