The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1949-02-05
A CONSPICUOUS HOUR

Even while these lines are being
written Harry Truman is being
sworn in as President of these U. S.
The world looks on in stunned
amazement. There are a thousand
reasons why Truman should not be
president. But there is only one, yes
only one, why he should be, and
that is, the nation found in him the
expression of something that is close
to it's heart!
At heart the nation is righteous
ly inclined and when Truman APP
peared on the scene last year as
candidate for the presidency. he cast
ly became the embodiment of a ma
TONS righteous hopes. He spoke the
language that satisfied the righteous
ambitions of a great people. Truman
dared to play an under-dog role in
the great American drama and he
dared to take the part of the under
dog in his struggle with privilege
and entrenched plutocracy. He dared
to be little David and arrayed him
self against the great Goliath of a
heavily financed republican party
and he failed the giant and came off
the lists, victor in one Of the nigh
test political struggles of history.
Truman won not because he was
burdened with learned degrees; not
because propitious circumstances
where hurtling him towards the
highest office this world affords, the
presidency of the u. S; he won be-
cause he espoused, an unpopular but
righteous cause and believed in him
self and his cause and the benefi.
cence of just God.
Here is a little man without a
college degree, in an age and in a
country where degrees are worship
ped as so many gods towering In
moral majesty. In other words in
country where degreeism has be-
come a mania, an undergrad humble
White man from Missouri rides the
crest of a popularity almost without
a parallel in this nations history.
It is true, Lincoln went from his
rail-splitting to the presidency; it IS
also true that Booker T. Washington
went from slave cabin to the Hall or
Fame. But these two greats lived
in a day when learning was not so
They lived before our nation ask
ed about the degrees first and chara-
cter next; before diplomas, k e
wares over the traders counter,
were auctioned to the highest bidder
before degree worship had become a
consuming passion to many millions.
Truman in spite of his degreeless-
ness has risen to one of the most
commanding eminences of history.
Nothing could be greater proof Of
our country's greatness than that it
looked over men of high degrees and
distinguished lineage and chose
Harry Truman to be its president.
10 IlOb AC<AA hCAb AV Ao nv
sensation as an orator; he makes no
claims to a blue-blooded antecedent
Truman is just a swell fellow and a
peoples man and as such he has
brought to this nation one Of its
most conspicuous hours Truman has
redeemed the faith of Millions Of lis
fellowmen in the ultimate triumph
of righteousness. a faith that is at
times shaken to its foundations.
In being president Of all the people
no one group need expect all its
hopes and dreams to materialize in
short order 1t is true he is the
spokesman for the nations liberal
elements; but it must not be forgot
ten that his opposition is not dead.
His road will be a rocky one and
Truman needs the prayers Of a ma
ton. The Dixiecrats are lying in
wait to ambush him. The old reac-