Evening star., 1950-05-14

s ago, and again this time, see nc
gestive of the old saying about
keeping quiet on the subject Of
rope in the house Of a man who
has been hanged.
/ The President, in a thinly dis
guiShed admonition to his party
to get going on key issues, has
promised to spread the record o1
the 81st before the country, when
its books are closed. but he has
also offered to bet that the total
achievements will be high.
Report to the People
Mr.. Truman refers to the new
approach in telling his story as a
report to the people-such as the
head of any good corporation
makes once a year." and expand
ing on that theme, he points out
that the Constitution requires him
to report annually to Congress on
the state of the Union, and adds
that he is just doing the same
thing in respect to the citizens OF
the Nation. He always gets q
laugh by announcing that he is
not "politicking'' now.
This course of action accom-
plishes two things. It enables Mr.
Truman to repeat the long range
aims of the Fair Deal, book, chap
ter and verse. And in this process
the" cracker-box style talks Mr.
Truman has had with the thou.
sands along his route. have en-.
abled him to personalize the presi.
dental Office to an unusual degree
When he gets before grassroor
audiences, he talks language
: they understand about the thing.
! that are closest to their daily lives
His ovna background embroider.
the recital. -
Family History Helpful
Sure, he knows all about thu
, problems of the farmers-camt
J from a farming family.
The hardships of the pioneer.
in the one-time waste lands Of
the Far West which water is turn.
ing into a garden spot, is an ole
story.
Grandfather Solomon Young
one of the founders of the Tru-
man family, ran a wagon train
from Westport-now Kansas City
to Salt Lake.
used to take him three months
to make the trip. I did it the last
time in three hours in that bic
plane" ... - :
GraSShopper plaques?
Il remember my grandmother
telling about the time the grass
hoppers were so bad that they ate
everything-even ate the handles
off of the pitchforks."
That one naturally is recognized
for what it Is.
Credits Democrats
These whimsical Interpolation.
serve a good political purpose ir
addition to giving the President
an earthly contact with his hear.
ers. Whenever he starts com.
pairing the old with the new ht
doesn't fail to credit the advance.
to the last II years of Demo.
cratic rule. Nothing so Grass a.
party is mentioned-but everybody
who can count knows who ran the
Government before that.
The President has devoted sur.
prising amount of time to foreign
relations in the week he has beer
on the road.
Makes no difference whether h,
is discussing the Brannan farm
plan in the hog -and-corn country
of Iowa: waterpower in the sage.
brush; civil rights. labor. any
pressing domestic issue, he alway!
revertS to the same theme, tina
peace in the world will be possible
only if this country keeps every
segment of its economy strong
and maintains It's position of lead
ership.
He warns that the road to peace
will be long and hard, but II thinl
God is with U.S."
May Have 1882 Angle
While the Presidents trip os.
tensibly was designed to permit
him to dedicate Grand Coulet
Dam, in Washington. it was looked
upon generally as a prelude tt
the upcoming congressional cam.
, paigns. when the Democrats hope
to add strength in Senate anc
House to counteract Southern
defections.
) Now, observers are wondering
, if it may not have a bearing or
1852. Granting that the President
keeps his health-and just turned
, 66 he shapes up as first-ratt
, insurance risk-many who have
watched Mr.. Truman in action
{ are firmly convinced that he'll be
going to the country two year!
, hence with his peace and pros
. perity" for everybody everywhere
Associates say he won't discuss
; the matter.
He only laughs at occasiona
: public references to a third term
; But the Fair Deal program thai
he advocates would take a lonl
time to develop If it ever does
An old friend, commenting or
the chances of the President run.
ming again. remarked on thu
charges of socialism, regimenta-
ton and wild spending hurled al
u - u