Evening star., 1950-01-05
Truman Message Seen
As Attempt 10 Guess
Political Temper
Penned by Ghost Writers
With Eye on Election,
;. CoIumnist Asserts

. With Eye on Election,
. CoIumnist Asserts
By David Laurence
?. What President Truman read
to Congress as the "State of the
Union" message was not written
by him but assembled by ghost
writers from memoranda supplied
by the cabinet and group of
political advisers. It is significant,
Of course, that any group of men
should be able to write out what
they think President ought to
say. But. with the congressional
elections coming next autumn, the
political advisers are in the saddle
and hence the entire message can
be best understood if viewed as
an attempt to guess the political
temper of the people.
Naturally President can't say
the "State of the Union" is bad
or that the world is confused, be-
cause the people might then po-
litely ask why the administration,
In its wisdom. hasn't made things
better. So the outright claim is
made that the Estate of the
Union" is good, that recession S
threats have been met, that COM
munism has failed to gobble up
Europe, and that America is grow
ing in material strength.
p. It Is even hazarded that by the
year 1000 AID, incomes will be
much higher for everybody, though
there is nothing to indicate that
the Democrats hope to remain in
power from now until 1000 AID.
:, Effects of Too Many Cooks.
7r The message shows the effects
OF too many cooks. It has in it,
nevertheless, some pious express
sions about peace and the need
for stable economy so as to make
It impossible for communism to
conquer as a consequence of an
economic collapse in the United
States.
Broadly speaking, the President
has issued a campaign document.
1t is unrealistic to assume for a
moment that he thinks his recon-
mendations will be adopted in the
main. Also there is nothing in
the message to indicate that the
administration means to make any
serious attempt to stop the in
t1ationary trend that grows out
of unbalanced budgets and failure
to cut down the public debt.
: The President betrays anxiety
about the Republicans. He hopes
they will back his foreign policy
because. he says. it is, in his
opinion, good for the country.
Actually. being a politician him.
self, he knows there's political
dynamite in the bipartisan foreign
policy. He knows that a nation
that has an unbalanced budget
but keeps on spending to extremes
and maintains steady flow of
billions to the rest of the world
Is not in a sound position and, of
course. that the party In power is
politically vulnerable. It is i'm
portant for the Republicans to
keep quiet on these issues-impor-
tant. that is. for Mr.. Truman.
One would think that the Presi-
dent would not want to stir up the
fires Of partisanship. but he never
theless did as he repeated his
charge that the Federal deficit is
due to the reduction in taxes made
by the Republicans when in con-
troll Of the 80th Congress. He |
merely Is preparing the way for a |
similar charge later in the year
when the coalition Of Republicans
and Democrats prevents the pas
sage Of the higher taxes he soon
will recommend.
Some Increases Likely.
There will, of course, be some
increases in taxes voted by Con-
gress. The Democrats will try to
pursue the demagogic course of
penalizing large companies and
large earnings. The soothing
words about preserving the incen-
tives of business and stimulating
investment will be regarded by
the unjnitiated as a tendency to
take course closer to center than
heretofore. Actually, the admin
tstration Is getting ready to bring
in q program of tax relief for
small business and Government
credits and capital to subsidize or
assist weak competitors of large
business. in the hope of drawing
to the side of the Democrats this
autumn the small businessmen as
allies with labor and agriculture.
Hence, the Truman campaign
will be based on bills to curb
monopoly" and other measures
aimed at large business. None
of, these will get through, but
they afford ammunition for the
congressional campaign later in,
the year.
In adjusting tax rates. there
probably will be changes upward
In the corporation rates any,
where from the current mark Of
80 per cent to the so per cent line.
Small businesses. with earnings
of $4,000 to 100000. may get a
break by a lower tax rate.
The moment the tax bill Is
opened up, q food of amendments
viii be proposed and. in a political
year like this, many will get
through the House only to fail in
the Senate. The administrative
provisions Of the law, which have
for years needed Qualification, will
be revised, and this may turn out
to ttbe more important, to busi-
nAsses and individuals than the
changes In rates.