Evening star., 1951-01-18
Byrnes' Pleas for Action
Understood by People
Governor Unlikely to FIount
RoeioI Issue at Any Time
By Gould. Lincoln

By Gould. Lincoln
COLUMBIA, S. C-JameS F. Byrnes,
now the 18th Governor Of South Caro-
lima. has supplanted J. Strom Thur
mond, the Dixiecrat who carried four
of the States of the "Solid South" in the
1948 presidential race-and yet it is no
matter Of joy to President Harry 8.
Truman. For Mr.. Byrnes constitutes .
greater threat to President Truman's
welfare state program and to Mr.. Tru-
mans own future political ambitions.
The new Governor Of South Carolina.
man Of large and varied experience
in Government and of great ability, is
no demagogue. He has not and he will
not f1aunt the race issue as the begin
ming and the end of all issues. Indeed.
he is really earnest in his desire to aid
the Negro race, particularly in the South,
and to give them better educational
facilities and work opportunities. He Is.
however, strongly opposed to the Tru-
man program which places Negro and
white children in the same schools and
compels the hiring Of Negroes in some
cases, even ahead Of whites.
Backed BY People of State.
Governor Byrnes has just entered his
new Office with practically the unani-
nous backing Of the people of his
State. He was nominated for Governor
last summer with IS percent of the
total vote IN the Democratic primary
cast for him. A thing practically unheard
OF when there have been serious con-
tenders for a gubernatorial nomination
in this State. He had three opponents.
two OF whom had real grounds for
preferment Mr.. ByrneS, therefore, can
boast he was nominated and elected
Governor because the people were for
him, not just against Mr.. Truman. The
latter seems no more popular but rather
less popular than he was in this State
two years ago.
In his inaugural speech Gov. Byrnes
devoted most of his attention to foreign
affairs. He says, simply, that the inter-
national situation is in the mind and
heart of every citizen today-and that
goes for the people of South Carolina
as well as for those Of New York and
California. His approach to the foreign
policy OF this country was positive and
understandable cannot be said
of the present leadership in Washing
ton. The man on the street could un-
derstand and applaud his demand that
American troops be withdrawn from
Korea unless the United Nations brands
Red China an aggressor nation and per-
mits Gen. Douglas Macarthur to bomb
the Reds sources Of supplies in Man
churta-in other words to fight with
both hands instead Of having one tied
behind his back.
Pleas Are Understood.
The man on the street could under
stand, too. his plea for congressional
action approving such recommendations
as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme
commander Of the forces Of the North
Atlantic pact nations, may make for
sending more American troops and arms
to Europe. The man on the street has
faith in Gen. Eisenhower. He could
understand, too, the wisdom Of fighting
to prevent the control Of all Europe by
Communist Russia.
Gov. Byrnes Is for national unity.
arrived at openly and wholeheartedly-
instead OF the kind Of unity which
blindly comes from following an Ad-
mlnlstration which cannot relinquish
politics and partisan advantage. The
Presidents failure to understand k
manifest from his now reiterated de-
mands for his so-called Fair Deal meas.
ures, like the Brannan farm program
and compulsory health insurance and Q
Federal FEPC. These measures are
opposed by at least half Of the American
people and are like red rag to bull
in the South.
The South Carolina Governor has
warned Mr.. Truman. in his first public
statement as Governor, that Mr.. Tru-
man can destroy unity-or prevent it
by insisting on this program He has
been highly critical of the Truman Ad-
ministration. because it failed to re-
build American military strength as
fast it should-even after Korea. And
he thrust a dagger into fiabby Ad-
ministration because it has failed to put
into effect controls granted it by Con-
gress to stem the constant increase
in prices and wages and spiraling in
fation. .
Decidedly, this voice from the South is
going to make itself heard and felt.
Gov. Byrnes has already outlined pro-
gram of progress and improvement for
the State. His is the kind of leadership
which will appeal to Democrats all over
the South-in contrast to the South
be-damned attitude Of the Truman ad-
ministration.