Evening star., 1952-03-18


Hume, the music critic, who hat
been harsh with o concert per
lformance by Miss Margaret Tru
man, the proud father penned hi
observations on the affair In retro
ISpect.
"a frustrated critic on tn
washington Post wrote q lous.
review" he recounts after describ
ing the concert as good one
I THE only thing, Gen. Marshal
said. he didn't criticize, was th'
lvarnish on the piano. He put m.
baby as low as he could and h,
made the young accompanist Iool
like q dub.
''It upset me and ! wrote hin
what I thought Of him. I told hin
that he was lower than Mr.. x ant
that was intended to be an insul
worse than a reflection on hi
ancestry. ! would never reflect OF
q mans mother. because mother
are not to be attacked. although
mine was.
"Well. I've had q grand tim,
this day. I've been accused Of put
ting my baby, who is the apple o
lmy eye, in a bad position. I dom
think that is so. She doesn'
either thank the Almighty"
Baruch Letter Included. {
Another controversial letter wa
that written to Bernard Baruci
in l948. when the New York finan
Icier turned down the President
request that he serve on thl
Democratic Finance COMMITTEES
for the campaign.
While the fact that the lettel
had been written was general,
known, 1t had never previously
been made public.
| Expressing his disappointment
at Mr.. Baruch's attitude, The
President said: "a great many
honors have passed your way
both to YOU and your family, and
lit seems when the going is tough
1T is a one-way. street. ! am sorry
that this Is So"
The Presidentpmentioned in q
postscript that the Ambassador to
the Netherlands-who was Mr.
Baruch's brother Herman - had
been designated to attend the
coronation Of Princess Juliana,
now Queen Of the Netherlands
Ambassador Baruch later was re-
lieved of his diplomatic post.
Macarthur Comment Brief.
Oddly enough a brief presiden-
tial note is the sole mention OF
the custer Of Gen. Macarthur as
Far Eastern commander.
On April 10, 1851. the day after
the general was relieved, Presi-
dent Truman wrote q friend:
II reached a decision yesterday
morning after much consideration
and consultation on the COM
|manding general in the Pacific
It will undoubtedly create q furor.
but under the circumstances
could do nothing else and still be
President of the United States.
Even the Chiefs Of Staff came to
the conclusion that civilian con-
troll of the military was at stake.
and I didn't let it stay at stake
very long"
The Presidents historic under
dog campaign for reelection iIl
1949 gets but scant notice, but
his observation on July Is that
year was prophetic:
"I am going to make a common
sense. Intellectually honest cam
|paign. It viii be q novelty and 1t
viii win"
"Contrariest Nah ip the Country" /"
The President reviews once
more his break into politics under
the sponsorship Of the Kansas
City Pendergasts, and he repeats
with satisfaction that the nation
ally famous Thomas j. Fender
gast, who for years was q power
in the Democratic Party. never
interfered with jackson County
Judge Harry Truman, whom he
had put in Office. (The Office is
akin. to commissioner.
Telling how he rejected the ap-
peal Of Pendergast friends to cut
In on lush road contracts. Mr..
Truman relates that Mr.. Pender-
gast, who was present, turned to
the others and said:
II told you that hes the con-
trariest man in the county. Get
out Of here"
Then. The account continues.
the boss turned to the Judge
and said: you carry out your
commitments to the voters"
The President is q strong be-
lever in participation In politics,
feeling it q patriotic duty that
encourages knowledge Of Govern
ment. He also thinks that the ma
tional election machinery needs
overhauling.
Backs Congress Term Limit.
An undated memorandum re-
ferring to the new constitutional
amendment limiting a President
to two terms says that it should
have gone further and limited
Senators and House members to
IA years In Office to prevent "fos-
|silization Of key committees" Un-
der the plan. House members
would serve four-year instead OF
two-year terms, and be elected Ia
presidential years.
Some months ago, a magazine
ARTICLE By Truman Biographer
Daniels attributed such an idea
TO the President. and drew a sharp
White House disclaimer Press
Secretary Joseph Short terming
the article ian entirely misleading
distortion Of q conversation to
Position for