Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-04
Truman Says His Aims
Will Stay Unchanged
After Leaving Office


President Truman'S aims will
remain unchanged when he leaves,
the presidency: He will still work.
to promote the peace Of the world
and the welfare of the American
people.
To a crowded news conference
late yesterday the President said
these twin detectives still consti-
tuted the goal he sought.
He will not try to follow in the
footsteps of John Quincy Adams
and Andrew johnson and return
to Congress.
Rather, he's going back home
to Independence-and he feels he
has lot Of work to do. This in
cludes writing and lecturing.
Not Tapping Any One.
And in passing, the President is
not tapping any one for the Office
he so dramatically renowned last
Saturday night.
The Presidents conference yes
terday was the first he had had
since announcing at the Jefferson
Jackson dinner that he would not
be a candidate for reelection,
and more than 260 reporters-a
record number-crowded into the
high-ceilinged room in the old
State Department building where
the President holds these weekly
sessions.
When the questioning got
around to politics, Mr.. Truman
was asked about a published re-
port that Maj. Gen. Harry H.
Vaughan, his Army aide, was
sounding out Democratic leaders
In Missouri about the chances of
his trying to regain his old Sen
ate seat.
Calls Paper Wrong.
The President said the st. Louis
Post Dispatch story was wrong;
that Gen. Vaughan had not done
that.
Asked then directly if he would
run for the Senate, the President
laughingly paraphrased his Sat-
urday night announcement to say
that he would not be a candidate
for the Senate from Missouri and
he added in response to another
question that the same thing
applied to the House.
A reporter drew a howl when
he wanted to know how the Pres
ident stood on the Humphrey bill
for the disposition of ex-Presi-
dents"
How are you going to dispose
Of them-dump them in the river?
the President laughed.
Voices Approval of Bill.
Then, seriously, he said that if
that was the bill to give former
Presidents the privilege Of the
floor to debate without vote, that
he favored it and always had.
He also favors it for former Vice
Presidents, he added.
The Humphrey bill would make
former Presidents Senators-at-
large, with all the perquisites of
Senators and the right to debate,
but without vote.
When the President ruled out
q Senate or House race, he was
asked what he intended to do
when he steps out in January,
and he said in some surprise, that
he was going back to Independ-
ence, saying that is home.
Then he told of his plans.
The President let it be known
that he is not backing-yet-for-
mer RFC Administrator w. Stuart
Symington, who is running for the
Senate in Missouri.
Denies Any Green Light.
To a questioner, the President
said that he hadn't given any one
a green light in the Missouri pri-
mary race. but he promised that
he would tell them for whom he
votes in the primary.
The seat now is held by Senator
KEN, Republican.
An effort to draw President
Truman out on the prospective
presidential candidacy of Gov.
Adali Stevenson of Illinois got
nowhere.
Declining to comment, the Presi-
dent reminded newsman that he
had already said that the Chicago
convention which will nominate
the candidate, is to be open.
On an earlier occasion, the
President said that Gov. Steven
son had had the best possible
training for the presidency as
chief executive of the big State.
Democrats generally have ex-
pressed approval of the Presidents
attitlIde m an oDeD convention