Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-03-31
Nj. Truman Steps Aside

The Presidents announcement that he viii
refuse to be candidate for reelection was
unequivocal and unexpected but not unwise.
In view Of the 1913 upset, there are good
grounds for taking political forecasts with
large grain OF salt. Nevertheless, it is hard to
believe that Mr. Truman could have won this
year against a strong Republican candidate.
His political stock certainly Is lower than 1t
was four years ago. One evidence Of this was
his defeat In the New Hampshire primary. And
there have been other indications, hardly less
significant.
AS candidate, Mr. Truman would have
labored under the resentments generated by
the domestic scandals In his administration.
In what might be considered his farewell
address to the party faithful at the Jefferson
jackson Day dinner he sought to minimize these
betrayals Of trust, and to picture himself as
one who hates corruption. That this self
portrait may be accurate does not alter the
fact that the exposure Of graft and dishonesty
among his Subordinates would have cost him
many votes on election day.
Mr. Truman, as candidate, would also
have had to carry the burden Of an unpopular
war In Korea. This Is not because the original
decision to stand against aggression there was
wrong. There are persuasive arguments that
the decision was right. But the fact remains
that after nearly two years Of bitter combat
we find ourselves in stalemate, with no end
In sight, and this is not the sort Of thing that
makes for votes on election day.
There are other factors that would have
initiated against Mr.. Truman as candidate.
High taxes, the disappointingly slow progress
in Western Europe, the charges of socialism and
Communist sympathies that have been lodged
against his administration Of these things,
wokl,n ko yai,,o
It may very well be that these matters,
seen in the perspective Of time, win have little
Importance. Mr.. Truman thinks that history
will vindicate his administration, and he may
be right in that belief Certainly no historian
is going to say that a crooked revenue collector
in st. Louis or questionable mink coat here
and there can weigh very heavily in the scales
against the great, and perhaps decisive, UNDER
takings Of the Truman administration.
It is not at all unreasonable to believe
that the seven years Of his tenure In Office have
witnessed the exercise Of q controlling influence
on our lives The struggle between world
which still knows large measure Of freedom
and the alternative Of spreading slavery has
been touch-and-go affair. The issue Is still
in doubt. But there would be very little doubt
had it not been for such bold ventures as the
Greco Turkish program, the Marshall plan,
the NATO project, and-yes-Korea At the
moment 1t is hard to see beyond our vexations
But the Judgment Of the future may well be
that these are the great achievements Of the
Truman administration, and that the other
things-the things which irritate us now and
which would Have cost him votes-were relatively
Of little Importance.
We are living Ii the present, however, not
In the future. And the question Of who Is to
succeed Mr.. Truman In the White House be-
comes q matter Of overriding Importance.
In the Democratic camp, the effect of the
Presidents withdrawal is to throw the race
wide open. Tomorrow's contest in Nebraska
between Senators Kefauver and Kerr assumes
added Importance, since this is the latter's first
test Of primary popularity. But the results in
that State will settle nothing, for the Democrats
seeing their incumbency threatened, will ponder
long and anxiously the vote-getting appeal Of
such figures as Governor Stevenson of Illinois,
Senator Russell of Georgia. or any combination
Of the party'S aSpirantS.
OF greater Importance is the effect Of the
Presidents withdrawal on the Republican OUT
look. Many of the Old Guard have thought that
they could win with anyone against Mr.. Truman.
But that expectation-or wiShful thought-haS
been rubbed out by the Presidents announce
ment. Now the COP must know that 1t
really needs winner. And this, on the basis
strengthen the candidacy Of General Eisenhower.
Certainly Senator Taft, II he runs poorly In
Wisconsin tomorrow, Is through.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Truman, who says that he
likes politics. can sit back and enjoy the show.
He has had his fun, and he has taken his share
Of the raps. He would be less than human Il
he did not feeisa certain sense Of relief at the
prospect of passing the burden on to someone
else who. strangely enough is eager 10 assume it.
Not to Be Tolerated
In telling Communist Poland to order its
embassy here to put an immediate end to the
issuance Of all publications except routine press
releases, the State Department has taken much
needed action against Consciousness and effron-
terry of the worst kind. It Is action, moreover,
that should be noted very carefully by every
other Red satellite with publicity outlets In our
country and the Kremlin should Of course