Evening star., 1953-11-17
Truman Pleased at Response
To Talk Answering BrowneU :

Of his appointment to the None
tary Fund, would have tipped off
other persons that an investiga-
ton was under way, Mr.. Truman
added.
In a brief mention of COM
ments he made Immediately
after. Mr.. Brownell's Chicago
speech, Mr.. Truman admitted he
had been in error >in saying
White was fired when found to
be wrong" White resigned in
April, 1947. He died in August.
l948, a few days after denying
at a House Committee on IN
American Activities hearing that
he ever engaged in Communist
activities.
Although my recent off-hand
comment concerning his resigna-
ton was in error" Mr.. Truman
explained. "the fact is that he
was separated from Government
service promptly when the neces-
Sity for secrecy concerning the
intensive investigation by the
FBI came to an end"
Mr.. Truman's comparatively
mild comments on South Caro-
lima Gov. James F. ByrneS, who
was Secretary of State in 1916,
surprised many of his listeners.
1t was Gov. Byrnes who, follow
ing Mr.. Brownell's Chicago
speech. disclosed that he had dis
cussed the FBI report on White
with Mr.. Truman in February,
1916.
Report Delivered by Vaughan.
Mr.. Truman originally had
said he did not recall having
seen the report. He explained
last night. however, that
search of his files and talks with
some of his former associates in
dicated that an FBI report was
brought to his attention early
in February. 1916, by his military
aide, Mai. Gen. Harry H.
Vaughan.
Mr.. Truman related that he
sent the report Immediately to
the then Secretary of the Treas
ury Vinson and discussed the
~ q ftor 1x,ifIo NV Ui1oc0,1 nc xr,oll
as Mr.. Byrnes. After further
discussions between Mr.. Vinson
and Mr.. Clark, Mr.. Truman con-
tinued, "the conclusion was
reached that the appointment
would be allowed to take it's nor
NAL course"
Mr.. Truman added that 'the
final responsibility for this de-
cision. of course, was mine" The
former President added that
White, therefore, was kept in
the Fund post until he resigned
in 1947, but never was support
ed for the top managerial po-
Sition.
In a voice that seemed at
times to quaver, Mr.. Truman
spoke Of the late Chief Justice
WILSON'S patriotism and long
public service. He declared that
the wild imputations of disloy-
atty which Mr.. Brownell has
made" were aimed at Mr.. Vinson
no less than at him. He said he
ueeply resented "these coWardly
lIlSlnuations against one who is
| dead"
Stresses Failure to Indict.
While not celebrating on de-
tails Of the FBI reports concern
ing White, Mr.. Truman observed
that the White case was pre-
sented to a Federal grand jury
in New York but Mr.. White was
not indicted. The same grand
jury, Mr.. Truman said, did indict
top leaders of the Communist
Party in the United States.
Mr.. Truman began his speech
by outlining the reasons he had
refused to testify by subpoena
before the House Committee on
Un-American Activities last week.
He said some friends and asso-
ciates suggested that he do so
and he admitted that it was an
appealing suggestion.
But he declined, he said, be-
cause "if 1 had done it I would
have been party with the COM
mittee to an action which would
have undermined the conStitu-
tional position of the office of
President of the United States.
Although denouncing what he
called Mr.. Brownell's "sorid, de-
liberate and unprecedented at
tack on the loyalty of a former
President" Mr.. Truman re-
marked that the incident might
eventually prove to be a blessing
in disguise if he will serve to
alert the people to the terrible
danger that our Nation and each
citizen faces"