Evening star., 1953-01-17
The Political Mill
Trumon's Big Decisions
Demanded Courage
His Advice to Eisenhower
On Interviews Is Wise
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

by 6ould Lincoln
This is a time of good will President
Truman, who is retiring from Office, has
said so. Gen. Eisenhower, who is enter
ing the White House, reasonably hopes
it is so. Mr.. Truman has had to carry
a tremendous burden for almost eight
years. He has courageouSly accepted
responsibilities. Important decisions he
has made have been right. When he
took Office in 1945, as Chief Executive
and Commander in Chief, this country
was engaged in-and winning-desper-
ate wars in Europe and in the Far East.
1t was Mr.. Truman's decision that ex-
ploded the first atom bomb-and vir-
tually ended the war with Japan, with
a probable saving of many American
lives. 1t was Mr.. Truman's courageous
attitude that prevented one Nation
wide railroad strike. It was Mr.. Tru-
mans decision to go forward with the
Marshall Plan for the recovery Of
Europe. It was his decision, too, later
backed up by Congress-. to extend mill
tary aid to Greece and Turkey, in a
move to halt the onward rush of Com
munist aggression. And finally, it was
Mr.. Truman's decision to use armed
force to check Communist aggression
in Korea. These decisions vitally af-
fected the course of world history. None
more so than his quick answer to Red
war in Korea.
Advice for Eisenhower
In addition to his expressed hope for
success of the Eisenhower administra-
tion-a hope in which all Americans of
whatever political faith may concur
President Truman, at his final regular
press conference, gave the incoming
President good advice. He strongly
urged that the presidential press con-
ference be continued, as a regular prac-
tlce. 1t is incredible that any President
should seriously consider it's abandon
ment. And if these press conferences
are not to be used merely for propa-
ganda-the setting forth of the adj
minlStration'S point of view in the best
possible light-the reporters should be
permitted to question the Chief Execu-
tive. If some of the questions prove en-
barrassing. that will not be the fault
of the reporters.
For 20 years, the presidential press
conference has been an accepted prac-
tlce. The country has come to rely
upon the information it receives from
the reports of these conferences. Any
President of the United States is in
position to check frivolous question:
ing. Any President can safeguard the
country when dangerous questions are
submitted. A Republican President
who sought to put an end to this free
how OF nformation-from the highest
governmental Source-would immedi-
ately place himself and his administra-
ton in bad position. Particularly
would this be true in connection with
the press, whose job it is to keep the
people informed.
Can Meet the Press.
Gen. Eisenhower, as a candidate for
the presidential nomination and as the
presidential candidate, demonstrated
his ability to meet the press and to
reply to questioning. He can certainly
do so as President Not all of the press
may be expected to go along with any
President on all matters of public con-
Germ. 1t is to be expected that the
representatives of the press will there
fore ask questions that, to a President,
may seem hostile. But there is no rea-
son why those questions should not be
put. nor any good reason why they
should not be answered.
Happily, there has been no sugges-
ton from Gen. Eisenhower himself
that there is to be an end of the White
House press conferences From other
sources there have been proposals that
the method of handling press confer
ences be amended. For example. that
questions be submitted in writing some
time IN advance of a press conference.
1t would be a mistake, however, to place
a restriction on all immediate, oral
questions. A matter of importance
might easily arise between the time for
submitting written questions and the
hour OF the press conference Further,
one question on given subject may
well lead to other questions which
would tend to throw light on the whole
matter at issue.
No one can successfully charge that
President Truman sought to curtail
or restrict his press conferences. In fact,
he has adhered to the rule of free and
open questioning of the Chief Executive,
perhaps to greater extent than any
other occupant of the White House.