Evening star., 1953-01-21
By james Y. Newton

I
A smallish, white haired mar
with a big smile and a lot o1
memories was on the last lar
of his trip home today. there tG
start life anew as "Just plain
Harry S. Truman.
And one of the. warmer mem
ories to Mr.. Truman must be
the rousing send-off given him
as his train pulled out of Union
Station at 6:36 last night. Thou
sands, from all walks of life
were there to shout farewell to
the man who had just completed
18 years in the service of his
country. first as Senator, then a
brief stint as Vice President
and. finally, eight years in the
toughest job of all, the Presi-
dency.
From All Walks of Life.
There were clerks, GIs and
housewives in the singing, yell
ing crowd that all but mobbed
Mr.. Truman's train. There were
justices of the Supreme Court,
members of Congress. ex-Cab-
met officers, generals and am
bassadors. He shook hands
with scores before his train be-
gan the slow glide out of the
station and disappeared, with
Mr.. and Mrs. Truman still smil-
ing and waving from the rear
platform.
The large, milling send -off
crowd, estimated at more than
5000. held up the loading of the
train}and delayed departure sew
eral minutes. Afterward, at
tendantS had to use the loud
speaker system to inform hun
dredS that Mr.. Truman had left
and to clear the station so nor
NAL operations could be re-
Sumed.
"I'll never forget this if I live
to be hundred" Mr.. Truman
told his well-wishers. And that
is what I expect to do"
| At another point in the cere-
mony, he said that in a lone
political career. this is the first
time I ever had the experience
of being sent home in a blaze OF
glory"
The crowd sang Aud Lang
Syne" and Hes a Jolly Coco
Fellow A placard informed
the ex-President that We're
Still Wild About Harry"
Mrs. Truman and Margaret
came in for their share of at
tention, too. Mrs. Truman, who
has never been particularly
happy in the White House, was
radiant.
In the crowd, many of Mr.
Truman'S closest friends anC
advisers were quietly reminiscine
and telling friends of theil
feeling toward the man from
Missouri. One of them was
former Secretary of State
Acheson, whom Mr.. Truman
steadfastly had defended ovel
the years.
"A great boss, a great patriot
and wonderful man is goins
away tonight" Mr.. Achesor
quietly told the man next tt
him. There never will be an.
other like him. He's the best"
Mr.. Acheson. incidentally, hac
difficulty getting through the
gate to the train. A GUARD
barred him He said that finally
"a porter used his influence tc
get me in" He was applaudeo
loudly when he stepped onto
the train to shake the Presi-
dents hand.
Mr.. Truman seemed healthy
and happy. He showed no emo
ton. although he undoubtedly
felt it. But there was many 1
damp eye among those seeing
him off to independence.
Gift from d. c. Democrats.
District Com issioner F.
Joseph Donohue opened the
back platform ceremony by tell.
ing Mr.. Truman. among other
things, that "the little people
all over the world have lost theil
best friend" He gave the ex.
President an engraved plaque
gift of the District Democratic
Central Committee.
There were other gifts, mostly
floral, including large bouquet
of roses from Mrs. Nicholas Dc
Rachat. an "admirer" of Mr.
Truman. and Mrs. Wallace Ora.
ham. the wife of Maj. Gen. Ora.
ham, the White House physician
Chief Justice Vinson was ther,
to see his old friend off. So wer'
Associate Justices Tom c. Clarl
and Sherman Minton, and Aver.
ell Hartman, who held man!
high posts in the Fair Deal.
Just about the whole Truman
Cabinet was on hand. Congress;
and the Democratic Nationa
Committee were well repre-
Sented.
In the course of his last 3!
minutes in Washington, Mr.. Tru
man took as many curtain
calls" as an opera star.