Evening star., 1954-05-09
Truman
Continued from First Page

created fear and fear has been
played upon by persons who see
IN 1t an easy way to influence
votes. There is no dispute any
more that this unreasonable fear
exists. The leaders of both par
ties have acknowledged it.
Il hope and believe that we
will pass through this present
crisis successfully. 1 do not be-
lieve that the Congress will
succeed in taking over the func-
tions of the executive if the
President presents the problem
in its constitutional light.
Il have always maintained
that the internal security of the
executive branch was a matter
for the President to handle.
President Eisenhower in his first
state-of-the-U Union message an
nounced the same principle.
IF this administration under
his leadership will act upon this
principle, we can look forward
to the continuation of constitu-
t1onal government as our found
ing fathers intended it to be-"
Discusses Unwritten Powers.
Mr.. Truman devoted much of
his speech to his favorite topic,
the history of the Presidency.
leading up to a discussion of
the unwritten powers that have
grown up around the office.
He said one such power was
the leadership of political
party.
"Out of the struggle and tu-
multi of the political arena
new and different President
emerged-the man who led
political party to victory and re-
tanned in his hands the power
of party leadership.
THAT is" Mr.. Truman added,
"he retained it, like the sword
Excalibur, if he could wrest it
from the block and WELD it."
Another development, Mr.. Tru-
man said, was that when the
President ''came to be elected by
the whole people, he became re-
sponsible to the whole people"
and his duties covered "every
hope and fear Of his fellow cit
liens"
These powers which are not
explicitly written into the Con-
stitution are powers which no
President can pass on to his sue
ceSsor," Mr.. Truman said. "They
go only to him who can take
and use them.
1T is through the use of these
great powers that leadership
arises, events are moulded and
administrations take on their
character. Their use can make
a Jefferson or a Lincoln admin
istration; their non-use can
make Buchanan or a Grant
administration"
Not a FOolprOOf System.
Mr.. Truman said the Consti-
tuition makers, though their
work was brilliant and enduring
did not devise a foolproof sys-
TEN to protect us against the
disaster of weak government
that is. government unable to
face and reSolve-one way or an
other-pressing national prob
lens"
He said a certain amount of
conflict is a good thing, "if it
does not become conflict for its
own sake"
But, he added, "a successful
administration is one of strong
presidential leadership. Weak
leadership-or no leadership
produces failure, often disaster"
Today. Truman said. there is
q need for a combination of
words and action similar to that
of the late President Roosevelt
when he took Office.
He said Mr.. Roosevelt's words,
"the only thing we have to fear
is fear itself" rallied the Nation,
but would have had little effect
if President Roosevelt had not
backed them up by action (and
plunged into a vigorous course,
Striking at the depression on all
.fronts.
: "He backed his words by his
action" Mr.. Truman added. land
-words and action restored the
morale of the Nation"