Evening star., 1954-10-17
By ihs Associated Press

By ths Assseiossd Press
KANSAS CITY. Oct. I6.-
Here 70 the tert OF former
President Harry S. Trumdn's
only scheduled 1854 campaign
speech:
This is the first public oppor-
tunity I've had to acknowledge
the kindness and thoughtfulness
Of so many people for their mes
sages to me during my recent
Illness.
Many messages still continue
to reach me at home and my
Office. Thank you very much.
wish it were possible for me
to answer every one Of you
personally.
Although my hospital expert
ence made it necessary for me
to be out of circulation for some
months, let me assure you that
I have not been out of touch
with public affairs. As mat
ter Of fact, I find it hard to
believe that any one with any
responsibility or understanding
of the times we live in could
remain aloof or detached from
the events of the day unless he
deliberately chooses to isolate
himself. There is no running
away for any Of us-whether we
are In greater need for our
leaders-whether in or out Of
office-to stand up and speak
to speak for themselves.
Must Have the Facts.
Certainly this is no time for
the advertising and high-pres-
sure selling techniques to take
the place of plain and honest
speaking in American politics.
What we must be given are the
facts and not mere slogans.
What we want is the truth and
not the catch phrases Of pro-
fessional writers, nor the Sec
ond-hand assurances of would
be SpokeSmen.
I have always spoken for my
self and never through a spokes-
man, so no one could miSunder-
stand my meaning or my reSpon-
sibility.
Some good people have writ
ten me suggesting that after al
most eight years in the White
House I ought to be a sort Of
elder statesman on a high and
mighty plane and say nothing
except the incest things.
They suggest that l speak soft
1y and not in what they call the
whistle-stop technique. I can't
60 along with that advice.
The whistle-stop technique is
the very heart of American po-
litical debate and political
frankness in this free country.
Again tonight I intend to be
myself and speak plainly on the
issues.
Members of the Republican
Party cannot hide either their
deeds or their broken promises
by the type Of propaganda that
cynically says: IF you lose your
Job, your farm or your business
it is just a dream or an H.
lusion."
Allies Lose Confidence.
The simple truth is that since
this Republican administration
has been in power it has shown
itself unable to establish party
responsibility and has also shown
It's incapacity to govern.
Let us see, for example, what
has happened to our foreign
policy. In less than 20 months
many of our friends and allies
have lost confidence in the sta
bility of American foreign policy.
This Is q very serious business.
Our own security and the peace
OF the world is jeopardized by a
diplomacy that is ever shifting.
Frenzied diplomacy has taken
the place of our former sure
footed. bipartisan foreign policy.
A chorus Of conflicting voices of
self appointed Republican
spokesmen has so confused our
friends and allies as to endanger
the friendly cooperation we
need to keep the free nations of
the world together and free.
And in less than 20 months
We have seen another tragic re-
versa1 here at home. Our tradi-
ton Of a Government serving the
interest of all the people has
been changed to a Government
influenced only by special inter-
ests, a Government which serves
those special interests.
If these were normal times,
and there were no serious threats