President Truman

While fat Sunday newspapers were already on the streets with advance texts of his Jackson Day speech, President Truman boldly stepped forth and, reading from notes, announced that he would not run again for President. He did so dramatically, forcefully, explicitly. And while Truman is too contemporary, and his actions are often too partisan to open themselves to impartial scrutiny and evaluation, certain things are quite clear.

From the day he entered the White House and announced that "the whole weight of the moon and stars and all the planets fell on me," he has been attacked, criticized, and ridiculed. He has had unfortunate incidents with members of his administration, and he has not been able to get important legislation through Congress.

But throughout the tumultuous post-war years, periods that have baffled and frustrated other qualified presidents, Truman has developed into a well-intentioned, liberal, and capable leader. In foreign policy particularly Truman has proven himself.

He has managed to keep in check -- and thereby lessen the danger of -- Communist expansion. He has done this primarily through the United Nations. But he has also strenghtened the free world by acts of his own. For example there is the Truman Doctrine, the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, Economic Cooperation Administration, and the North Atlantic Treaty. His direct intervention in Korea, although badly timed, was his most potent warning to Russia. And when he dismissed General MacArthur, he reaffirmed civilian control of the military and at the same time reestablished the prestige of the United Nations.

Although his domestic policy has been less successful, existing international tensions forced him to devote most of his early administration years to foreign affairs. During his seven years, he has bravely and stubbonly clung to his demand for a Civil Rights program. He has refused to compromise. Perhaps politically this will prove regrettable since Civil Rights is a complex and sensitive issue; it cannot be enacted overnight. If he played the game of give and take, he might have pushed some domestic legislation through; now he has none.

The issue of corruption in the Truman Administration has been used as a symbol of the moral decay of government. Much over-exaggerated, it is hardly the monster that certain campaign speeches have made it out to be. But what corruption does exist Truman has failed to handle swiftly or competently. His attempts to clean up the government, such as by appointing Newbold Morris, have ended in dismal failure.

Nevertheless, he has grasped and acted on many of the more serious economic problems facing the government and the nation. He has handled the post-war unemployment problem effectively. By maintaining high taxes, he has kept down inflation; and at the same time, taxes have not been so high as to discourage production of consumer goods.

To his friends he has shown remarkable devotion. He has stood by the architect of much of his foreign policy, Dean Acheson, despite the irresponsible attacks by many members of Congress. This loyalty has not always been fortunate, however, as he has retained many of his cronies whose presence has hardly served the cause of honest and efficient government.

If the primary results, recorded before his decision not to run, are any indication, President Truman's popularity has dwindled considerably. Many will probably sigh with relief when he returns to Missouri and hope that the nation gets a man who acts the part of a national leader. But if Truman's overall achievements, and in particular his foreign policy, are weighed against his personal shortcomings, it will be clear that for the last seven years the country has had an able President.