Interruptions

President Truman thought that he had only a little news for his press conference last week. Most of his week's work had concerned the strike and price problems (see below) which he hoped could be solved before his scheduled visit with Winston Churchill* in Florida. But the conference made some headline news anyway.

A reporter had come primed with a question about the Inter-American defense treaty and Argentina. He began it: "Do you support the State Department policy of--" Harry Truman leaned forward, interrupted. Said he: the State Department has no policy unless he supports it. Then, smiling, he asked the newsman to complete his question. Midsentence, the President interrupted again. His tone was briskly emphatic: whatever the State Department's policy on Argentina, it would have his support--or it would not be a policy.

Many a newsman believed that Harry Truman had given public evidence of a long-reported chilling in his relations with Secretary of State James F. Byrnes. Next day Jimmy Byrnes was just as emphatic that there had been no rift. Said he: "No man as Secretary of State could ever have more complete support from the President than I have had."

More Bad News. The President had a heavy list of engagements. He sent his recommendation for an initial $3,750,000,000 British loan to Congress, found its introduction blocked in the filibustering Senate. He read that his Gallup poll popularity rating had slipped in two months from 75% to 63%.

His troubles on Capitol Hill increased. The House, by overwhelming votes, bypassed his labor fact-finding bill and overrode his opposition to a bill returning the U.S. Employment Service to the states. Finally, Harry Truman decided to do something about the White House-Congress impasse. Listening to advice from Postmaster General Robert Hannegan, he delegated Hannegan to form a team of expediters to try and get one measure at a time through Congress.

Harry Truman seemed glad for the interruption in routine when a cluster of Hollywood and radio stars, helping out the Infantile Paralysis Fund campaign, dropped in for lunch. He cheerfully obeyed cameramen's shouted commands, had a long chat with bright-eyed Cinemoppet Margaret O'Brien.

*A sidelight to an earlier Truman-Churchill meeting was disclosed last week. At Potsdam the President gave a dinner for Churchill and Joseph Stalin, arranged for Pianist Eugene List to present a Chopin recital. Winston Churchill listened glumly for an hour, then said: "Mr. President, why don't you go home? I can't stand this noise much longer, and we can't leave until you do." Recalling the incident, Harry Truman related: "But I was enjoying the music. And we kept Churchill on the hot seat another hour."

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