Paper Ghost?

When he rose unhurriedly to his feet in the Oval Room, Harry Truman told his weekly press conference that he had none of the usual announcements to make. Then the questions began.

What about the Supreme Court appointments? No comment, the President said. Could the President give a slight hint? No comment. Could the President say when he would act? No.

There was nothing unusual, he answered, about his phone conversation with Secretary Byrnes in Paris. He had never heard of a Cabinet meeting to discuss the French loan. What did the Cabinet discuss? That was none of the questioner's business.

He had nothing further to say on the Palestine situation. Had the President considered a date for the end of the war emergency? Yes. Could he tell anything? No. After 16 minutes of this, the conference was over.

All week, however, written statements had ground out of the White House mill on meat controls, surplus property, traffic safety, diplomatic missions, water development. White House reporters, inundated with handouts, thought they saw the paper ghost of another era--the White House spokesman.

Last week the President:

P: Signed the Tydings bill providing $525 million for Philippine reconstruction and the Bell bill allowing quotas of major Philippine products to enter the U.S. under preferential duties for 28 years after July 4

P: Also signed bills to: 1) give veterans first call of war surpluses of s mall trucks, typewriters, tractors, plows and other selected, Government-owned items; and 2) appropriate $330 million for Army flood control and waterway projects.

P: Terminated the Petroleum Administration for War by executive order, effective May 8.

P: Asked Steelman Myron C. Taylor to return to Rome as presidential representative to the Vatican, with the rank of ambassador.

P: Agreed to accept an honorary degree from George Washington University when Daughter Margaret graduates May 29.

P: Asked Congress to continue RFC beyond next Jan. 22.

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