Leadership

In Calcutta recently, frenzied Hindus and Moslems were knifing and beating each other to death. In this crisis, a septuagenarian Indian decided not to eat. The effect of the decision was miraculous. Almost immediately the murdering ceased, and temporarily and locally, at least, one of India's abysmal problems was resolved. This week, the Indian, Mohandas Gandhi, was in New Delhi. He had stopped his fast; now he tried prayers and meditation.

U.S. citizens, of course, think this an odd way of getting things done. If President Truman, for instance, should declare that he would take nothing but water with a little bicarbonate of soda until the country behaved itself (i.e., acted as Mr. Truman thought it should), the U.S. public would not know what to think, or what to do about it. Last week, Mr. Truman was aboard the battleship Missouri (see The Presidency), eating very well. He was due back in the White House this week. And when he got there he would be confronted with problems as complicated, if not as intense, as India's. They were world problems which the U.S., almost alone, had to solve. But Americans could not be expected to act without some leadership.

Mr. Truman might supply it by an appeal to people's faith--Gandhi-fashion. Or he might try persuasion.

As he steamed north, Harry Truman could ponder the problems. While he was away, food prices had spiraled up to such heights (see BUSINESS) that the people were numb from just talking about them. Ever since the abolition of OPA, Harry Truman had tried to solve the price-wage question by issuing statements--an expedient sometimes called "government by incantation." Soon Harry Truman might have to take some action--although with Congress away from Washington, there might be little he could accomplish.

In Washington, there was increased clamor for a special session of Congress to consider more aid to Europe (see Foreign Relations). Harry Truman, still at sea, let it be known that he was not yet in favor of a special session. After all, it might be a perilous move. Unless the session were assured of success, it might be better not to call it. Not to hold it might be even more dangerous.

Beyond this, Harry Truman also had a somewhat personal problem. The 1948 presidential race was heating up, but all the steam so far was on the Republican side (see Political Notes). Harry Truman, who is not a master of stimulating interest in his own party, might soon have to reverse an earlier decision and follow Tom Dewey, Harold Stassen and Bob Taft around the country.

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