Show Whirligig Presidential Prevarication Ry By Ray nay Tucker President Truman's angry repudiations of news dispatches affecting domestic domes domes- t grave crave N tic and foreign for for- c. c eign problems have vC become so c chronic h r l' on i c cI fF that th they y deI deserve de der I discuss discus discus- serve seI I L. S ion sion i o n Bewildered Bewildered Bevil- Bevil dered readers m In may a y thereby obtain a clear clear- clears clearer s I- er understand understand- Mr i Tucker ing ng of events Indeed Mr 11 Truman's denials necessitate a brief brieC study of or the historical system of what is known at Washington as presidential presidential prevarication As this review re will attempt to show the Wh White te House technique of oC throwing down embarrassing newspaper reports did not originate originate with Harry S Truman although although although al al- al- al though he carries it to greater reater and stran stranger er lengths than most of oC his predecessors It is an old Washington ashington custom In fact the presidential prerogative prerogative prerogative pre pre- of oC indulging in ni white lies has been generally recognized Whenever the man in inthe inthe inthe the White House makes an inaccurate inaccurate inaccurate in in- accurate or reckless statement that may jeopardize national security or welfare his right to deny repudiate or recall the utterance utterance utterance ut ut- ut- ut terance is respected Accepted Blame lame Time and again the reporters have accepted the blame for presidential mistakes The nations nation's nations nation's na na- na tion's lions best interests are arc more important than their pride But when a c chi chief h i e c f executive constantly constantly con con- tries to cover up his own or 01 his subordinates' subordinates incapacities ties tics for personal or political reasons he surrenders his right to be protected from himself The American people have a greater right right namely namely full access access ac ac- ac cess to all the facts which deeply concern them such as asa asa asa a fire cease-fire order in Korea secret promises of excessive aid to foreign nations the lag lagin lagin lagin in rearmament production and the number of oC thieving collectors collectors tors of oC internal revenue T The Ii a relationship between Presidents and the press took tooka a new twist under Theodore Roosevelt RoosevelL Whenever T. T R. R wanted to ascertain national sentiment on one of his quirky ideas he leaked it to a few frendly correspondents Ananias Club They wrote their stories with the definite understanding that he would elect them as charter m me members e m b bels bel's e r s of an unofficial Ananias Club if public reaction reaction reaction tion to his notions proved pro ad ad- verse The club eventually had a large membership with T. T R. R as its most distinguished and honored member Poor Mr 11 Harding as a former former former for for- mer newspaperman resumed press conferences But he wasso wasso was wasso so weak and so uninformed that the press had to conceal his incompetency incompetency in- in competency even at their own expense Once for instance he told them that the peace treaty had given the United States sovereignty over certain strategic strategic strategic stra stra- islands in the Pacific actually awarded to Japan The horrified Charles Evans Hughes then secretary of state advised Harding of his error and the President denied that he had even mentioned the subject and the press took the rap quietly A red faced and waspish Calvin Calvin Cal Cal- vin Coolidge once insulted Jules t the then h e n the French ambassador for discussing discussing discussing dis dis- cussing war debts before a Washington wom women's ns n's club When hen his remarks were published published pub pub- Mr 11 Hu Hughes hes dashed across the street hatless to insist insist insist in in- on a retraction of this affront affront affront af af- af- af front to France Mr 11 Coolidge forced us to deny our noon stories in the late afternoon editions Herbert Hoover Too Herbert Hoover took ad advantage advantage adm m- m tage of this immunity On one occasion he ignored the late Hiram Johnson by failing to invite invite invite in in- vite him to a formal dinner for forthe forthe forthe the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee although his ancient ancient ancient an an- California foe was an influential influential in influential in- in member of that body When the story was published published published pub pub- Mr Hoover denied the snub His denial was technically technical technical- ly correct because at that very moment a White House secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary was sneaking through h Washington's back hack alleys to hand a belated invitation to Senator Johnson F D R u used ed us shamelessly I He lie reveled in misinforming and misleading us He h had d no compunction on denying tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow to to- morrow what he had said toda to to- da day I Mr 11 Truman's record is too I recent and well known to require require require re re- re- re quire repetition His repudiations repudiations repudiations range from his original defense of R F C revenue and justice violators of decency decency- all my men are honest honest to to his denunciation of reporters I in Korea II |