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170103914
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Newspaper Clippings, Florida Times-Union and New York Journal
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170103914
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document
title
Newspaper Clippings, Florida Times-Union and New York Journal
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collections
President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)
White House Files
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170103914
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3
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1948-02-03
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1948
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HE
FLORIDA
McLemore
Please
Saysread
TIMES-UNION. TACKSONVILLE, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY
By HENRY McLEMORE
3,
1948.
For the moment, Washington,
D. C., has forgotten the Marshall
Plan, the ERP, grain speculators,
the truce between the Dutch and
IN
THE N.YORK JOURNA AM ERICK The White
House
the Indonesian Republics, and
Henry Wallace's third party.
REVIEWING STAND
FEB.3.1948 Balcony
It cares only about President Tru-
By HENRY McLEMORE
man and his determination to build
nor the moment, Washington,
lobby of Independence Hall.
a balcony on the south portico of
burdens he carries, what is
D.C. has forgotten the
the White House.
To my way of thinking, that
wrong in him having it?
Marshall Plan, the ERP, grain
is silly. After all, the President
To me, the President of the
If you are interested in watching
speculators, the truce between
of the United States is a walking,
United States is a lot more im-
a tempest in a teapot, a cyclone in
the Dutch and the Indonesian
talking, living, breathing human
portant than the White House,
a coffee pot, or a hurricane in a
Republics and Henry Wallace's
being. He isn't a marble bust-
hot chocolate jug, come to Wash-
Who cares if the balcony breaks
third party.
something to be dusted off in the
the symmetry of the building,
ington now. I arrived here late yes-
It cares only about President
morning by a caretaker. Not only
or disturbs the late afternoon
terday, and one would think, from
Truman and his determination to
the furor that is being raised, that
that, he carries at this time the
shadows, if the man who is living
build a balcony on the south
the President was attempting to
heaviest burden of any man in
within has the symmetry of spirit
portico of the White House.
nationalize the railroads and the
the world. I believe most people
which will enable this country to
If you are interested in
package stores, restore the 100-hour
will agree with that.
lead the world to decency? Don't
watching a tempest in a tea-
week, take away the right of free
All right, as the leader of the
tell me that the White House, or
pot, a cyclone in a coffee pot,
speech and worship, legalize head-
world's greatest country, and
any other of our national build-
or a hurricane in a hot choco-
hunting, and build a skeet shooting
as the man whose shoulders
ings-treasure them as we may--
late jug, come to Washington
platform atop the Washington Monr
bear the heaviest of all re-
is more vital than the welfare of
now. I arrived here late yes-
ument.
sponsibilities, why shouldn't he
the President of the United States.
terday, and one would think,
Legislators who don't have the
have any little comfort he
from the furor that is being
After all, the White House was
time or inclination to worry about
wants? If a balcony on the
built for the President. The
raised, that the President was
the atom bomb are yelling bloody
attempting to nationalize the
south portico will give him a
President wasn't just an after-
murder and holding midnight cau-
railroads and the package
few minutes rest a day, will
thought so that there might be
ouses over the proposed balcony.
ease his heart and soul of the
a tenant.
stores, restore the 100-hour
Citizens who, up until now, have
week, take away the right of
ignored universal military training,
free speech and worship, legal-
the problems in Greece, and the in-
ize head-hunting, and build a
come tax, are writing thousands
skeet shooting platform atop
of Letters to the Editors, and all
the Washington Monument.
but holding torch parade demon-
Legislators who don't have the
strations against the President and
time or inclination to worry
his balcony plan.
about the atom bomb are yelling
Historians of a hundred years
bloody murder and holding mid-
hence are sure to get a laugh-or
night caucuses over the proposed
a shock - out of the behavior of
balcony.
Washington at this time, With the
Twice today I had to draw my
world poised for a dive into hell
sword cane on strangers when
and high water, the only thing they
they attacked me for defending
are vitally interested in is that
the President's right to build him-
Mr. Truman and his architect must
self a balcony if he wanted to.
not break up the classic lines of
Thrice was I challenged to duels
the White House.
by indignant taxpayers who, while
Twice today I had to draw my
meekly giving assent to the spend-
sword cane on strangers when they
ing of billions in Europe, slapped
attacked me for defending the
me across the face with gauntlets
President's right to build himself a
for suggesting that it was all right
balcony if he wanted to. Thrice
for the President to spend $15,000
was I challenged to duels by in-
for a place to sit and rock in the
dignant taxpayers who, while meek-
Summer.
ly giving assent to the spending of
The chief talking point of the
billions in Europe, slapped me
men and women who object to
across the face with gauntlets for
the balcony is that the White
suggesting that it was all right for
House is really not a house at
the President to spend $15,000 for
all, but a monument, and that
a place to sit and rock in the Sum-
to change it one iota would be
mer.
the same as adding a volleyball
The chief talking point of the
court to Mount Vernon's gra-
men and women who object to the
cious grounds, putting a three-
balcony is that the White House
pump gas station in front of
is really not a house at all, but a
Monticello, or installing a bat-
monument, and that to change it
tery of slot machines in the
one lota would be the same as add-
ing a volley ball court to Mount
Vernon's gracious grounds, putting
a three pump gas station in front
of Monticello, or installing a bat-
tery of slot machines in the lobby
of Independence Hall.
To my way of thinking, that is
silly, After all, the President of the
United States is a walking, talking,
living, breathing human being. He
isn't a marble bust - something to
be dusted off in the morning by a
caretaker. *Not only that, he car-
ries at this time the heaviest bur-
den of any man in the world. I
believe most people will agree with
that. All right, as the leader of
the world's greatest country, and
as the man whose shoulders bear
the heaviest of all responsibilities,
why shouldn't he have any little
\
comfort he wants? If a balcony on
the South portico will give him a
few minutes rest a day, will ease
his heart and soul of the burdens
he carries, what is wrong in him
having it.
To me, the President of the
Proservation Copy
United States is a lot more import-
ant than the White House. Who
cares if the balcony breaks the
symmetry of the building, or dis-
turbs the late afternoon shadows,
if the man who is living within has
the symmetry of spirit which will
enable this country to lead the
world to decency? Don't tell me
that the White House or any other
of our national buildings - treas-
ure them as we may - is more
vital than the welfare of the Pres-
ident of the United States.
After all, the White House was
built for the President. The Presi-
dent wasn't just an afterthought
TRUMAN
so that there might be a tenant.
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