A Place in the Sun

Swinging his arms and sniffing the soft, springlike air, Harry Truman strode out on the White House portico and beamed admiringly down at the tough young men of the 82nd Airborne Division lined up beneath him. One from each state and territory, 52 in all, had come to meet the President. "It is a pleasure," he told the paratroopers, remembering that he had once gone up with the airborne people at Fort Bragg, N.C. "I didn't get to jump out," he confessed with real disappointment. "But I hope some day to do it." In his heel-kicking mood, Harry Truman was ready to take on anything.

Just the thought of his coming vacation at Key West and that bright Florida sunshine had brought him back to bubbling good humor. Brisk and smiling, he waded through a man-killing schedule, clearing his desk for the big day. He went on television with a plea for the Red Cross campaign, accepted a leather-bound manuscript on "How to Be Prepared" from three bright-eyed little Girl Scouts, saw a group of Negro leaders, shook hands with oldtime Socialist Norman Thomas, and brushed off his weekly press conference in 13 minutes with a record burst of no comments.

Picking up steam, he whisked over to Capitol Hill to present Alben Barkley with a gavel turned from wood used in the 1817 reconstruction of the White House. It was Barkley's 38th anniversary in Congress, and both the President and the Veep were in fine fettle. Since he had never quite made the White House, quipped Barkley, "the President has brought a piece of the White House to me." The Senate roared, and Harry Truman cracked back: "I'm in pretty good health yet." Then the President shook hands all around, not overlooking such of his current tormentors as Bill Fulbright (see Investigations) and Joe McCarthy, said feelingly, "I wish I was back with you," and marched out to standing applause.

At week's end, his desk clear at last, Harry Truman collected his staff and flew to Key West for his first real vacation in almost a year. For 23 days he would swim, read, sleep, bake his aching muscles and display his fancy sports shirts.

The Independence would stand by to speed him back to Washington in case of an emergency, but, for a little while at least, Harry Truman had found a place in the sun. Said the President, planting his feet in the warm sand: "Well, I don't think anyone will want to go back."

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