THE PRESIDENCY: Man at Work

The President of the U.S. read a fast translation of a letter from the President of the Presidium of the U.S.S.R. Technically, it was a reply to a note that Harry Truman had sent off to Moscow four weeks before, along with a congressional resolution expressing U.S. good will for the Russian people. He glanced rapidly over President Shvernik's professions of Russia's peaceful intentions, shoved the paper back at an aide and snorted: Bunkum. Then the President swung back to a full week's work in which he:

¶ Called Democratic National Chairman Bill Boyle for a 30-minute huddle, demanded to know the details about Boyle's serving as an attorney for a St. Louis firm just before the firm got approval of its long-standing RFC loan application (TIME, Aug. 6). Truman's verdict: Boyle could keep his job with the President's utmost confidence.

¶ Vetoed a bill (which would eventually cost the U.S. $400 million a year) to increase pensions of war veterans disabled by nonmilitary causes.

¶ Dashed off a message next day to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging it to restore the House's 10% cut in a $30 million appropriation for the United Nations and other international organizations.

¶ Drove down to Washington's cavernous Union Station behind a motorcycle escort to turn over the ornate presidential reception room for VIPs to travel-weary G.I.s. Said the President: "The people who are in fact 'very important people'—just about the most important people of all—[are] the men & women of every rank and in every branch of our armed services . . . They have not been getting the right sort of treatment in some of our towns and cities." Also on the program: Margaret Truman's good friend and sometime beau, Lawyer Marvin Braverman, now a member of the Travelers' Aid board.

¶ Served notice on Illinois Senator Paul Douglas that he had no intention of backing down in their political squabble over the appointment of two federal judges in Illinois (TIME, Aug. 6).