Two Smashing Defeats For Mr. Truman

Chronicle (Levin), 17 March 1949, Page 5

Two Smashing Defeats For Mr. Truman

Received Wednesday, 8.50 p.m. WASHINGTON, March 15. President Trunian today suifered nis second and third serious defeats since the election. The Senate Armed" Berviees Committee rejected his noniination of the former Senator Monrad Wallgren as chairman of the National Seeurity Resources Board. Committee members criticised Mr. Wallgren — who is a elose personal and political friend of Mr. Truman— as "too weak against the Reds." Later the House passed the Rent Control Extension Bill that gives local and State officials power to end controls. The vote of 260 to 153 was a* smashing defeat for President Truman who had made stronger rent fiontrols one of his major election campaign pledees. The first Truman setbaek was last Saturday when the Southern Demoerats helped by many Repnblieans defeated the Administration 's attempt to ehd the filibuster. These defeats raise the possibility that Mr. Truman inay earry out his threat to tour the country and. put his case direet to the people. Meanwhile on the floor of the Senate yet another defeat — and the most shattering of them all — seems to be shaping up. It is regarded as almost certain that the Administration will have to rea'ck a humiliating compromise over the filibpster issue or admit complete defeat at the hands of the Southern "Dixiecrats. " The filibuster droned on today. Southern senator s rejected a compromise offer by the Administration Demoerats and demanded a complete and final settiement of the dispute. They are filibustering against a motion ^o take up a proposal by the Senate Demoeratie leader, Scott Lucas, which would prevent their talking to death President Truman 's eivil rights pro§ramme.