New Team, Old Players

Said Harry Truman, at his press conference: "Since their return, Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Davies have made their reports to me. The results have been completely satisfactory and gratifying."

Asked a reporter: did Harry Hopkins' visit to Moscow result in the solution of the veto question at San Francisco?

Harry Truman shot back that it certainly did.

This was an emphatic indication that gaunt, ailing Harry Hopkins, often written off as the first casualty of the Truman administration, was in solid with his new boss. Harry Truman had apparently found his aid, knowledge and diplomatic finesse invaluable.

The President had also found strength and counsel in other Roosevelt holdovers. Speechwriter Sam Rosenman had been persuaded to stay, at least for another year. Owlish Judge Vinson, the Economic Stabilizer, was now top adviser on domestic affairs. Jimmy Byrnes, working on a special project at his Spartanburg (S.C.) home, was still on deck: he would go along to the forthcoming Big Three meeting. And, to the consternation of all red-blooded anti-New Dealers, Harry Truman had even kept smart Dave Niles as a Presidential assistant.

Meanwhile, some of the early young hopefuls of the Truman administration had already faded. Round-faced Hugh Fulton, the Manhattan lawyer who had been first to breakfast with Harry Truman the day after his inauguration, was still just a Manhattan lawyer who had once had breakfast with the President. And Old Friend Ed McKim, the Omaha insurance man who had been moved in as chief administrative assistant six weeks ago, was "drafted" for a vague job in the RFC.

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