"In the Interests of Peace"

Henry Wallace was at station KGO in San Francisco last week when the news was brought to him that Joseph Stalin thought his suggestion for a U.S.-Soviet meeting (TIME, May 24) was a fine idea. He looked astonished. Flushed, in a choked voice he said: "If I have done anything that moves the world further toward peace . . . my whole campaign has been tremendously worthwhile."

It was a high point of his West Coast campaign, which had begun in Los Angeles, carried him into Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Spokane, and would carry him 9,000 miles.

One from Oona. He had flown into Los Angeles saying, "I have come in the interests of peace." California was not like the Middle West, which had received its native lowan for the most part with austere interest. In Hollywood, pink-hued stars turned out to welcome him with huzzas. Film Director William Wyler entertained him. A capacity crowd of 30,000 filled Gilmore Stadium to cheer him. Contributions rolled in. Charlie Chaplin's wife Oona signed a check for $1,000.

In a week of speechmaking and money-raising, he took in an estimated $147,000.

He learned that Secretary George Marshall did not share Joe Stalin's enthusiasm for a U.S.-Soviet meeting, at least not on the terms that Wallace had laid down. To 8,000 University of California students he cried: "I have no doubt that many of you felt, on reading Stalin's reply, that there was a new ray of hope in the world." Then he bitterly denounced Marshall and the U.S. State Department.

Stain of Blood. Almost everything else he said was denunciatory.

To a Mexican audience in Los Angeles he cried: "I wish I could say that you Mexican-Americans have been rewarded for everything you have contributed to California. But it is a shame upon your country that you have not. This ... is one of the many disgraces which has made necessary a new political party."

To 6,400 in Seattle: "The policies of Truman, Vandenberg, Marshall and Forrestal have stained the world with blood and have laid the foundation for the greatest bloodshed the world has ever seen . . . We must have ... an under standing [with Russia]."

Wallaceites by the thousands ate it up.

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