Empty Hands, Full Heart

Socially, the President of the Philippines had his fill. In the U.S. for a five-day flying visit, President Elpidio ("Pidi-ong") Quirino was met at National Airport by Harry Truman and a 21-gun salute. He spent a night at Blair House, addressed the House and Senate, whirled through Washington cocktail parties into a ticker-tape welcome in New York, where he lunched with Cardinal Spellman and picked up an honorary doctorate from Fordham. Said he of steaming Manhattan: "The weather ... is very poor."

Politically, Quirino smilingly settled for a bland White House communique assuring the world that he and Truman had "discussed measures for the reinforcement and development of Philippine economy." The State Department showed only polite interest in Quirino's murmuring about a Pacific Union against Communism.

But Quirino was not dismayed; "I may be going back emptyhanded, but I'm not going back empty-hearted." Besides, all the headlines back home on his U.S. welcome might help him through his tough fight for re-election next November.

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