Here's Your Hat

Even the normally cordial Key West, Fla. weather seemed to be handing Harry Truman his hat and hinting that it was time to pack up and go. Heavy winds howled in off the gulf one day last week; the swim was canceled, and so was the brisk morning walk. The President bundled up in his sweater and stayed indoors.

Besides the heavy wind, Harry Truman's vacation preserve was invaded by another rude noise: a crew of workmen showed up to install a teletypewriter to handle in triplicate all the messages demanding presidential veto--or signature--for the highly volatile Kerr gas bill (see BUSINESS). Most ringing of all was a round robin from mayors of 18 principal U.S. cities urging a veto in the name of their millions of gas consumers. Harry Truman, originally reported ready to sign the bill, delayed his decision until he returned to Washington.

This week he closed up the winter White House, climbed aboard the Magic Carpet--the Air Force's plush Constellation--and returned to Washington, after his longest vacation (30 days) since he took office as President five years ago this week.

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