Poverty Poker

Harry Truman's March vacation at Key West was a success, by non-political standards. He managed to keep his work to a minimum and cut the number of visitors to a new low. The temperature was amiable, the water warm, and the poker brisk and profitable.

The poker game, in fact, took up the best part of the presidential vacation. Truman, Harry Vaughan, Press Secretary Joe Short, Air Force Aide General Robert Landry, Speechwriter Charles Murphy and the other regulars dealt the cards about 4 o'clock every afternoon. They played until 7, took time out for dinner, picked up again at 8:30 and kept going until 11 o'clock. Their game: "poverty" or "Depression" poker. Each week each player puts up $100. If he loses his hundred he continues to play on a dole, thus has a chance to win back his money and can--in any event--keep his losses to a maximum of $100 a week. Biggest bluffer: Harry Truman. Big winner: Harry Vaughan.

This week the President will cash his chips and fly home to move from Blair House back into the renovated White House. First stop on the postvacation schedule: the big $100-a-plate Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner in Washington, March 29.

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