1964–65 Volume 89 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLL of Phi Delta Theta for JANUARY, 1965 197tion in national politics in the United Statesin 1948. AU the smart politicians thought Trumandid not have a chance. All the people ofimportance in St. Louis and Kansas City didn'twant to put their money on a horse thatwasn't going to come in. There were a lot ofpeople who should have supported him, whoowed him plenty for favors he'd done for them,but—well, they'd gone fishing."I remember a meeting in the Truman suitein the Statler Hotel in St. Louis. He asked thisman if he'd run his campaign—no, he had thisto do; he asked another man if he'd run hiscampaign—no, he had that to do. Pretty soonthere wasn't anyone left sitting there but JohnSnyder (then manager of the ReconstructionFinance Corporation in St. Louis and laterSecretary of the Treasury in Truman's Cabinet)and myself. Snyder said that he couldn't enterpolitics because of the nature of his job. Thatleft me, and Truman said 'Will you run mycampaign?' I told him that I did not knowanydiing about politics. 'Well,' he said, 'Youknow me, and you are honest, and people respectyou.' So I took the job.""This was a Woolworth campaign if youever saw one," said Vaughan, speaking like apenny pinching manager. "I had a firm ofCPA's audit the books once a week, and HarryTruman, to be re-elected to the U.S. Senate,spent $16,000—$3,000 of which he borrowedon his own life insurance policy. And it tookhim about three years to pay it back, too."When Truman returned to Washington inJanuary 1941 to begin his second term assenator from Missouri, Vaughan was asked togo with him as his secretary. He protestedmildly, but the lure of Truman politics senthim packing his bags. It was during the summerof 1941, before the attack on Pearl Harbor,that the Truman war investigating committeecame into being.With the U.S. at war, Vaughan was recalledto active duty and assigned as executive officerto Major General Arthur R. Wilson. After abrief training period at Fort Roberts, California,he received orders to sail for Australia.At the end of a brief fareweU leave in Washington,Vaughan was startled when Trumandecided to accompany him on the train backto San Francisco. "We picked up another pal inOmaha so we could play poker for three dayson the train. When we boarded the train, BessTruman said to me, 'Don't you let him geton your boat. He'll do it if you let him.'"After serving a year with General Wilson,Lt. Colonel Vaughan served as provost marshalat Brisbane, a tough job at the time, withseveral hundred thousand American, British,Canadian and Australian troops being rapidlyconcentrated in an area with a normal civilianpopulation of about 100,000. As the tide ofwas turned. Vaughan became depot commanderat Sydney, Australia, responsible forthe movement of supplies to ports in NewGuinea. On a flight from Port Moresby to Melbourne,he was seriously injured in a landingcrash and was saved, after months in the hospital,from amputation of his left leg. Monthsin Army hospitals in Australia followed.Back in the States, he returned to limitedduty as liaison officer between the Trumancommittee and the war department, and earlyin 1945 was promoted to colonel. At approximatelythe same time, civilian Truman hadbeen elected vice president of the United States."Truman requested me as his military aide,and I had the distinction of being the firstmilitary aide to a vice-president. The only reasonwas that Harry Truman was the first vicepresidentwho ever asked for a military aide."Less than 2l^ months after Truman wasinauginrated. President Franklin D. Rooseveltsuccumbed to a stroke, and Harry S. Trumansucceeded him. Vaughan remembers April 12,1945, the day of FDR's death, very well."Truman had been presiding in the Senatewhile Senator Downey of California was presentinga bill about reconciling water rates betweenhis state and Mexico, and Trumanlooked bored as heck. After the session, SamRaybmrn called and asked him to come to hisoffice to meet some friendly Texans. "Sure,Sam, I'll be right over,' Truman said and heleft."I was getting some stuff together to closethe office when Steve Early (Roosevelt's PressSecretary) called and said 'Who is this speaking?'I said 'This is Harry Vaughan.' 'Colonel,Colonel,' he said, 'I must get in touch with theVice-President. Where is he?'"I told him and then dosed the Vice-President'soffice in the Capitol and returned to ouroffices in the Senate Office Building. I wastalking to Matt Connelly (successor as Truman'ssecretary when Vaughan reentered activeservice) when Truman came in the private sidedoor and said 'You fellows stay right here—don't leave because I may be calling you. SteveEarly just called and he wants me to comethrough the White House front gate and goright up to Mrs. Roosevelt's sitting room. Iam afraid that something's happened to thePresidentl""Fifteen minutes later the phone rang andMatt picked it up. 'My God, we'U be right