THE PRESIDENCY: Over the Teacups

The crowd began gathering near the sentry boxes at Blair House at dusk, stood raptly as rush-hour traffic blatted past on Pennsylvania Avenue. It multiplied as President Harry Truman walked across the street from the White House with three Secret Service men and hurried inside. Madame Chiang Kai-shek was about to come to tea—and to make a last-ditch plea for aid to China.

Ever since Madame Chiang had arrived in the U.S., it had been obvious that her mission was going badly. She was the guest of Mrs. George Marshall at Leesburg, Va., and had twice gone to Walter Reed Hospital to see the Secretary of State. But, as far as anyone knew, her old friend George Marshall had held to his stern decision that there was nothing more which the U.S. could or should do to help China now—a decision reinforced by the fact that Chinese Nationalists had surrendered 236,000 rifles, 14,000 machine guns and 26,000 tommy guns in recent battles to the Communists without a fight.

Welcome. The show on Pennsylvania Avenue began at 2 minutes to 5. The Secretary of State’s glittering limousine (U.S. Government license 120) slid to a stop at the Blair House canopy. The Negro chauffeur got out, raced the Blair House doorman for the rear-door handle, and won.

Madame Chiang stepped to the sidewalk, hatless, and with her old nutria coat over a long black Chinese dress. She smiled only faintly as flashlights blinked. She started up the steps as soon as Mrs. Marshall got out of the car. The door opened and Stanley Woodward, State Department Protocol Chief, bade the ladies welcome.

An hour passed; at exactly 6 o’clock the black limousine slipped up to the canopy again. The door of Blair House opened and Madame Chiang and Mrs. Marshall stood framed in the rectangle of light. As they started down the steps, Madame Chi ang called: “Please don’t shoot the flash. I can’t see the steps.”

A reporter called: “Madame Chiang—were you successful?”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “No comment.”

Another yelled: “Will you see the President again?”

“The President is the one to say.”

The crowd crushed in as the two women got into the car. Another reporter asked hurriedly: “May we see you later?” There was no answer. The door was closed, and the limousine swept away.

Adieus. A little later Assistant Press Secretary Eben Ayers issued a noncommittal report on the tea. Said he: “Madame Chiang and Mrs. Marshall had tea together with the President and Mrs. Truman, with Margaret pouring, from 5 to 5:30. Then the President and Madame Chiang went to the President’s study and talked for the next half hour. The President said Madame Chiang had stated her case and he had listened sympathetically. Then Madame Chiang rejoined the party and said her adieus.”