AMERICANS ABROAD: Give ‘Em Hell, Harricum!

” ‘A little touch of Harry in the night’ worked wonders for British morale at Agincourt,” said London’s Daily Telegraph with Shakespearean whimsy. “The little touch of Harry S. Truman at his press conference yesterday was equally invigorating. It is no discourtesy to President Eisenhower to say that his former commander in chief, more than any other living American, embodies the sparkle and freshness, idealism and energy of the new world.”

As glowed the Telegraph, so glowed Britain over Harry Truman, in London last week on the last leg of his seven-week swing through Europe (TIME, May 28 et seq.). After the first press conference (where he backed President Eisenhower by saying that American prestige abroad was “never higher”), he was astonished when 200 newsmen applauded him. Even a clothing-store clerk was captivated when Harry sauntered in to purchase a dress tie, lingered to demonstrate his Kansas City haberdasher’s technique for selling four-in-hands.

Academic Giggles. At Oxford University Truman donned a scarlet, orange and grey gown, plumped a round velvet academic cap over his grey hair, stood before 1,200 in Christopher Wren’s 17th century Sheldonian Theatre to receive his degree. Public Orator T. F. Higham, in stately Latin (Truman was furnished a pony in advance), praised the ex-President for the Berlin airlift, the North Atlantic Treaty, “the initiative he took in defending Korea.” Higham drew academic giggles with a parody on the Aeneid that recalled Truman’s 1948 upset victory over Dewey: “Heu vatum igname mentes! Quid vota repulsum, quid promissa iuvant? Tua quid praesagia, Gallup?” (Carefree translation: The seers saw not your defeat, poor soul—vain prayers, vain promises, vain Gallup poll!) Lauding his modesty, Higham quoted Truman’s supposed resume of his first day’s activity after returning to Independence in 1953: “Cistas ego viatorias sub tegulas retuli.” (Approximately: I took the suitcases up to the attic.)

Lord Halifax, Oxford’s chancellor and onetime (1941-46) British Ambassador to the U.S., saluted “Harricum Truman” as “staunchest of allies,” named him Doctor of Civil Law. Bess Truman, who called the ceremony “the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen,” was less impressed by Dr. Truman. She marched up at a post-degree party, announced, “Come on, Harry, it’s time to go.” Sighed Truman: “It’s always like this.” Before leaving Oxford he was cheered by students: “Give ’em hell, Harricum.”

Tiger Hunter. Returning to London, Truman visited Parliament, then put on his white tie to address the Pilgrims Society, an organization dedicated to Anglo-American friendship. Raising a glass to Harricum, Lord Halifax toasted him as “the sort of person we would all like to go tiger hunting with.” In dignified response, Truman noted that the “common danger has rarely been greater . . . a serene and peaceful future can slip from us quite as irrevocably by neglect, division and inaction as by spectacular disaster.” Again, by British standards, the applause was hearty. Later Truman, 72, went down to Chartwell to see Winston Churchill, 81. “You don’t look a day older than Potsdam,” said Harry. “Oh, yes,” answered Winnie sadly, “I’m getting on.” As they posed for newsmen, Truman remarked, “This is just like old times.” His host’s eyes misted.

Obviously moved by his welcome to Britain, Harry Truman remembered Alben Barkley’s maxim that politicians are applauded not for what they have done but for what they might do for the applauders. “What really touched me,” said he with quiet pride, “was that this reception had to be for what I had done.”