On the Town

Harry Truman whirled around Washington at a dizzy pace. Not once, but twice, he tootled off to the National Gallery of Art to inspect the famed collection of German paintings (see ART). With Mrs. Truman and Margaret, he took in the premiere of a new movie, State of the Union, at Loew's Capitol. He went to the Gridiron Club's spring dinner at the Statler, where he made a speech and sat through a couple of hours of heavy-handed lampoonery.

The Truman schedule was at its heaviest on Army Day. Shortly after noon, the President put on his morning clothes, went to the Washington Heights Presbyterian Church to attend the funeral of Maurice C. Latta, executive clerk at the White House since the McKinley Administration. The President was fond of Maurice Latta, a dour but efficient man. As the brief service ended, Harry Truman brushed a tear from his eye.

Then he hurried to his limousine and, with sirens screaming, swept down to a reviewing stand on Constitution Avenue to watch the capital's Army Day parade. As a military spectacle, it was a flop--only a handful of regular troops, one gun, no heavy equipment except a twelve-ton cargo truck. But there were 14 bands, and two dozen P-80s overhead.

Back at the White House, Harry Truman barely had time to wash up a bit before playing host to a royal visitor: Belgium's Regent Charles-Theodore-Henri-Antoine Meinrad, Count of Flanders. Prince Charles arrived amid a din of sirens. He wore the khaki uniform of a major general, was accompanied by Belgian Premier Paul-Henri Spaak. A tall young man with a penchant for playing ping-pong, he looked rather bored.

Prince and President shook hands. They stood at attention outside the White House door while a Navy band played the Belgian anthem and The Star-Spangled Banner. Then they went inside for a formal tea. Later, there was a white-tie stag dinner.* The party broke up early.

Later in the week, the Prince entertained all the Trumans at a dinner in Belgium's marbled and luxurious Foxhall Road embassy. The Belgians found Margaret Truman charming. One of them playfully told her that, because she always sang solo, he could outdo her as a singer. He then proceeded, to the delight of both Margaret and her father, to sing all four parts of a quartet from Rigoletto.

* Although protocol does not absolutely require it, state dinners are usually stag when the guest of honor--in this case a bachelor--is "unaccompanied by ladies."

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