The Key West Citizen

TRUMAN COULD NOT FIND MAYOR ADAMS AT BOCA CHICA FIELD; AFTER FINDING MAYOR HE GAVE HIM MESSAGE THAT HE ENJOYED LAST TWO WEEKS HERE "VERY MUCH"

President Truman took off at 11 a.m. today for Washington.

The President told Mayor A. Maitland Adams and others that he enjoyed himself "very much" while in Key West the last two weeks and that he certainly is coming back again.

Asked when that might be, the President said he was not certain if he could come back here this summer "just to see for myself whether the climate, even in summertime, is as salubrious as the natives say it is."

"I'm certainly coming back, of that you may be sure," said the President, smilingly, as he stood for the newspaper photographers at the Naval Air Field, Boca Chica, before boarding his airplane, the Independence, for the trip back to Washington.

The President wore a dark woolen suit and a black hat. He was evidently prepared to greet different weather in Washington than is now prevailing in Key West.

In the car that passed out the Caroline street gate of the Naval Station, after he left the Little White House, were Admiral William Leahy, the President's personal Naval aide, who remained in Key West, and Captain C. C. Adell, USN, commander of the Key West Naval Base.

The car passed from Caroline street to Simonton street, thence to Truman avenue where it went into Roosevelt boulevard. The President's car departed from the Little White House promptly at 11 a.m.

When the President's automobile reached Boca Chica Field he shook hands with the members of the Key West Police force and of the State Highway Patrol, which they had provided him with protection to and from the Naval Air Field.

"Where's the mayor?" was the next question the President shot at Captain Adell.

"He said he would be here at 10:45 a.m.," said Captain Adell, looking around for the mayor. It was then 10:58, so the mayor was not late. The mayor with City Manager Ralph D. Spalding drove up at that moment.

It was a matter of seconds for the mayor to come up to the ramp leading to the President's airplane and shake the hands of Mr. Truman.

"I enjoyed my vacation very much," the President told the mayor, clinging to the latter's arm.

"You can be certain that I'm coming back. I only regret that I couldn't stay about a week longer this time."

The plane bearing the newspaper men, the photographers and others took off from Boca Chica Air Field a few minutes after Mr. Truman's ship.

Among the local men who were at Boca Chica were State Representative Bernie Papy, Al Mills, Paul Sher, J. D. McAndrew.

Shortly before the departure of the newspapermen from the BOQ at the Naval Station, Press Secretary Charles Ross for the President came to their quarters and announced that Mr. Truman had sent a message last night.

It was a message of congratulation to Dean Acheson, Secretary of State, for his "masterful" presentation in a radio address covering this country's entry into the Atlantic Pact.

Dean Acheson stated that the (Continued On Page Five)
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"armed attack clause" the United States is obligated to use its military power in resisting an attack on an allied nation--if in the "honest judgment" of this government armed force appears necessary.

"You have given the country an admirable exposition of the powers and objectives of the pact," said President Truman's message to Acheson.