Public Papers
The Public Papers of Harry S. Truman contain most of President Truman's public messages, statements, speeches, and news conference remarks. Documents such as Proclamations, Executive Orders, and similar documents that are published in the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations, as required by law, are usually not included. The documents within the Public Papers are arranged in chronological order. President Truman delivered the remarks or addresses from Washington, D. C., unless otherwise indicated. The White House in Washington issued statements, messages, and letters unless noted otherwise. (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Harry S. Truman, 1945-1953. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1966)
The Public Papers contain items such as the Statement by the President Announcing the Use of the A-Bomb at Hiroshima (August 6, 1945), the Special Message to the Congress on Greece and Turkey: The Truman Doctrine (March 12, 1947), the White House Statement Announcing Recognition of the Government of Israel (January 31, 1949), the Statement and Order by the President on Relieving General MacArthur of His Commands (April 11, 1951), and The President's Farewell Address to the American People (January 15, 1953).
October 8, 1946
My dear Mr. Pittenger:
Being just as deeply interested as you are in seeing that supplies of coal in the Midwest and the upper Great Lakes area will be adequate to prevent hardship during the coming winter, I have given…
August 31, 1950
[ Released August 31, 1950. Dated August 30, 1950 ]
Dear General:
Highway transportation is of the utmost importance to the national defense. It is one of our greatest assets and it must be developed and maintained at the…
December 28, 1945
I HAVE TODAY signed H.R. 4780 extending, for six months, certain titles of the Second War Powers Act. The continued exercise of these powers beyond December 31, 1945, although on a steadily decreasing scale, is absolutely necessary in…
September 21, 1951
THIS IS a very fine tribute. I appreciate it, and I hope I deserve it--and I hope I will continue to deserve it.
I have just received a book from a friend of mine awhile ago, on his tour of duty in Israel, and he passes around an…
October 12, 1949
To the House of Representatives:
I return herewith, without my approval, H.R. 1746 "An act to provide that the United States shall aid the States in fish restoration and management projects, and for other purposes".
This…
October 8, 1948
Mr. Chairman:
In less than a month, you will have the responsibility of choosing a government for the next 4 years, 1949 to 1953.
These are likely to be critical years in American history, and in world history. They are…
December 2, 1947
RECENTLY I requested the Secretary of the Interior to report to me on the emergency situation facing the Navajo Indians in Arizona and New Mexico this winter. Secretary Krug has submitted the attached report, which describes the…
August 14, 1952
Dear Mr. Wood:
I have the exact information on the Minerva clock from the archives of the White House. It was not purchased for Thomas Jefferson by Monroe but was bought by Monroe himself when he was President. The bill in payment of…
October 10, 1946
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] The first announcement I have to make is the appointment of Richmond B. Keech as Associate Justice of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He will succeed Justice Jesse C. Adkins, who is…
January 27, 1951
[Released January 27, 1951. Dated January 26, 1951]
To the heads of executive departments and agencies:
IT IS imperative that the economic stabilization orders issued today receive the fullest possible support by business and…
January 25, 1946
To the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of Labor, the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration, and the Director of the Office of Defense…
January 31, 1949
FOR SOME TIME informal and friendly relations have existed between the United States Government and the Government of the Kingdom of Transjordan. Consistently with its feeling of friendship for Transjordan, the United States Government…
February 9, 1948
To the Congress of the United States:
Last July, the Congress enacted the Second Decontrol Act of 1947 which extended certain limited wartime economic controls over key materials and facilities still in short supply as a…
January 28, 1952
To the Congress of the United States:
I wish to call to the attention of the Congress the immediate urgency of action on legislation to authorize the construction of the St. Lawrence seaway and power project.
As the result…
January 27, 1950
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] Wall, Mr. Clifford will quit as Special Counsel to the President on Tuesday night at midnight. And Mr. Murphy will be sworn in the next morning, the 1st of February. There will be an exchange of letters available…
February 6, 1947
THE NATION mourns the untimely passing of O. Max Gardner. Great as were his achievements in public and in private life, he was on the threshold of what all his friends were confident would be a career of distinction and further…
May 3, 1945
To the House of Representatives:
I return herewith, without my approval, H.J. Res. 106, "To amend section 5(k) of the
Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended, with respect to the deferment of
registrants engaged…
August 31, 1950
THE PRESIDENT. Please be seated. I have no special announcements to make, ladies and gentlemen, but I will try to answer questions, if they are not too complicated.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, Representative Tauriello of New York yesterday…
October 12, 1949
Gentlemen of the Council of American States:
Columbus Day provides a fitting opportunity for me to meet in a friendly and informal way with my distinguished neighbors, the Ambassadors on the Council of the Organization of…
October 12, 1946
Dear Judge Parker:
In conformity with the wish expressed in your letter of October ninth, I accept your resignation as Alternate Member of the International Military Tribunal and as of October fourteenth next relieve you…
August 15, 1952
I CERTAINLY appreciate that statement, Phil. I have of course tried to be fair to every segment of this population of ours. That is what fair Deal means. I don't think in the history of the country, or any other country, for that matter…
December 31, 1945
Dear Mr. Garrison:
I have your letter of December 27, 1945, pursuant to which, and in accordance with my letter to you of November 6, 1945, I am issuing an Executive Order terminating the existence of the National War…
December 4, 1947
[Released December 4, 1947. Dated December 1, 1947]
To the Senate of the United States:
With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith a certified copy of the inter-…
October 9, 1948
GENERAL MARSHALL has returned to Washington at my request to report to me on the progress of the work of the various United Nations bodies in Paris. I had a long talk with him this morning, and again this afternoon. He gave me a…
September 23, 1951
[Released September 23, 1951 Dated September 22, 1951]
Dear Mr. Vice President:
I am sending you a copy of a letter, together with certain documents, which I recently received from Mr. Henry A. Wallace.
These papers…