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).
June 5, 1945
Dear Mr. Congressman:
I understand that the House Appropriations Committee has deleted from the War
Agencies Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1945, all appropriations for the Fair
Employment Practice…
March 8, 1949
Governor Warren, President Holt, distinguished educators, and all the friends of this great school:
This is for me a very happy and a very solemn occasion. The Governor's address was a masterpiece. It covers the situation…
March 3, 1947
Mr. President, distinguished guests:
My presence here today as the guest of the great Republic of Mexico is one of the truly happy occasions of my career. I might say, incidentally, that I never had such a welcome in my life…
February 29, 1952
My dear___________:
I am writing to urge that the Congress complete action on legislation to authorize a United States contribution of $12 million to the United Nations Children's Emergency fund for fiscal year 1952. I ask…
March 4, 1946
I AM DELIGHTED to know that this policy has the approval of the Board.
Before the war, the British people were the largest single foreign customer for American goods. They bought our surplus cotton and wheat, tobacco and…
March 9, 1950
THIS OCCASION marks another step in the successful completion of the work of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation. It has already paid off the last of its $3,500 million of bonded indebtedness. It is now making its first repayment, of $26…
March 16, 1948
FOURTEEN of the ships transferred to Italy today are Italian vessels seized by the United States during the war. The other 15 are the equivalent tonnage of Italian ships which were seized by the United States and lost during the conflict…
March 1, 1951
MR. PRESIDENT, I wish it were a fact that I was returning permanently to the scene of my former "crimes and misdemeanors," which have got me into more trouble than any man in the world has ever gotten into.
But I am here for a specific…
March 9, 1950
THE PRESIDENT. I have no special announcements to make this afternoon. I will try to answer questions.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, may we take the appointment of Martin Hutchinson to the Federal Trade Commission as an indication of a trend;…
March 17, 1948
[As delivered in person before a joint session]
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress:
I am here today to report to you on the critical nature of the situation in Europe, and to recommend action for your…
March 18, 1949
THE PRESIDENT. [I.] Sit down, gentlemen, please.
I am having the usual vacation press conference, and there is no significance in it whatever, although I have seen all the questions and all the answers in the Miami papers,…
March 6, 1947
President Neff, ladies and gentlemen, members of the faculty of this great school and its pupils:
I can't tell you how very much I appreciate this honor which you are conferring upon me.
I am particularly touched by your remembrance of…
March 3, 1951
I AM INFORMED that the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System are today making the following joint announcement:
"The Treasury and the Federal Reserve System have reached full…
June 7, 1945
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] The first thing, I am exceedingly happy over the Bretton Woods--345 to
18. And the nonpartisan character of the support of that legislation makes me believe that the
Congress really is for a peace treaty.
[2.] In…
February 29, 1952
I WANT to congratulate these young people on being the prizewinners in this great undertaking they are going through. The country needs them, and it is going to need them worse in the coming generation than it needs them now. And the…
March 6, 1946
Friends of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ:
I like to consider this conference, to which you have so kindly invited me, as one which represents no one particular sect or creed, but rather as one which represents the…
June 7, 1945
Dear Colonel Johnson:
The transportation facilities of the nation are now called upon for the most gigantic task in
all the history of transportation. The American armies must be moved from the victorious
battlefields of…
March 8, 1946
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] The fact-finding board on the threatened railroad strike was appointed this morning: Judge Leif Erickson of the Montana Supreme Court; Frank M. Swacker, lawyer at 120 Broadway, New York City; and Gordon S. Watkins,…
March 18, 1949
IT IS a very great pleasure for me today to present these diplomas to these young men who have spent some time becoming experts in their lines. They are getting an education that will be of untold value to the country in case of…
March 8, 1947
[Released March 8, 1947. Dated March 7, 1947]
To the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers:
My dear Dr. Nourse:
The Advisory Board of the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion has transmitted to me the Report…
March 4, 1952
My dear Mr. Chairman:
I have been following with much interest the progress of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1952, providing for reorganization of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. I understand that your Committee has nearly…
Letters Relating to the International Development Advisory Board's Report on Foreign Economic Policy
March 11, 1951
[Released March 11, 1951. Dated March 9, 1951]
To the Chairman of the International Development Advisory Board:
Dear Mr. Rockefeller:
I am impressed by the report of the Advisory Board on International Development. It…
March 17, 1948
Mr. President, Mr. Chairman, distinguished guests, fellow Americans:
It is a great honor to be a guest of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick tonight. I have been attempting to keep this engagement for 3 years. This is my first…
March 13, 1950
To the Congress of the United States:
I am today transmitting to the Congress 21 plans for reorganization of agencies of the Executive Branch. These plans have been prepared under the authority of the Reorganization Act of…
March 14, 1951
Dear Senator Flanders:
I appreciate very much the letter of February 26, 1951, signed by you and a number of other Senators and Representatives, in which you urge that we follow up the plea for peace through disarmament,…