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).
March 13, 1950
To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1950, prepared in accordance with the Reorganization Act of 1949 and providing for reorganizations in the Department of the Interior. My…
March 24, 1949
IT IS with gratification that I have today signed Senate Joint Resolution 36 authorizing a special contribution by the United States of $16 million for the relief of Palestine refugees.
The United Nations General Assembly on November 19…
March 21, 1951
[Released March 21, 1951. Dated March 20, 1951]
I APPRECIATE your report that, as of March 21, 1951, the strength of the United States Armed Forces will be double what it was nine months ago, when communist forces invaded the Republic…
March 29, 1948
My dear Mr. Secretary:
The bill, H.R. 2502, authorizing the distribution of a portion of the capital reserve fund of the Klamath Indians, was approved by me today, and has now become law. Under its provisions each member of…
March 15, 1947
I HAVE just received two warm and appreciative messages from Greece, one from Prime Minister Maximos and one from Mr. Themistocles Sophoulis, leader of the Parliamentary Opposition. Both of these messages welcome the prospect of the kind…
March 6, 1952
[ Broadcast from the White House at 10:30 p.m. ]
My fellow Americans:
I want to talk to you tonight about a message I sent to the Congress today. I hope you will read that message. It's about the mutual security program and…
March 23, 1951
PRESIDENT Vincent Auriol of France, Mme. Auriol, their son Paul, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, and members of their official party are already on the high seas on their way to this country as official guests of the U.S.…
June 9, 1945
BEFORE WE WERE forced to fight this war we took for granted our abundance in a land of
plenty. Early in the conflict, however, we learned the importance of conservation and salvage of
critical materials. Paper in its varied forms is…
March 30, 1948
I HAVE today signed S. 2182, the Housing and Rent Act of 1948, which extends a modified form of rent control for 1 year, until March 31, 1949.
This bill does not carry out all the recommendations I have made to the Congress for stronger…
March 24, 1949
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I have one announcement to make. I canceled two other speaking engagements, one in New York on the 10th, and the other in New York on the 23d. That cleans up the speaking engagements to date.
Q. Mr. President, just…
March 13, 1950
To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1950, prepared in accordance with the Reorganization Act of 1949 and providing for reorganizations in the Department of Agriculture. My…
March 19, 1947
To the Congress of the United States:
In my message to the Congress on January 31, 1947, concerning the extension of specified parts of the Second War Powers Act, I stated that it was desirable to delay any communication on…
March 6, 1952
Dear Mr. Feinsinger:
On the basis of the information and advice submitted to me by the Office of Defense Mobilization and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, I am of the opinion that the labor disputes in the…
March 12, 1946
AT SUGGESTION of Famine Emergency Committee I am asking you as citizen and leader in a field concerned with food relief crisis to serve as member of National Famine Emergency Council. Council members will be asked to take the lead in…
March 25, 1949
Dear Mr.___________:
On February 16, 1949, I addressed a communication to the Congress further advising the Congress of the critical structural conditions in the executive mansion and transmitting an estimate of…
March 7, 1952
My dear Mr. President:
I am writing to urge favorable Senate action on Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1952 relating to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The plan already has been overwhelmingly approved by the House of…
March 26, 1951
Mr. Secretary, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen:
It is an honor to open this meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics. I am happy to extend to you a wholehearted welcome to our country and…
March 21, 1947
To the Congress of the United States:
I am transmitting herewith for your consideration a suggested Joint Resolution providing for United States membership and participation in the World Health Organization. I also am…
March 13, 1950
To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 5 of 1950, prepared in accordance with the Reorganization Act of 1949 and providing for reorganizations in the Department of Commerce. My…
June 12, 1945
Dear Mr.:______________
The salaries of the Members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate should be
commensurate with the nature and volume of their work and with their responsibilities. Equality
between their pay…
March 30, 1948
To the House of Representatives:
I return herewith without my approval House Joint Resolution 251, to authorize the issuance of a special series of stamps commemorative of the one-hundredth anniversary of the coming of the…
March 13, 1946
Dear Ed:
I appreciate the motives which prompt your request for the withdrawal of my nomination of you as Under Secretary of the Navy. When that nomination, unsought by you, was challenged, you met the challenge with facts…
January 9, 1952
THE PRESIDENT and the Prime Minister held four meetings at the White House on January 7 and 8, 1952. The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations,…
April 18, 1945
THE NATION is quickly saddened again by the death of Ernie Pyle. No man in this war has so
well told the story of the American fighting man as American fighting men wanted it told. More
than any other man he became the spokesman of the…
January 8, 1947
THE PRESIDENT. Sit down, gentlemen, please. Let anybody in who wants to come.
Mr. Ross: In the meantime, we have here mimeographed--prepared by the Budget-a sort of synopsis of it.
This is the so-called Budget…