Stowe, David H. Papers

Dates: 1945-53, 1960-1984

Deputy to the Assistant to the President of the United States, 1947-49; Administrative Assistant to the President of the United States, 1949-53.

The papers of David H. Stowe document primarily his work from 1947 to 1953 as Deputy to the Assistant to the President and Administrative Assistant to the President specializing in government operations and labor issues. Topics covered include migratory labor, the National Labor-Management Conference held in Washington, D.C. in November 1945, the President's National Labor-Management Conference held in September, 1950, the 1952 steel strike, and President Truman's message to Congress accompanying his veto of the Taft-Hartley bill. The collection also contains small amounts of material relating to the 1948, 1952 and 1960 campaigns, and to the celebration in 1984 of the centennial of President Truman's birth.

See also David H. Stowe Files finding aid, David H. Stowe oral history and David H. Stowe and William J. Bray oral history.

[Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Size: 7.2 linear feet (about 14,400 pages)
Access: Open
Copyright: David H. Stowe donated his copyright interest in any of his writings in this collection to the Government of the United States. Documents prepared by U.S. Government employees in the course of their official duties are also in the public domain. Copyright interest in documents which do not fall in these two categories is presumed to remain with the writers of the documents.
Processed by: Willie L. Harriford, Jr. (1963). First accretion processed by Erwin J. Mueller (1982). Second accretion processed and collection reprocessed by Anita M. Heavener and Dennis Bilger (1992). Third accretion processed and finding aid revised by Randy Sowell and Sharie Simon (2002).

[ Top | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

1910, Sept. 10

  

Born, New Canaan, Connecticut

1931

  

Bachelor of Arts, Duke University

1934

  

Master of Education, Duke University

1931-37

  

History and economics teacher in junior colleges in North Carolina

1937-41

  

Assistant State Director, North Carolina State Employment Service

1941-47

  

Official in the Bureau of the Budget

1943-47

  

Chief Examiner, U.S. Bureau of the Budget

1947-49

  

Deputy to the Assistant to the President of the United States

1949-53

  

Administrative Assistant to the President of the United States

1952

  

Member of President Truman's staff aboard his campaign train

1953-70

  

Labor arbitrator and member, four presidential emergency boards appointed under the Railway Labor Act

1955-70

  

Organizational Disputes Arbitrator, Industrial Union Department, AFL-CIO

1960

  

Member of President Truman's staff during the 1960 campaign

1961-67

  

Public member of the President's Missile Sites Labor Commission

1962-1978

  

Member, Atomic Energy Labor-Management Relations Panel

1970-80

  

Member, National Mediation Board

1997, Nov. 10

  

Died, Baltimore, Maryland
[ Top | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The papers of David H. Stowe document primarily his work from 1947 to 1953 as Deputy to the Assistant to the President and Administrative Assistant to the President specializing in government operations and labor issues. Stowe came to the White House staff in 1947 at the invitation of presidential assistant John R. Steelman. His assignment was initially regarded as a one year detail from the Bureau of the Budget, where he was chief examiner. One of Stowe's responsibilities was to improve the working relationship between the Bureau of the Budget and the White House staff. In addition, he was assigned to government operations and labor relations issues, and specifically to problems relating to migratory labor. When his year's assignment was ending, President Truman asked him to stay. In early 1949, Truman appointed Stowe one of his Administrative Assistants. During the 1952 campaign, Stowe was a member of the staff that went with Truman on his campaign train as he traveled through the country speaking in support of Adlai Stevenson. Stowe's major responsibility was to manage access to Truman's car, to assure that the rear platform speeches began on time, and to close the car and move the train out on time. Stowe also traveled with President Truman during a six-week speechmaking tour through the country during the 1960 campaign.

The collection is divided into nine series: an Appointment Calendar File, a Telephone Memorandums File, a Subject File, a Correspondence File, a file entitled Press Releases-Presidential Statements and Messages to Congress, a Harry S. Truman 1952 Presidential Campaign Speech File, a 1960 Presidential Campaign File, a Harry S. Truman Centennial File, and a Memorabilia File.

The Appointment Calendars File contains two bound volumes listing Stowe's appointments for 1950 and 1951, and unbound appointment lists of his appointments from 1950 to 1953. The unbound lists occasionally give some brief description of Stowe's meetings.

The Telephone Memorandums File contains White House telephone memorandum forms that list the dates and times of incoming calls, the names of the persons calling, and brief descriptions of the purport of the calls. The calls listed were apparently received when Stowe was not available to take them. The listings are in different handwritings - presumably those of White House secretaries - and often indicate whether Stowe was expected to return the call or whether it was referred to someone else. Most of the listings are crossed out in red pencil; Stowe presumably did this when he felt the business of the call had been taken care of.

The Subject File covers such topics as migratory labor, the National Labor-Management Conference held in Washington, D.C. in November 1945, the President's National Labor-Management Conference held in September 1950, the 1952 steel strike, and President Truman's message to Congress accompanying his veto of the Taft-Hartley bill.

The Correspondence File contains copies of Stowe's outgoing correspondence for the entire period of his service on Truman's White House staff. Topics covered include science policy, the maritime industry, public housing, labor relations at atomic energy installations, Mexican labor, the establishment of the National Science Foundation, the President's Committee on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces, programs for the handicapped, civil defense, the Panama Canal, the European Recovery Program, the National Security Resources Board, and the ceremonial details relating to Stowe's position (thank you notes, requests for autographs, condolences, and the like).

The file entitled Press Releases-Presidential Statements and Messages to Congress contains selected press releases of Presidential statements and messages - presumably those Stowe felt to be important and related to his responsibilities.

The Harry S. Truman 1952 Campaign Speech File contains mimeographed copies of President Truman's speeches made during the 1952 campaign and press releases for some of the speeches. The speeches are sequentially numbered on the mimeographed copies, no. 1 being Truman's remarks made in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on September 1, 1952, and no. 210 his remarks made at Granite City, Illinois, on November 1, 1952.

The 1960 Presidential Campaign File contains a small amount of correspondence with Democratic Party and state and local officials regarding Truman's appearances during the 1960 campaign, background information about their locations, issue papers, public opinion mail, financial information, and press releases and copies of the reading copies of Truman's speeches.

The Harry S. Truman Centennial File contains primarily printed material and memorabilia relating to the celebration of the centennial of President Truman's birth. There is also a small amount of correspondence.

The Memorabilia File contains a couple of items that were added to the collection in 2002.

The Subject File of the Stowe Papers was opened for research in 1963. The 1960 Presidential Campaign File was opened in 1982. The remainder of the collection was opened in 1992, with the exception of the Memorabilia File, which was opened in 2002.

Material relating to Stowe's areas of responsibility can be found in many of the Library's collections. President Truman's papers include a small group of files from David Stowe's office in the White House, and the Oral History Collection includes several interviews with him.

Documents concerning migratory farm labor are included in the:

Documents concerning housing are included in the:

Documents concerning the Taft-Hartley Act are included in the:

Documents concerning civil defense are included in the:

Documents concerning universal military training are included in the:

Documents concerning the Steel Strike of 1952 are included in the:

[ Top | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Container Nos.

  

Series

1

   APPOINTMENT CALENDARS FILE, 1950-1953
Copies of appointment diaries, calendar pages and daily appointment ledger pages covering the period January 1, 1950 through January 14, 1953. The appointment listings occasionally give brief descriptions of Stowe's meetings. The lists for January 1951 through January 1953 are more complete and more likely to include some description beyond a simple listing. Arranged chronologically.
1-4   TELEPHONE MEMORANDUMS FILE, 1950-1953
White House telephone memorandum forms listing the dates and times of incoming calls, the names of the persons calling, and brief descriptions of the purpose of the calls. Arranged chronologically.
5-11   SUBJECT FILE, 1947-1953
Correspondence, memoranda, press releases, reports, speeches, and printed material. Topics as: migratory labor, the National Labor-Management Conference held in Washington, D.C. in November 1945, the President's National Labor-Management Conference held in September 1950, the 1952 steel strike, and President Truman's message to Congress accompanying his veto of the Taft-Hartley bill. Arranged alphabetically by subject.

12-13

   CORRESPONDENCE FILE, 1947-1953
Copies of outgoing correspondence relating to Stowe's work as Deputy to the Assistant to the President and Administrative Assistant to the President. Topics covered include science policy, the maritime industry, public housing, labor relations at atomic energy installations, Mexican labor, the establishment of the National Science Foundation, the President's Committee on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces, programs for the handicapped, civil defense, the Panama Canal, the European Recovery Program, and the National Security Resources Board. Arranged chronologically.
14-15   PRESS RELEASES - PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENTS AND MESSAGES TO CONGRESS FILE, 1947-1953
Press releases of some of President Truman's speeches, statements and messages. Arranged chronologically.
16   HARRY S. TRUMAN 1952 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FILE, 1952
Mimeographed copies of President Truman's campaign speeches during the 1952 campaign, together with press releases for some of the speeches. The speeches are sequentially numbered. Arranged chronologically.
17   1960 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FILE, 1960
Correspondence, background information sheets, issue papers, press releases, speeches and printed material relating to former President Truman's participation in the 1960 campaign. Arranged alphabetically by subject and document type.
18   HARRY S. TRUMAN CENTENNIAL FILE, 1984
Correspondence, memoranda, newspaper and magazine articles, reports, invitations, programs, guests lists and newsletters relating to the centennial celebration of Harry S. Truman's birthday. Arranged alphabetically.
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FOLDER TITLE LIST

Box 1

APPOINTMENT CALENDARS FILE, 1950-1953

  • Appointment Diary, 1950
  • Appointment Diary, 1951
  • Daily Calendar Entries, January 6, 1950 to August 16, 1950
  • Daily Appointment Ledger Pages, August 1950-November 1951
  • Daily Appointment Ledger Pages, January 1952-January 1953

TELEPHONE MEMORANDUMS FILE, 1950-1953

  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [1 of 10, January]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [2 of 10, February]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [3 of 10, March-April]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [4 of 10, May]

Box 2

  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [5 of 10, June]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [6 of 10, July]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [7 of 10, August]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [8 of 10, September]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [9 of 10, October-November]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1950 [10 of 10, December]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [1 of 11, January]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [2 of 11, February-March]

Box 3

  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [3 of 11, April]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [4 of 11, May]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [5 of 11, June]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [6 of 11, July]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [7 of 11, August]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [8 of 11, September]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [9 of 11, October]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [10 of 11, November]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1951 [11 of 11, December]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1952 [1 of 7, January]

Box 4

  • Telephone Memorandums, 1952 [2 of 7, February]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1952 [3 of 7, March-April]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1952 [4 of 7, May-June]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1952 [5 of 7, July-August]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1952 [6 of 7, September-October]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1952 [7 of 7, November-December]
  • Telephone Memorandums, 1953

SUBJECT FILE, 1947-1953

Box 5

  • Administrative Assistant to the President
  • Blair House Meetings, 1951 [lists of attendees]
  • Chaachou, Khadouri--Correspondence
  • Civil Defense--Exchange of Correspondence with Secretary of Defense Re Lack of Coordination in Joint Planning
  • Democratic Committee, Political Documents [1 of 2]
  • Democratic Committee, Political Documents [2 of 2]
  • England--Correspondence Concerning Trip to
  • Freight and Tank Cars
  • Great Lakes Shipping
  • Housing [1 of 2]
  • Housing [2 of 2]
  • Housing, Prefabricated--Miscellaneous Papers and Correspondence
  • Lyu, Kingsley K.--Correspondence

Box 6

  • Labor Department Manpower Organization
  • Labor Legislation--Statement By Paul Herzog Before Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare
  • Maritime--Tax Benefits--Scope and Effect
  • Mexican Air Agreement
  • Mexican Farm Labor, 1949-1950 [1 of 2]
  • Mexican Farm Labor, 1949-1950 [2 of 2]
  • Mexican Labor, 1951 [1 of 4]

Box 7

Box 8

  • Migratory Labor [2 of 2]
  • National Advisory Board of Mobilization--Formation of—Policy and Relationship to Labor's Participation in Mobilization Efforts
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume I
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume II [1 of 2]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume II [2 of 2]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume III [1 of 2]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume III [2 of 2]

Box 9

  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume IV [1 of 3]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume IV [2 of 3]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume IV [3 of 3]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume V [1 of 2]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume V [2 of 2]
  • National Labor-Management Conference, Volume VI
  • National Strategic Planning, by George S. Pettee
  • Organization Study--ODM [Office of Defense Mobilization], NSRB [National Security Resources Board], NPA [National Production Authority], ESA [Economic Stabilization Agency]—1952

Box 10

  • President's National Labor-Management Conference [1 of 2]
  • President's National Labor-Management Conference [2 of 2]
  • Receipts for Classified Documents
  • RFC [Reconstruction Finance Corporation]-- Housing
  • RFC--Individual Companies
  • St. Lawrence Seaway Project
  • Shangri-La [Camp David]
  • Speech--Role of NSRB [National Security Resources Board] in National Security Industrial College
  • Steel Strike, 1952 [1 of 3]
  • Steel Strike, 1952 [2 of 3]

Box 11

  • Steel Strike, 1952 [3 of 3]
  • Stowe, David H., Articles by
  • Strand, K.I.--Correspondence (Perfection Mop Co.)
  • Taft-Hartley, 1952
  • Taft-Hartley--Veto Message, 1947 [1 of 2]
  • Taft-Hartley--Veto Message, 1947 [2 of 2]
  • Travel Vouchers
  • Universal Military Training
  • Vocational Rehabilitations--Summary of Current Programs and Proposed Programs
  • Wipperman, H.P.--Correspondence
  • [Cross references to photographs transferred to the Audio-Visual collection]
  • [Cross references to books, magazines and newspapers transferred to the Printed Materials collection]

CORRESPONDENCE FILE, 1947-1953

Box 12

  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [1 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [2 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [3 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [4 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [5 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [6 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [7 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [8 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [9 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [10 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [11 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [12 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [13 of 14]
  • Correspondence, November 1947-September 1949 [14 of 14]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [1 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [2 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [3 of 12]

Box 13

  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [4 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [5 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [6 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [7 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [8 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [9 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [10 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [11 of 12]
  • Correspondence, October 1949-December 1951 [12 of 12]
  • Correspondence, 1952 [1 of 3, Jaunary-April]
  • Correspondence, 1952 [2 of 3, May-August]
  • Correspondence, 1952 [3 of 3, September-December]
  • Correspondence, 1953
  • Personal Correspondence, March 1949-January 1953 [1 of 4]
  • Personal Correspondence, March 1949-January 1953 [2 of 4]
  • Personal Correspondence, March 1949-January 1953 [3 of 4]
  • Personal Correspondence, March 1949-January 1953 [4 of 4]

PRESS RELEASES—PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENTS MESSAGES TO CONGRESS FILE, 1947-1953

Box 14

  • Messages and Statements, 1947 [October-December]
  • Messages and Statements, 1948 [1 of 4, January-February]
  • Messages and Statements, 1948 [2 of 4, March-May]
  • Messages and Statements, 1948 [3 of 4, June-July]
  • Messages and Statements, 1948 [4 of 4, August-October]
  • Messages and Statements, 1950 [1 of 6, January-February]
  • Messages and Statements, 1950 [2 of 6, March 3-13]
  • Messages and Statements, 1950 [3 of 6, March 13-15]
  • Messages and Statements, 1950 [4 of 6, April-May]
  • Messages and Statements, 1950 [5 of 6, June-August]
  • Messages and Statements, 1950 [6 of 6, September-December]

Box 15

  • Messages and Statements, 1951 [1 of 7, January]
  • Messages and Statements, 1951 [2 of 7, February-March]
  • Messages and Statements, 1951 [3 of 7, April-May]
  • Messages and Statements, 1951 [4 of 7, June-July]
  • Messages and Statements, 1951 [5 of 7, August]
  • Messages and Statements, 1951 [6 of 7, September-October]
  • Messages and Statements, 1951 [7 of 7, November-December]
  • Messages and Statements, 1952 [1 of 5, January]
  • Messages and Statements, 1952 [2 of 5, February-March]
  • Messages and Statements, 1952 [3 of 5, April-May]
  • Messages and Statements, 1952 [4 of 5, June-July]
  • Messages and Statements, 1952 [5 of 5, September-December]
  • Messages and Statements, 1953 [January]

HARRY S. TRUMAN 1952 CAMPAIGN SPEECH FILE, 1952

Box 16

  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [1 of 14, September 1-29, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [2 of 14, September 29 (cont.)-30, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [3 of 14, September 30 (cont.)-October 2,1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [4 of 14, October 2, (cont.)-4, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [5 of 14, October 6-8, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [6 of 14, October 8 (cont.)-10, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [7 of 14, October 10 (cont.)-16, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [8 of 14, October 16 (cont.)-17, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [9 of 14, October 17 (cont.)-18, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [10 of 14, October 18 (cont.)-22, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [11 of 14, October 22 (cont.)-27, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [12 of 14, October 27 (cont.)-29, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [13 of 14, October 29 (cont.)-30, 1952]
  • Harry S. Truman Speeches, 1952 Campaign [14 of 14, October 31, 1952-November 1, 1952]

1960 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FILE, 1960

Box 17

HARRY S. TRUMAN CENTENNIAL FILE, 1984

Box 18

  • A Conversation with Clark Clifford, Bill Moyers' Journal
  • American Association of Community and Junior Colleges Newsletter
  • Carlin, John--Address for the 1984 Truman Scholars, May 11, 1984
  • Congressional Record, Volume 130, Number 58, May 8, 1984
  • Correspondence, Personal--Re Truman Centennial Celebration
  • Guest List--Dinner for Clark Clifford, in Observance of the Truman Centennial
  • Guest List, Unidentified
  • "Harry Truman Brought U.S. Into the 20th Century," U.S. News & World Report, May 14, 1984
  • "Harry S. Truman, the Mason," Masonic Digest, June 1984
  • Harry S. Truman Library--Report of Examination, March 1984
  • Harry S. Truman Library Institute--Annual Board Meeting—Correspondence
  • Harry S. Truman Library Institute--Correspondence with David H. Stowe
  • Harry S. Truman Library Institute--Packet, Annual Meeting, 1984
  • Hofstra University Pamphlet
  • Independence Truman Centennial Commission--Correspondence
  • Indiana University--Correspondence with David H. Stowe
  • Invitation--to David H. Stowe--from Librarian of Congress
  • Invitation--National Park Service--Dedication of Truman Home
  • "Masonic Ambassador In The White House," The Northern Light, April 1984
  • National Guard Magazine, May 1984
  • "NATO: A Landmark of the Truman Presidency," NATO Review, April 1984
  • The Oak Leaf and Acorn, Volume 2, Number 3, May 1984
  • The Officer, May 1984
  • Participation of Truman Scholars in Truman Centennial Events
  • Program--Special Joint Meeting of the Ninety-Eighth Congress of the U.S.--in Commemoration of the Centennial of President Harry S. Truman, 1884-1984
  • Program--Truman Week, Independence, Missouri
  • "Remembering Harry Truman," The Rotarian, November 1984
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Truman Centennial Committee
  • Truman Centennial Committee--Letterhead
  • Truman Centennial Committee—Personal Correspondence Re
  • Truman Centennial Committee, Washington, D.C.-- Packet "Unadorned, But Proud," Time, May 14, 1984
  • "When Harry Truman Surprised the World," Parade Magazine, The Washington Post, May 6, 1984 (2 copies)
  • The Wilson Center--Correspondence with David H. Stowe
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