September 9, 1948
THE PRESIDENT. I have no statements for you this morning, so if you want to ask questions, I will try to answer them.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, can you tell us in any more detail about your campaign plans--immediate?
THE PRESIDENT. About campaign plans--I can give you a few details. I expect to be in Des Moines--Dexter, just outside Des Moines--on the 18th and in Denver on the 20th; and several other Colorado cities: Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs, Pueblo--.
Q. Glenwood Springs and what else, sir?
THE PRESIDENT. Pueblo--Glenwood Springs. Then from there to Salt Lake City
Q. Do you know the date you will be in Colorado?
THE PRESIDENT. The 20th--we will be in Denver on the 20th, and I think Salt Lake City the 21st or 22d. And then San Francisco the day after Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City will be a night meeting, and then Los Angeles. That is as far as the details have been worked out. As soon as we get it worked out, we will give them to you at once.
Q. Will you go down to San Diego from Los Angeles then?
THE PRESIDENT. It hasn't been decided yet. It's under consideration. All I can give you definitely is that we will go to Los Angeles.
Q. Will that Frisco meeting be a night meeting, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT. I think so.
Q. And Los Angeles, too?
THE PRESIDENT. I can't give you the exact details on that. lust as soon as we get them worked out, we will give them to you. I'd hoped to have them ready this morning, to give you the details. In a day or two I will have it.
Q. Spending Sunday in Independence after Dexter, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes, I am going there Saturday night--go down to Independence Saturday night, and leave there, I think, Sunday afternoon sometime, and go to Denver. I shall be home that night.
Q. Mr. President, the Democrats out in Iowa say that you are going to make your first stop on the 18th at 6:30 in the morning, at Davenport.
THE PRESIDENT. Well, that is not unusual. [Laughter] Of course, that will be up to them. I will try to give you the exact details on the whole thing as soon as I get it.
Q. Do you have the dates for San Francisco and Los Angeles?
THE PRESIDENT. Tentatively only, and I would rather give them to you definitely in a day or two.
Q. Well, Salt Lake City is definite for the 21st?
THE PRESIDENT. I think so. I think it is the 21st.
Q. What is the meeting in Denver, can you tell us that?
THE PRESIDENT. I cannot. I will have to give you details on these things a little later. It has been very difficult to get this worked out, because everybody wants you to stop everywhere at the same time, and you can't do that very well.
Q. Do you know yet when you expect to be back?
THE PRESIDENT. Around the--I think 7th or 10th of October.
Q. The 7th or 10th of October?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes, somewhere along there.
Q. That's all one trip, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT. All one trip.
[2.] Q. Mr. President, Mr. Stassen made a few remarks in Detroit about--said you were responsible for inflation, he said you were trying to stimulate class warfare. Will you comment on what he had to say?
THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment.
[3.] Q. Mr. President, will you come through any Southern States on your way back?
THE PRESIDENT. I can't answer that question. As soon as I get it definitely worked
out, I will let you know. I can't give you any further than Los Angeles definitely.
Q. Do you know when you will give us it complete?
THE PRESIDENT. Just as quickly as it is ready.
Mr. Ross: The schedule says the 1st of October, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT. Charlie says the schedule ends about the 1st. I was thinking about another one. [Laughter]
[4.] Q. Mr. President, Mr. Stassen, the other night in Detroit, implied that there are "red herrings" in the Government. Is that true?
THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment on Mr. Stassen's statement--Professor Stassen, I should say. [Laughter]
[5.] Q. Mr. President, there have been reports in some political quarters in Puerto Rico that you are considering Governor Pinero for an ambassadorship down in Latin America or the Philippines, as soon as one becomes available?
THE PRESIDENT. I hadn't heard about it.
[6.] Q. Mr. President, is Secretary Marshall leaving shortly for Paris?
THE PRESIDENT. Secretary Marshall, I think, is due in Paris the 19th of September. I think he will leave here the 17th or 18th. He is going over in the Independence.
Q. Any chance he might go over for these four-power talks?
THE PRESIDENT. I can't answer that.
Q. Mr. President, the Secretary of State said yesterday that he has a bipartisan policy on the Italian colonies.1 Would you give us any background on what consultations-whether there have been consultations with Republican leaders on this issue?
THE PRESIDENT. Secretary Marshall I think answered that question definitely yesterday, and Secretary Marshall answered it correctly.
1At a press conference held on September 8, Secretary Marshall stated that the United States policies toward the former Italian colonies had been formulated with bipartisan approval.
Q. Mr. President, can you give us anything new on the Berlin situation?
THE PRESIDENT. No, I cannot. I have no comment on the Berlin situation. I think Secretary Marshall covered that yesterday as well as it can be covered at the present time.2
2At his press conference on September 8 Secretary Marshall denounced attacks by Communist-led mobs on the City Government of Berlin. He said that Communist efforts to disrupt conferences on the future status of Berlin must be firmly resisted and that he hoped the talks could proceed in a quiet and orderly atmosphere.
Q. Mr. President, I was going to ask that question in another way, if you don't mind because I know you are limited on this thing. But that thing hangs awfully heavy on people's hearts and minds on Berlin, and with that in mind, is there anything you could say that would be cheering or hopeful or optimistic?
THE PRESIDENT. Secretary Marshall, I think, made as definite a statement on that as it is possible to make at this time.
Q. That was it? That they would resist?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes. We are still standing up for our rights in Berlin. There are still some more arguments to be had on the subject. We are doing everything we possibly can, through negotiation, to straighten the thing out.
[7.] Q. Mr. President, are you ready to name your committee on segregation in the Armed Forces yet?
THE PRESIDENT. Not yet. I will have it ready in a day or two. We are having difficulty getting a chairman. As soon as we have that chairman, I will have it for you.
[8.] Q. That is still all confusion to me, to say we are negotiating, because I had understood that we would not negotiate as long as the blockade was on?
THE PRESIDENT. No, that is not--no such statement as that. We have been trying to negotiate all our difficulties. We have been negotiating ever since the war ended, and we are going to continue negotiating, hoping to get a settlement. You can't settle it in any other way.
Q. I didn't understand it. The statement said that we would not negotiate under duress, I think was the phrase.
THE PRESIDENT. No, we will not negotiate under duress. We have not been negotiating under duress.
Q. The blockade is not under duress?
THE PRESIDENT. It is attempted duress, but we are not negotiating under duress. We have been negotiating right along ever since the war ended. We will continue to negotiate, always hoping we will get a peace.
Q. Well, sir, is the action of certain civilians, and Russian policemen, and Berlin policemen--is that a part of the negotiation, or is that outside?
THE PRESIDENT. That is outside. I think Secretary Marshall commented on that very fully yesterday.
Q. He did. I didn't quite get what he meant. [Laughter]
[9.] Q. Mr. President, getting back to the campaign and subsequent trips, are you going to Troy, Schenectady, and several other upstate New York--
THE PRESIDENT. They are under consideration. I can't give you anything definite on that until we have made a decision on it. I will let you know in plenty of time.
Q. How about Albany, N.Y., Mr. President? [Laughter]
THE PRESIDENT. Well, I will let you know about that when we get that trip definitely worked out.
Q. You are not going there on this trip?
THE PRESIDENT. Oh no, no.
Q. Do you plan to stop in Texas on your current trip?
THE PRESIDENT. I will let you know about that. I have gone as far as I can on that with a definite statement. Trying to get the thing arranged so that it will be satisfactory and so you won't lose too much sleep.
Q. Mr. President, can you guess how many speeches you will make a day on this western--
THE PRESIDENT. I cannot guess. I thought Labor Day was a pretty good sample. [Laughter]
Q. There was one report that you might make 500 appearances between Labor Day and Election Day?
THE PRESIDENT. Well, as Mark Twain said about his death, I think that is rather exaggerated. [More laughter]
[10.] Q. Mr. President, will recognition of the Government of Israel have to wait until after the election in Israel?
THE PRESIDENT. I have that matter under consideration now. I cannot give you a definite answer on it now.
[11.] Q. Mr. President, I think there may be some confusion about Mr. Marshall's statement yesterday regarding the Italian colonies. He said that the policy was bipartisan. Does that mean that Mr. Dewey has been consulted--
THE PRESIDENT. General Marshall's statement will have to stand on just what he said.
Reporter: Thank you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT. You are entirely welcome.
NOTE: President Truman's one hundred and fiftysixth news conference was held in his office at the White House at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 9, 1948.
THE PRESIDENT. I have no statements for you this morning, so if you want to ask questions, I will try to answer them.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, can you tell us in any more detail about your campaign plans--immediate?
THE PRESIDENT. About campaign plans--I can give you a few details. I expect to be in Des Moines--Dexter, just outside Des Moines--on the 18th and in Denver on the 20th; and several other Colorado cities: Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs, Pueblo--.
Q. Glenwood Springs and what else, sir?
THE PRESIDENT. Pueblo--Glenwood Springs. Then from there to Salt Lake City
Q. Do you know the date you will be in Colorado?
THE PRESIDENT. The 20th--we will be in Denver on the 20th, and I think Salt Lake City the 21st or 22d. And then San Francisco the day after Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City will be a night meeting, and then Los Angeles. That is as far as the details have been worked out. As soon as we get it worked out, we will give them to you at once.
Q. Will you go down to San Diego from Los Angeles then?
THE PRESIDENT. It hasn't been decided yet. It's under consideration. All I can give you definitely is that we will go to Los Angeles.
Q. Will that Frisco meeting be a night meeting, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT. I think so.
Q. And Los Angeles, too?
THE PRESIDENT. I can't give you the exact details on that. lust as soon as we get them worked out, we will give them to you. I'd hoped to have them ready this morning, to give you the details. In a day or two I will have it.
Q. Spending Sunday in Independence after Dexter, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes, I am going there Saturday night--go down to Independence Saturday night, and leave there, I think, Sunday afternoon sometime, and go to Denver. I shall be home that night.
Q. Mr. President, the Democrats out in Iowa say that you are going to make your first stop on the 18th at 6:30 in the morning, at Davenport.
THE PRESIDENT. Well, that is not unusual. [Laughter] Of course, that will be up to them. I will try to give you the exact details on the whole thing as soon as I get it.
Q. Do you have the dates for San Francisco and Los Angeles?
THE PRESIDENT. Tentatively only, and I would rather give them to you definitely in a day or two.
Q. Well, Salt Lake City is definite for the 21st?
THE PRESIDENT. I think so. I think it is the 21st.
Q. What is the meeting in Denver, can you tell us that?
THE PRESIDENT. I cannot. I will have to give you details on these things a little later. It has been very difficult to get this worked out, because everybody wants you to stop everywhere at the same time, and you can't do that very well.
Q. Do you know yet when you expect to be back?
THE PRESIDENT. Around the--I think 7th or 10th of October.
Q. The 7th or 10th of October?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes, somewhere along there.
Q. That's all one trip, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT. All one trip.
[2.] Q. Mr. President, Mr. Stassen made a few remarks in Detroit about--said you were responsible for inflation, he said you were trying to stimulate class warfare. Will you comment on what he had to say?
THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment.
[3.] Q. Mr. President, will you come through any Southern States on your way back?
THE PRESIDENT. I can't answer that question. As soon as I get it definitely worked
out, I will let you know. I can't give you any further than Los Angeles definitely.
Q. Do you know when you will give us it complete?
THE PRESIDENT. Just as quickly as it is ready.
Mr. Ross: The schedule says the 1st of October, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT. Charlie says the schedule ends about the 1st. I was thinking about another one. [Laughter]
[4.] Q. Mr. President, Mr. Stassen, the other night in Detroit, implied that there are "red herrings" in the Government. Is that true?
THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment on Mr. Stassen's statement--Professor Stassen, I should say. [Laughter]
[5.] Q. Mr. President, there have been reports in some political quarters in Puerto Rico that you are considering Governor Pinero for an ambassadorship down in Latin America or the Philippines, as soon as one becomes available?
THE PRESIDENT. I hadn't heard about it.
[6.] Q. Mr. President, is Secretary Marshall leaving shortly for Paris?
THE PRESIDENT. Secretary Marshall, I think, is due in Paris the 19th of September. I think he will leave here the 17th or 18th. He is going over in the Independence.
Q. Any chance he might go over for these four-power talks?
THE PRESIDENT. I can't answer that.
Q. Mr. President, the Secretary of State said yesterday that he has a bipartisan policy on the Italian colonies.1 Would you give us any background on what consultations-whether there have been consultations with Republican leaders on this issue?
THE PRESIDENT. Secretary Marshall I think answered that question definitely yesterday, and Secretary Marshall answered it correctly.
1At a press conference held on September 8, Secretary Marshall stated that the United States policies toward the former Italian colonies had been formulated with bipartisan approval.
Q. Mr. President, can you give us anything new on the Berlin situation?
THE PRESIDENT. No, I cannot. I have no comment on the Berlin situation. I think Secretary Marshall covered that yesterday as well as it can be covered at the present time.2
2At his press conference on September 8 Secretary Marshall denounced attacks by Communist-led mobs on the City Government of Berlin. He said that Communist efforts to disrupt conferences on the future status of Berlin must be firmly resisted and that he hoped the talks could proceed in a quiet and orderly atmosphere.
Q. Mr. President, I was going to ask that question in another way, if you don't mind because I know you are limited on this thing. But that thing hangs awfully heavy on people's hearts and minds on Berlin, and with that in mind, is there anything you could say that would be cheering or hopeful or optimistic?
THE PRESIDENT. Secretary Marshall, I think, made as definite a statement on that as it is possible to make at this time.
Q. That was it? That they would resist?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes. We are still standing up for our rights in Berlin. There are still some more arguments to be had on the subject. We are doing everything we possibly can, through negotiation, to straighten the thing out.
[7.] Q. Mr. President, are you ready to name your committee on segregation in the Armed Forces yet?
THE PRESIDENT. Not yet. I will have it ready in a day or two. We are having difficulty getting a chairman. As soon as we have that chairman, I will have it for you.
[8.] Q. That is still all confusion to me, to say we are negotiating, because I had understood that we would not negotiate as long as the blockade was on?
THE PRESIDENT. No, that is not--no such statement as that. We have been trying to negotiate all our difficulties. We have been negotiating ever since the war ended, and we are going to continue negotiating, hoping to get a settlement. You can't settle it in any other way.
Q. I didn't understand it. The statement said that we would not negotiate under duress, I think was the phrase.
THE PRESIDENT. No, we will not negotiate under duress. We have not been negotiating under duress.
Q. The blockade is not under duress?
THE PRESIDENT. It is attempted duress, but we are not negotiating under duress. We have been negotiating right along ever since the war ended. We will continue to negotiate, always hoping we will get a peace.
Q. Well, sir, is the action of certain civilians, and Russian policemen, and Berlin policemen--is that a part of the negotiation, or is that outside?
THE PRESIDENT. That is outside. I think Secretary Marshall commented on that very fully yesterday.
Q. He did. I didn't quite get what he meant. [Laughter]
[9.] Q. Mr. President, getting back to the campaign and subsequent trips, are you going to Troy, Schenectady, and several other upstate New York--
THE PRESIDENT. They are under consideration. I can't give you anything definite on that until we have made a decision on it. I will let you know in plenty of time.
Q. How about Albany, N.Y., Mr. President? [Laughter]
THE PRESIDENT. Well, I will let you know about that when we get that trip definitely worked out.
Q. You are not going there on this trip?
THE PRESIDENT. Oh no, no.
Q. Do you plan to stop in Texas on your current trip?
THE PRESIDENT. I will let you know about that. I have gone as far as I can on that with a definite statement. Trying to get the thing arranged so that it will be satisfactory and so you won't lose too much sleep.
Q. Mr. President, can you guess how many speeches you will make a day on this western--
THE PRESIDENT. I cannot guess. I thought Labor Day was a pretty good sample. [Laughter]
Q. There was one report that you might make 500 appearances between Labor Day and Election Day?
THE PRESIDENT. Well, as Mark Twain said about his death, I think that is rather exaggerated. [More laughter]
[10.] Q. Mr. President, will recognition of the Government of Israel have to wait until after the election in Israel?
THE PRESIDENT. I have that matter under consideration now. I cannot give you a definite answer on it now.
[11.] Q. Mr. President, I think there may be some confusion about Mr. Marshall's statement yesterday regarding the Italian colonies. He said that the policy was bipartisan. Does that mean that Mr. Dewey has been consulted--
THE PRESIDENT. General Marshall's statement will have to stand on just what he said.
Reporter: Thank you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT. You are entirely welcome.
NOTE: President Truman's one hundred and fiftysixth news conference was held in his office at the White House at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 9, 1948.