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).
July 17, 1946
IT IS NICE to have you here again. There has been considerable water under the bridge since you were here before. And some improvement in world affairs, and I might say also some improvement in domestic affairs. The world situation, I…
October 18, 1945
THE PRESIDENT. I have no particular announcements to make today, but I thought maybe you might like to ask me some questions and would rather come in and do it.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, do you think the passage of the Hatch-Ball-Burton…
August 8, 1949
Mr. President:
It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the United States as a guest of the people of this country. I recall that, as Vice President, you were our guest in May 1947, and that the late Manuel Roxas visited the…
August 10, 1948
I HAVE today given my approval to H.R. 6959, the so-called "Housing Act of 1948."
When I addressed the special session on July 27, 1948, I strongly urged the Congress to complete action on S. 866, the comprehensive Taft-Ellender-Wagner…
August 7, 1947
I HAVE withheld my approval from H.R. 3332, a bill entitled "An Act creating the Saint Lawrence Bridge Commission and authorizing said Commission and its successors to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the Saint Lawrence…
July 27, 1951
My dear___________:
I wish to call to your attention a critical situation which now exists with respect to the financing of the Palestine Refugee Program of the United Nations. This program of relief to Arab refugees…
June 17, 1952
WELL, I appreciate that most highly. I don't know of any other place I would rather receive it from than from Independence High School--William Chrisman High School it is now--from which I graduated in 1901, a long time ago.
I shall…
July 18, 1946
THE PRESIDENT. At the last press conference, in the grand rush, somebody lost his streetcar pass--[laughter]--and a transfer. I don't know if the transfer is any good now. [More laughter]
[1.] The following nominations are made of…
July 27, 1951
MANY Americans have expressed concern about the mass deportations from Hungary which are being carried out by the Communist government of that country. Their condemnation of these brutal acts against the people of Hungary is in the best…
August 11, 1948
IT IS with great pleasure that I have signed Senate Joint Resolution 212, authorizing an interest-free loan of $65 million to the United Nations for construction of its headquarters in New York. The resolution provides for an immediate…
August 7, 1947
REORGANIZATION PLAN No. 3 of 1947, recently approved by the Senate, groups all the principal permanent housing agencies and functions of the Government, and the remaining emergency housing activities, in a Housing and Home Finance Agency…
August 8, 1949
GENTLEMEN, this is an historical occasion. We have here tonight, Mr. President, what you might call enough representation to be the whole Government of the United States. You have the President, and the Vice President, the Speaker of the…
October 22, 1945
ON THE anniversary of Czechoslovak independence I wish to extend my own personal greetings and the wholehearted congratulations of the American people to President Benes and the people of Czechoslovakia. This commemoration of the…
June 27, 1950
IN KOREA the Government forces, which were armed to prevent border raids and to preserve internal security, were attacked by invading forces from North Korea. The Security Council of the United Nations called upon the invading troops to…
Remarks to Members of the Eighth Annual Institute on the Preservation and Administration of Archives
June 18, 1952
I AM very glad to have you visit the White House. I am very much interested in what you are doing. In fact, I am highly interested in it because the papers of some of our Presidents of the United States, and of the 'Cabinet officers and…
August 7, 1947
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I have a few announcements to make. I appointed Roy W. Harper of Missouri to be United States District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri today, in the place of Caskie Collet.
I appointed as…
August 12, 1948
THE PRESIDENT. I have no statements for you today, but I will try my best to answer questions, if you have any.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, have you any observations to make on the record of the special session?
THE PRESIDENT.…
October 23, 1945
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, and Members of the Congress of the United States:
In my message to the Congress of September 6, 1945, I stated that I would communicate further with respect to a long range program of national…
July 23, 1946
I HAVE TODAY signed the Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpiling Act because it is important to the national interest that this Government have the power to acquire stockpiles.
It is only because of the overriding importance of this…
July 28, 1951
Mr. Mayor, Governor, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:
I am happy to come to this great city of Detroit and to join with you in celebrating its 250th birthday. I do not suppose that Cadillac and his little band of…
June 27, 1950
Mr. Chief Justice of the United States, Your Honor the Chairman, Honorable Judges of the Courts of the District of Columbia, ladies and gentlemen:
I appreciate the privilege of being here. Judge Laws, almost thou persuadeth me to be a…
August 9, 1949
To the House of Representatives:
I return herewith, without my approval, H.R. 5508 "An Act to amend the Army and Air Force Vitalization and Retirement Equalization Act of 1948".
The effect of this proposed legislation would…
October 25, 1945
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] The first announcement is the appointment of John R. Steelman as Special Assistant to the President.
Q. S-t-e-e--
THE PRESIDENT. John R. S-t-e-e-l-m-a-n.
Q. Executive Assistant…
August 9, 1949
To the House of Representatives:
I am returning herewith, without my approval, H.R. 142, amending section 18 of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for…
July 31, 1951
Dear Senator:
I have read with considerable interest your letter of July tenth with respect to S. 1134. As for the provisions of the bill dealing with the organization of the Executive Office of the President, I agree…