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).
August 11, 1949
THE PRESIDENT of the Republic of the Philippines and the President of the United States of America have met in Washington and have discussed at length problems of common interest to the two nations. The spirit of these conversations has…
August 19, 1948
THE PRESIDENT. I have no statements for you this morning, but I will try to answer questions, if you have any.
[1.] Q. Mr. President, do you know where we can get a boat to [Laughter].
THE PRESIDENT. Tony,1 I see a great…
October 27, 1945
Mayor La Guardia, ladies and gentlemen:
I am grateful for the magnificent reception which you have given me today in this great city of New York. I know that it is given me only as the representative of the gallant men and…
June 28, 1950
THANK YOU very much.
It is a pleasure to have you in this afternoon. I hope you are getting some practical ideas on what your Government is like, and what it is supposed to do.
Government is an intangible thing. It is what…
June 29, 1950
THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I have an announcement to make.
We have appointed an economic survey mission to go to the Philippines as soon as it can make the arrangements.
It is headed by the Honorable Daniel W. Bell, president of…
June 23, 1952
Dear Mr. Paley:
Your Commission's report is a landmark in its field. I do not believe there has ever been attempted before such a broad and farsighted appraisal of the material needs and resources of the United States in…
August 20, 1947
CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF THE MEDAL FOR MERIT TO DAVID K. NILES
DAVID K. NILES, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the United States. Mr. Niles, as Adviser on labor problems to…
August 20, 1948
My dear Mr. Attorney General:
On August 17, 1948, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 206 of the Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947, I issued Executive Order No. 9987, creating a Board of Inquiry to inquire…
October 29, 1945
Dear Dr. Briggs:
Your retirement as the Director of the National Bureau of Standards will deprive the nation of the services of an eminent scientist and government administrator. You have well merited the wide recognition which has…
July 25, 1946
To the Congress of the United States:
I have today signed H.J. Res. 371 amending the price control laws and extending them for another year. I have signed this measure with reluctance.
I had hoped for a bill under which the…
August 11, 1949
THE PRESIDENT. [I.] I have a couple of announcements to make. I sent down a "thank you" letter to General Eisenhower for his help on the reorganization bill.1
1See Item 180.
And, I am appointing General Bradley to be Chairman of the…
August 2, 1951
THE PRESIDENT. I have no announcements to make. If you have questions, I will answer them.
[1.] Q. I'll start it, Mr. President--last week you said you were looking into Chairman Boyle's connection with the RFC loan to American…
January 21, 1952
To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith my recommendations for the Budget of the United States for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1953.
Expenditures are estimated at 85.4 billion dollars, an increase of 14.5 billion…
January 20, 1949
I WANT to tell you how very much I appreciate your coming. I consider it a great personal tribute to me, not as President of the United States, but as your former Battery Commander.
You have a place of honor in the parade, and I am…
January 23, 1950
To the Congress of the United States:
The tax policy of the United States Government is of major significance to the national welfare. Taxes are the means by which our people pay for the activities of the Government which…
January 31, 1947
To the Congress of the United States:
During the past eighteen months the Nation has almost completed its great task of reconverting from all-out wartime production to a peace-time economy. As reconversion has proceeded,…
January 21, 1946
[ Released January 21, 1946. Dated January 14, 1946 ]
To the Congress of the United States:
A quarter century ago the Congress decided that it could no longer consider the financial programs of the various departments on…
January 30, 1948
[ Broadcast from the White House at 11:50 p.m. ]
My fellow citizens:
On this 10th anniversary of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, it is well that we should pause for serious reflection on a problem that is…
January 19, 1951
IT SEEMS that this occasion would not be complete if a politician didn't get a chance to say a few words.
I am glad to congratulate Paul Wooton, because when I first came here to Washington in 1935, Paul Wooton was our neighbor-and he…
May 1, 1945
Dear Fred:
As V-E Day approaches, many of our wartime agencies will face a most critical
personnel problem. Under the impact of war, these agencies have recruited many splendid
executives from private life. In every grade and…
August 2, 1951
Mr. Ambassador--yesterday I would have said Mr. Secretary:
I appreciate your coming here so I can tell you that I am more than pleased that you are willing to take the time, the trouble, and the effort to do what you are…
June 24, 1952
Dear Mr. Chairman:
I have been advised that a centerless grinding machine was shipped from Italy to Rumania after the effective date of the Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act of 1951 (the Battle Act). This grinding machine…
June 29, 1950
THE United States Government, at the request of President Elpidio Quirino, is sending an American Economic Survey Mission to Manila to study and report on the present pressing economic problems of the Philippines. When President Quirino…
August 11, 1949
My dear General Eisenhower:
When I asked you, last February, to serve temporarily as presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, you responded like the good soldier you are. I know how greatly this assignment disrupted…
October 30, 1945
[ Broadcast from the White House at 10 p.m. ]
Fellow citizens:
On August 18, 1945, four days after the surrender of Japan, I issued Executive Order 9599 which laid down the guiding policies of your Government during the…