Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884-December 26, 1972) was the 33rd President of the United States, 1945-53; Vice-President under Franklin D. Roosevelt, January 20-April 12, 1945; assuming the Presidency upon Roosevelt's death; U.S. Senator, 1934-45; presiding judge for Jackson County Court, Missouri, 1926-34; salesman, manager of building and loan company, 1925-26; judge of the Eastern District; Jackson County Court, Missouri, 1922-24; married Elizabeth "Bess" Virginia Wallace, 1919; Captain during World War I, 1918, in command of Battery D, 129th Field Artillery, fighting at St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Sommedieu; First Lieutenant in National Guard, 1917; railroad timekeeper, reporter for the Kansas City Star, bank clerk, 1901-06.
On Thursday, April 12, 1945, Vice-President Harry S. Truman became the 33rd President upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He recalled:
<I knew at once that something unusual had taken place. Mrs.
Roosevelt seemed calm in her characteristic, graceful dignity. She stepped forward and placed her arm gently about my shoulder. "Harry," she said quietly, "the President is dead." For a moment I could not bring myself to speak...."Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked at last. I shall never forget her deeply understanding reply. "Is there anything we can do for you?" she asked. "For you are the one in trouble now."> 1884HT001
On April 13, 1945, in a statement to newsmen upon his return to the Capitol after becoming President, Harry S. Truman stated:
<Boys, if you ever pray, pray for me now. I don't know whether you fellows ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told me yesterday what had happened, I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me. I've got the most terribly responsible job a man ever had.> 1884HT002
Upon in return from Franklin D. Roosevelt's funeral, President Harry S. Truman recalled:
<Back in Washington that evening I felt that an epoch had come to an end. A great President, whose deeds and words had profoundly affected our times, was gone. Chance had chosen me to carry on his work, and in these two days I had already experienced some of the weight of its unbelievable burdens. As I went to bed that night, I prayed I would be equal to the task.> 1884HT003
The day after Franklin D. Roosevelt's funeral, President Harry S. Truman concluded his First Address before a Joint Session of Congress, April 16, 1945:
<Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Members of the Congress: It is with a heavy heart that I stand before you, my friends and colleagues, in the Congress of the United States. Only yesterday, we laid to rest the mortal remains of our beloved President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. At a time like this, words are inadequate. The most eloquent tribute would be a reverent silence. Yet, in this decisive hour, when world events are moving so rapidly, our silence might be misunderstood and might give comfort to our enemies. In His infinite wisdom, Almighty God has seen fit to take from us a great man who loved, and was beloved by, all humanity. No man could possibly fill the tremendous void left by the passing of that noble soul. No words can ease the aching hearts of untold millions of every race, creed and color. The world knows it has lost a heroic champion of justice and freedom. Tragic fate has thrust upon us grave responsibilities. We must carry on. Our departed leader never looked backward. He looked forward and moved forward. That is what he would want us to do.
That is what America will do. So much blood has already been shed for the ideals which we cherish, and for which Franklin Delano Roosevelt lived and died, that we dare not permit even a momentary pause in the hard fight for victory. Today, the entire world is looking to America for enlightened leadership to peace and progress. Such a leadership requires vision, courage and tolerance. It can be provided only by a united nation deeply devoted to the highest ideals. With great humility I call upon all Americans to help me keep our nation united in defense of those ideals which have been so eloquently proclaimed by Franklin Roosevelt. I want in turn to assure my fellow Americans and all of those who love peace and liberty throughout the world that I will support and defend those ideals with all my strength and all my heart. That is my duty and I shall not shirk it. So that there can be no possible misunderstanding, both Germany and Japan can be certain, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that America will continue the fight for freedom until no vestige of resistance remains! We are deeply conscious of the fact that much hard fighting is still ahead of us. Having to pay such a heavy price to make complete victory certain, America will never become a party to any plan for partial victory! To settle for merely another temporary respite would surely jeopardize the future security of all the world. Our demand has been, and it remains-Unconditional Surrender! We will not traffic with the breakers of the peace on the terms of the peace. The responsibility for making of the peace-and it is a very grave responsibility-must rest with the defenders of the peace. We are not unconscious of the dictates of humanity. We do not wish to see unnecessary or unjustified suffering. But the laws of God and of man have been violated and the guilty must not go unpunished. Nothing shall shake our determination to punish the war criminals even though we must pursue them to the ends of the earth. Lasting peace can never be secured if we permit our dangerous opponents to plot future wars with impunity at any mountain retreat-however distant. In this shrinking world, it is futile to seek safety behind geographical barriers. Real security will be found only in law and in justice. Here in America, we have labored long and hard to achieve a social order worthy of our great heritage. In our time, tremendous progress has been made toward a really democratic way of life. Let me assure the forward-looking people of America that there will be no relaxation in our efforts to improve the lot of the common people. In the difficult days ahead, unquestionably we shall face problems of staggering proportions. However, with the faith of our fathers in our hearts, we do not fear the future. On the battlefields, we have frequently faced overwhelming odds-and won! At home, Americans will not be less resolute! We shall never cease our struggle to preserve and maintain our American way of life. At this moment, America, along with her brave Allies, is paying again a heavy price for the defense of our freedom. With characteristic energy, we are assisting in the liberation of entire nations. Gradually, the shackles of slavery are being broken by t he forces of freedom. All of us are praying for a speedy victory. Every day peace is delayed costs a terrible toll. The armies of liberation today are bringing to an end Hitler's ghastly threat to dominate the world. Tokyo rocks under the weight of our bombs. The grand strategy of the United Nations' war has been determined-due in no small measure to the vision of our departed Commander in Chief. We are now carrying out our part of that strategy under the able direction of Admiral Leahy, General Marshall, Admiral King, General Arnold, General Eisenhower, Admiral Nimitz and General MacArthur. I want the entire world to know that this direction must and will remain-unchanged and unhampered! Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices. Because of these sacrifices, the dawn of justice and freedom throughout the world slowly casts its gleam across the horizon. Our forefathers came to our rugged shores in search of religious tolerance, political freedom and economic opportunity. For those fundamental rights, they risked their lives. We well know today that such rights can be preserved only by constant vigilance, the eternal price of liberty! Within an hour after I took the oath of office, I announced that the San Francisco Conference would proceed. We will face the problems of peace with the same courage that we have faced and mastered the problems of war. In the memory of those who have made the supreme sacrifice- in the memory of our fallen President-we shall not fail! It is not enough to yearn for peace. We must work, and if necessary, fight for it. The task of creating a sound international organization is complicated and difficult. Yet, without such organization, the rights of man on earth cannot be protected. Machinery for the just settlement of international differences must be found. Without such machinery, the entire world will have to remain an armed camp. The world will be doomed to deadly conflict, devoid of hope for real peace. Fortunately, people have retained hope for a durable peace. Thoughtful people have always had faith that ultimately justice must triumph. Past experience surely indicates that, without justice, an enduring peace becomes impossible. In bitter despair, some people have come to believe that wars are inevitable. With tragic fatalism, they insist that wars have always been, of necessity, and of necessity wars always will be. To such defeatism, men and women of good will must not and can not yield. The outlook for humanity is not so hopeless. During the dark hours of this horrible war, entire nations were kept going by something intangible-hope!
When warned that abject submission offered the only salvation against overwhelming power, hope showed the way to victory. Hope has become the secret weapon of the forces of liberation! Aggressors could not dominate the human mind. As long as hope remains, the spirit of man will never be crushed. But hope alone was not and is not sufficient to avert war. We must not only have hope but we must have faith enough to work with other peace-loving nations to maintain the peace. Hope was not enough to beat back the aggressors as long as the peace-loving nations were unwilling to come to each other's defense. The aggressors were beaten back only when the peace-loving nations united to defend themselves. If wars in the future are to be prevented the nations must be united in their determination to keep the peace under law. Nothing is more essential to the future peace of the world than continued cooperation of the nations which had to muster the force necessary to defeat the conspiracy of the Axis powers to dominate the world. While these great states have a special responsibility to enforce the peace, their responsibility is based upon the obligations resting upon all states, large and small, not to use force in international relations except in the defense of law. The responsibility of the great states is to serve and not to dominate the world. To build a foundation of enduring peace we must not only work in harmony with our friends abroad, but we must have the united support of our own people. Even the most experienced pilot cannot bring a ship safely into harbor, unless he has the full cooperation of the crew. For the benefit of all, every individual must do his duty. I appeal to every American, regardless of party, race, creed, or color, to support our efforts to build a strong and lasting United Nations Organization. You, the Members of the Congress, surely know how I feel. Only with your help can I hope to complete one of the greatest tasks ever assigned to a public servant. With Divine guidance, and your help, we will find the new passage to a far better world, a kindly and friendly world, with just and lasting peace. With confidence, I am depending upon all of you. To destroy greedy tyrants with dreams of world domination, we cannot continue in successive generations to sacrifice our finest youth. In the name of human decency and civilization, a more rational method of deciding national differences must and will be found! America must assist suffering humanity back along the path of peaceful progress. This will require time and tolerance. We shall need also an abiding faith in the people, the kind of faith and courage which Franklin Delano Roosevelt always had! Today, America has become one of the most powerful forces for good on earth. We must keep it so. We have achieved a world leadership which does not depend solely upon our military and naval might. We have learned to fight with other nations in common defense of our freedom. We must now learn to live with other nations for our mutual good. We must learn to trade more with other nations so that there may be-for our mutual advantage-increased product ion, increased employment and better standards of living throughout the world. May we Americans all live up to our glorious heritage. In that way, America may well lead the world to peace and prosperity. At this moment, I have in my heart a prayer. As I have assumed my heavy duties, I humbly pray Almighty God, in the words of King Solomon: "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?" I ask only to be a good and faithful servant of my Lord and my people.> 1884HT004
In his Memoirs-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope, published in 1956, Harry S. Truman stated:
<When I was in the Senate, I had told my colleagues, Senator Wagner of New York and Senator Taft of Ohio, that I would go along on a resolution putting the Senate on record in favor of the speedy achievement of the Jewish homeland.> 1884HT005
In a memorandum to Winston Churchill, dated July 24, 1945, President Harry S. Truman wrote:
<The drastic restrictions imposed on the Jewish immigration by the British White Paper of May, 1939, continue to provoke passionate protest from Americans most interested in Palestine and in the Jewish problem.
They fervently urge the lifting of these restrictions which deny to Jews, who have been so cruelly uprooted by ruthless Nazi persecutions, entrance into the land which represents for so many of them their only hope of survival.> 1884HT006
On August 17, 1945, the New York Times reported President Truman's reply at a Press Conference:
<The American view on Palestine is that we want to let as many of the Jews into Palestine as it is possible to let into that country.> 1884HT007
In his Memoirs-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope, published in 1956, Harry S. Truman recorded a note he wrote to one of his assistants:
<I surely wish God Almighty would give the Children of Israel an Isaiah, the Christians a St. Paul, and the Sons of Ishmael a peep at the Golden Rule.> 1884HT008
President Harry S Truman gave an address at the Lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree on the White House grounds, December 24, 1945:
<Ladies and gentlemen, and listeners of the radio audience:
This is the Christmas that a war-weary world has prayed for through long and awful years. With peace come joy and gladness. The gloom of the war years fades as once more we light the National Community Christmas Tree. We meet in the spirit of the first Christmas, when the midnight choir sang the hymn of joy: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Let us not forget that the coming of the Saviour brought a time of long peace to the Roman World. It is, therefore, fitting for us to remember that the spirit of Christmas is the spirit of peace, of love, of charity to all men. From the manger of Bethlehem came a new appeal to the minds and hearts of men: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another."
In love, which is the very essence of the message of the Prince of Peace, the world would find a solution for all its ills. I do not believe there is one problem in this country or in the world today which could not be settled if approached through the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount. The poets' dream, the lesson of priest and patriarch and the prophets' vision of a new heaven and a new earth, all are summed up in the message delivered in the Judean hills beside the Sea of Galilee. Would that the world would accept that message in this time of its greatest need!
This is a solemn hour. In the stillness of the Eve of the Nativity when the hopes of mankind hang on the peace that was offered to the world nineteen centuries ago, it is but natural, while we survey our destiny, that we give thought also to our past--to some of the things which have gone into the making of our Nation.
You will remember that Saint Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, and his companions, suffering shipwreck, "cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day." Happily for us, whenever the American Ship of State has been storm-tossed we have always had an anchor to the windward.
We are met on the South Lawn of the White House. The setting is a reminder of Saint Paul's four anchors. To one side is the massive pile of the Washington Monument--fit symbol of our first anchor. On the opposite end of Potomac Park is the memorial to another of the anchors which we see when we look astern of the Ship of State--Abraham Lincoln, who preserved the Union that Washington wrought.
Between them is the memorial to Thomas Jefferson, the anchor of democracy. On the other side of the White House, in bronze, rides Andrew Jackson--fourth of our anchors--the pedestal of his monument bearing his immortal words: "Our Federal Union--it must be preserved."
It is well in this solemn hour that we bow to Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, and Lincoln as we face our destiny with its hopes and fears-its burdens and its responsibilities. Out of the past we shall gather wisdom and inspiration to chart our future course.
With our enemies vanquished we must gird ourselves for the work that lies ahead. Peace has its victories no less hard won than success at arms. We must not fail or falter. We must strive without ceasing to make real the prophecy of Isaiah: "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
In this day, whether it be far or near, the Kingdoms of this world shall become indeed the Kingdom of God and He will reign forever and ever, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. With that message I wish my countrymen a Merry Christmas and joyous days in the New Year.> 1884HT108
At noon on March 6, 1946, President Harry S. Truman addressed a Conference of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ given in Deshler- Wallick Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. In the speech, which was broadcast on national radio, he explained:
<I like to consider this conference, to which you have so kindly invited me, as one which represents no one particular sect of creed, but rather as one which represents the spirit of the worship of God. We are a people who worship God in different ways. But we are all bound together in a single unity-the unity of the individual freedom in a democracy.
We have just come though a decade in which the forces of evil in various parts of the world have been lined up in a bitter fight to banish from the face of the earth both these ideals-religion and democracy.
For these forces of evil have long realized that both religion and democracy are founded on one basic principle, the worth and dignity of the individual man and woman. Dictatorship, by whatever name, is founded on the doctrine that the individual amounts to nothing; that the State is the only thing that counts; and that men and women and children were put on earth solely for the purpose of serving the State.
In that long struggle between these two doctrines, the cause of decency and righteousness has been victorious. The right of every human being to live in dignity and freedom, the right to worship God in his own way, the right to fix his own relationship to his fellow men and to his Creator-these again have been saved for mankind.
The fight to preserve these rights was hard-won.
The victory took a toll of human life and treasure so large that it should bring home to us forever, how precious, how invaluable, is our liberty which we had just begun to take for granted.
Now that we have preserved our freedom of conscience and religion, our right to live by a decent moral and spiritual code of our own choosing, let us make full use of that freedom. Let us make use of it to save a world which is beset by so many threats of new conflicts, new terror, and new destruction.
In our relations abroad and in our economy at home, forces of selfishness and greed and intolerance are again at work. They create situations which call for hard decisions, for forthrightness, for courage and determination. But above everything else, they call for one thing, without which we are lost.
They call for a moral and spiritual awakening in the life of the individual and in the councils of the world.
The last five years have produced many awesome discoveries in material things. But it has been truthfully said that the greatest discoveries of the future will be in the realm of the spirit. There is no problem on this earth tough enough to withstand the flame of a genuine renewal of religious faith. And some of the problems of today will yield to nothing less than that kind of revival.
If the civilized world as we know it today is to survive, the gigantic power which man has acquired through atomic energy must be matched by spiritual strength of greater magnitude. All mankind now stands in the doorway to destruction-or upon the threshold of the greatest age in history. And I prefer to face that great age. Only a high moral standard can master this new power of the universe, and develop it for the common good.
When the sages and the scientists, the philosophers and the statesmen, have all exhausted their studies of atomic energy, one solution and only one solution will remain-the substitution of decency and reason and brotherhood for the rule of force in the government of man.
If men and nations would but live by the precepts of the ancient prophets and the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, problems which now seem so difficult would soon disappear.
That is the great task for you teachers of religious faith. That is a supreme opportunity for the church to continue to fulfill its mission on earth. The Protestant Church, the Catholic Church, and the Jewish Synagogue-bound together in the American unity of brotherhood-must provide the shock forces to accomplish this moral and spiritual awakening. No other agency can do it.
Unless it is done, we are headed for the disaster we would deserve. Oh, for an Isaiah or a St. Paul to reawaken a sick world to its moral responsibilities! I might be facing that Isaiah or that Saint Paul right now. I hope it is true.
The need for this moral awakening applies to all men and women everywhere, but it applies particularly to the youth of today from whom the leadership of tomorrow will come.
The aftermath of a major war always includes an increase of juvenile delinquency. Sometimes it is the fault of the boys and girls. More often it is the result of everything that is abnormal in war-including the absence of fathers and mothers in the armed forces or in the business or in war industries.
We shall always be grateful to the women of America, who have preformed such an outstanding service to our country during the war. In some cases, however, this patriotic devotion to the national interest has resulted in unavoidable neglect of the children.
Smaller children were taken care of through the help of the Government in child-care centers. But this could not be done in the case of older children.
We are now paying the social penalties for failing to provide adequate supervision and guidance for many of our children during their formative years.
Whatever the cause, the need is now pressing and unyielding. The younger generation of today yearns for moral uplift. To the parents of the Nation-and to you of the Churches of God-has come the responsibility of helping them on to the right path. That is the greatest job you can do for America today.
And one of the ways we can all help not only the youth of the Nation but all men and women is by the provision of decent homes....Nowhere can the influence of deep religious faith and ethical living be more adequately felt than in the homes of the Nation. The spiritual welfare of our people of tomorrow is going to depend on the kind of home life which our Nation has today.
That is why it is so important that all churches throughout America cooperate in the "National Share the Home" effort. If each congregation of the 250,000 churches and synagogues in this country would open their spare rooms to only four veterans, one million veterans and their families could receive temporary shelter until new houses are available.
Nothing could be more helpful in reaching the goal of a decent home for every American-and by that I mean Americans of all races and religions and of all income groups-than the active cooperation and inspiration of the churches of the Nation. By working in your local communities where the primary job and responsibility lie, you can help make this program the success which it must be. For home life reflects the Nation's life. It must conform to an ever-rising standard.
To raise that standard should be, and is, to constant aim of your Government and the underlying basis of its policies. It would make the effort so much easier if people and nations would apply some of the principles of social justice and ethical standards which have come down to us from Biblical times. All the questions which now beset us in strikes and wages and working conditions would be so much simpler if men and women were willing to apply the principles of the Golden Rule. Do as you would be done by. Consider the beam in your own eye and pay less attention to the mote in your brother's....
As among men, so among nations-nothing will do more to maintain the peace of the world that the rigorous application of the principles of our ancient religion.
We have tried to write into the Charter of the United Nations the essence of religion. The end of aggression, the maintenance of peace, the promotion of social justice and individual rights and freedoms, the substitution of reason and justice for tyranny and war, the protection of the small and weak nations-by these principles the United Nations have laid the framework of the Charter on the sound rock of religious principles....
Ours should be a continuous thanksgiving for the fact of victory and for the blessings which are still with us in this land. the brave men and valiant women who made this possible under God will inspire us to face our new problems with resolution. They are problems which call for the best in us. As long as we remain true to the spirit of these men and women, to the religious faith which carried them to victory, we shall not fail....
Let us determine to carry on in that same spirit-in a spirit of tolerance, and understanding for all men and for all nations-in the spirit of God and religious unity.> 1884HT009
On March 23, 1946 in an address at a Jackson Day dinner, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<As in Jackson's time, we Americans must continue to live courageously. We should emulate the valor and the determination of our forefathers-those brave men who conquered the physical frontiers of this vast continent. The modern economic, political and social frontiers, which still confront all of us, offer an even greater challenge to our moral stamina and our intellectual integrity. This challenge also must be met. This victory must be won. I am confident that, with Divine guidance, no problem on earth exists that will not yield to the intelligence, courage and eternal faith of free men.> 1884HT010
At 10:15 a.m., April 6, 1946, in the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago, President Truman held his 598th news conference. Speaking to The Keen Teen Club of Chicago, a group of youths sponsored by the Chicago Daily News, President Truman fielded questions:
<Q. Mr. President, what part has religion played in your advancement from local official to the highest office in tour land?
The President. Well, A system of morals is necessary for the welfare of any individual or any nation. The greatest system of morals in the history of the world is that set out in the Sermon on the Mount, which I would advise each of you to study with everything you have.> 1884HT011
On May 11, 1946, in an address at Fordham University, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<I fear we are too much concerned with material things to remember that our real strength lies in spiritual values. I doubt whether there is in this troubled world today, when nations are divided by jealousy and suspicion, a single problem that could not be solved if approached the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount.> 1884HT012
On July 30, 1946, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<Men may be educated for justice, liberty and peace. If peace is to endure, education must establish the moral unity of mankind.> 1884HT013
On December 20, 1946, President Harry S. Truman addressed the Advisory Commission on Universal Military Training:
<I don't like to think of it as a universal military training program. I want it to be a universal training program, giving our young people a background in the disciplinary approach of getting along with one another, informing them of their physical make-up, and what it means to take care of this temple which God gave us.> 1884HT014
On Tuesday, December 24, 1946, in a national broadcast at the Ceremony for the lighting of the national Christmas tree on the White House grounds, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<Fellow citizens everywhere:
Again our thoughts and aspirations and the hopes of future years turn to a little town in the hills of Judea where on a winter's night two thousand years ago the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled.
Shepherds keeping the watch by night over their flock heard the glad tidings of great joy from the angels of the Lord singing, "Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth, peace, good will toward men."
The message of Bethlehem best sums up our hopes tonight. If we as a nation, and the other nations of the world, will accept it, the star of faith will guide us into the place of peace as it did the shepherds on that day of Christ's birth long ago.
I am sorry to say all is not harmony in the world today. We have found that it is easier for men to die together on the field of battle than it is for them to live together at home in peace. But those who died have died in vain if in some measure, at least, we shall not preserve for the peace that spiritual unity in which we won the war.
The problems facing the United Nations-the world's hope for peace-- would overwhelm faint hearts. But, as we continue to labor for an enduring peace through that great organization, we must remember that the world was not created in a day. We shall find strength and courage at this Christmas time because so brave a beginning has been made. So with faith and courage we shall work to hasten the day when the sword is replaced by the plowshare and nations do not "learn war any more."
Selfishness and greed, individual or national, cause most of our troubles. He whose birth we celebrate tonight was the world's greatest teacher. He said:
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."
Through all the centuries since He spoke, history has vindicated His teaching.
In this great country of ours has been demonstrated the fundamental unity of Christianity and democracy. Under our heritage of freedom for everyone on equal terms, we also share the responsibilities of government. Our support of individual freedom--free speech, free schools, free press, and a free conscience--transcends all our differences. Although we may not hope for a New Heaven and a New Earth in our day and generation; we may strive with undaunted faith and courage to achieve in the present some measure of that unity with which the Nation's sons and the sons of our allies went forth to win the war.
We have this glorious land not because of a particular religious faith, not because our ancestors sailed from a particular foreign port. We have our unique national heritage because of a common aspiration to be free and because of our purpose to achieve for ourselves and for our children the good things of life which the Christ declared He came to give to all mankind.
We have made a good start toward peace in the world. Ahead of us lies the larger task of making the peace secure.
The progress we have made gives hope that in the coming year we shall reach our goal. May 1947 entitle us to the benediction of the Master: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."
Because of what we have achieved for peace, because of all the promise our future holds, I say to all my countrymen: Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas, and may God bless you all!> 1884HT015
President Harry S Truman issued Proclamation 2714: Cessation of Hostilities of World War II, December 31, 1946:
<By the President of the United States of America a Proclamation:
With God's help this nation and our allies, through sacrifice and devotion, courage and perseverance, wrung final and unconditional surrender from our enemies. Thereafter, we, together with the other United Nations, set about building a world in which justice shall replace force. With spirit, through faith, with a determination that there shah be no more wars of aggression calculated to enslave the peoples of the world and destroy their civilization, and with the guidance of Almighty Providence great gains have been made in translating military victory into permanent peace. Although a state of war still exists, it is at this time possible to declare, and I find it to be in the public interest to declare, that hostilities have terminated.
Now, THEREFORE, I, HARRY S. TRUMAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the cessation of hostilities of World War II, effective twelve o'clock noon, December 31, 1946.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed.
DONE at the City of Washington this 31st day of December in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-first. (SEAL)
HARRY S. TRUMAN
By the President:
JAMES F. BYRNES
The Secretary of State.> 1884HT115
On June 17, 1947, in his Commencement address at Princeton University, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<As we gain understanding of man, comparable to our increasing understanding of matter, we shall develop, with God's grace, the ability of nations to work together and live together in lasting peace.> 1884HT016
*On August 28, 1947, in an exchange of messages with Pope Pius XII, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<Our common goal is to arouse and invigorate the faith of men to attain eternal values in our own generation-no matter what obstacles exist or may arise in the path....
An enduring peace can be built only upon Christian principles. To such a consummation we dedicate all our resources, both spiritual and material, remembering always that "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it."> 1884HT017
In writing to Pope Pius XII, in 1947, President Truman said of America:
<This is a Christian nation.> 1884HT018
On September 26, 1947, in a radio address, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<In our generous impulses we should follow the admonition set forth in St. Matthew's Gospel. Our Lord, bidding us to aid and comfort our stricken neighbor, whoever he may be, spoke words as true today as when He uttered them more than nineteen hundred years ago: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."> 1884HT019
On December 6, 1947, in an address given at the dedication of Everglades National Park, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<For conservation of the human spirit, we need places such as Everglades National Park where we may be more keenly aware of our Creator's infinitely beautiful, and infinitely bountiful handiwork. Here we may draw strength and peace of mind from our surroundings. Here we can truly understand what that great Israelite Psalmist meant when he sang: "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside still water; He restoreth my soul."> 1884HT020
On December 24, 1947, President Harry S Truman gave a nationally broadcast address at the lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree on the White House lawn:
<My fellow countrymen: We are met on the south lawn of the White House. Above the barren treetops rises the towering shaft of the Washington Monument. The scene is peaceful and tranquil. The shadows deepen and the Holy Night falls gently over the National Capital as we gather around our Christmas tree. Down the ages from the first Christmas through all the years of nineteen centuries, mankind in its weary pilgrimage through a changing world has been cheered and strengthened by the message of Christmas. The angels sang for joy at the first Christmas in faraway Bethlehem. Their song has echoed through the corridors of time and will continue to sustain the heart of man through eternity. Let us not forget that the first Christmas was a homeless one. A humble man and woman had gone up from Galilee out of the City of Nazareth to Bethlehem. There is a sense of desolation in St. Luke's brief chronicle that Mary 'brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.' For many of our brethren in Europe and Asia this too will be a homeless Christmas. There can be little happiness for those who will keep another Christmas in poverty and exile and in separation from their loved ones. As we prepare to celebrate our Christmas this year in a land of plenty, we would be heartless indeed if we were indifferent to the plight of less fortunate peoples overseas. We must not forget that our Revolutionary fathers also knew a Christmas of suffering and desolation. Washington wrote from Valley Forge 2 days before Christmas in 1777: 'We have this day no less than 2,873 men in camp unfit for duty because they are barefooted and otherwise naked.' We can be thankful that our people have risen today, as did our forefathers in Washington's time, to our obligation and our opportunity. At this point in the world's history, the words of St. Paul have greater significance than ever before. He said: 'And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.' We believe this.
We accept it as a basic principle of our lives. The great heart of the American people has been moved to compassion by the needs of those in other lands who are cold and hungry. We have supplied a part of their needs and we shall do more. In this, we are maintaining the American tradition. In extending aid to our less fortunate brothers we are developing in their hearts the return of 'hope.' Because of our forts, the people of other lands see the advent of a new day in which they can lead lives free from the harrowing fear of starvation and want.
With the return of hope to these peoples will come renewed faith - faith in the dignity of the individual and the brotherhood of man. The world grows old but the spirit of Christmas is ever young. Happily for all mankind, the spirit of Christmas survives travail and suffering because it fills us with hope of better things to come. Let us then put our trust in the unerring Star which guided the Wise Men to the Manger of Bethlehem. Let us hearken again to the Angel Choir singing: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' With hope for the future and with faith in God, I wish all my countrymen a very Merry Christmas.> 1884HT120
On January 7, 1948, in his State of the Union message to Congress, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<The basic source of our strength is spiritual. For we are a people with a faith. We believe in the dignity of man. We believe that he was created in the image of the Father of us all. We do not believe that men exist merely to strengthen the state or to be cogs in the economic machines. We do believe that governments are created to serve the people and that the economic systems exist to minister to their wants. We have a profound devotion to the welfare and rights of the individual as a human being.> 1884HT021
On March 17, 1948, President Harry S. Truman addressed the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in New York:
<I can express my firm conviction that, at this moment in history, the faith and strength the United States are mighty forces for the prevention of war and the establishment of peace. Our faith and our strength must be made unmistakably clear to the world.> 1884HT022
On July 7, 1948, in his State of the Union Message, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<It is our faith in human dignity that underlies our purposes. It is this faith that keeps us a strong and vital people. This is the hour to rededicate ourselves to the faith in mankind that makes us strong.
This is the hour to rededicate ourselves to the faith in God that gives us confidence as we face the challenge of the years ahead.> 1884HT023
President Harry S Truman sent a telegram to the President of Israel, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, President of the Provisional Council of State, Tel Aviv, October 2, 1948:
<ON THIS your first New Year's Eve as President of the Provisional Council of the State of Israel I send you warm personal greetings and congratulations. May the New Year bring peace to Israel and to its citizens the opportunity to dedicate themselves in tranquillity to furthering the prosperity of their country. HARRY S. TRUMAN> 1884HT123
On October 25, 1948, in an address in Chicago Stadium, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<The American people cannot afford to trust their future to men of little vision. The Bible warns us that where there is no vision the people perish....
Racial and religious oppression-big business domination-inflation-these forces must be stopped and driven back while there is yet time.> 1884HT024
On Monday, November 29, 1948, in a personal letter to Dr. Chaim Weizmann (November 27, 1874-November 9, 1952), the first President of the State of Israel, President Harry S. Truman wrote:
<I remember well our conversations about the Negeb, to which you referred in your letter. I agree fully with your estimate of the importance of the area to Israel, and I deplore any attempt to take it away from Israel.
I had thought that my position would have been clear to all the world, particularly in the light of the specific wording of the Democratic Party platform....I have interpreted my re-election as a mandate from the American people to carry out the Democratic platform-including, of course, the plank on Israel. I intend to do so....
Thank you so much for your warm congratulations and good wishes on my re-election...In closing, I want to tell you how happy and impressed I have been at the remarkable progress made by the new State of Israel.> 1884HT025 The 1948 Democrat Party Platform stated:
<President Truman, by granting immediate recognition to Israel, led the world in extending friendship and welcome to a people who have long sought and justly deserve freedom and independence. We pledge full recognition to the State of Israel.
We affirm our pride that the United States under the leadership of President Truman played a leading role in the adoption of the resolution of November 29, 1947, by the United Nations General Assembly for the creation of a Jewish State. We approve the claims of the State of Israel to the boundaries set forth in the United Nations resolution of November 29th and consider that modifications thereof should be made only if fully acceptable to the State of Israel.
We look forward to the admission of the State of Israel to the United Nations and its full participation in the international community of nations. We pledge appropriate aid to the State of Israel in developing its economy and resources. We favor the revision of the arms embargo to accord to the State of Israel the right of self-defense.> 1884HT225
On December 24, 1948, President Harry S Truman lit the National Community Christmas Tree and stated:
<For of all the days of the year Christmas is the family day. Christmas began that way. The moving event of the first Christmas was the bringing forth of the first born in the stable in Bethlehem. There began in humble surroundings the home life of the Holy Family glorified in song and story and in the hearts of men down through the centuries. The great joys and mysteries of that event have forever sanctified and enriched all home life....The hallowed associations of
Christmas draw all hearts toward home. With one accord we receive with joy and reverence the message of the first Christmas: 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to men'... What could be more appropriate than for
all of us to dedicate ourselves to the cause of peace on this Holy Night. As a Nation we have a history of a little more than a century and a half. But the religion which came to the world heralded by the song of the Angels has endured for nineteen centuries. It will continue to endure. It remains today the world's best hope for peace if the world will accept its fundamental teaching that all men are brothers. "God that made the world and all things therein...hath made
of one blood all nations of man for to dwell on all the face of the earth." In the spirit of that message from the Acts of the Apostles, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas.> 1884HT125
In his Memoirs-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope, President Truman recorded the events of his Inauguration:
<At twelve twenty-three Associate Justice Reed swore Senator Barkley in as Vice-President, and six minutes later I took the oath from Chief Justice Vinson. The words were the same that I had repeated three years and nine months earlier when I had been called so unexpectedly to the White House, but then only a handful of people were with me in the Cabinet Room.
I raised my hand; once more I swore faithfully to defend the Constitution of the United States, repeating the short and simple oath, and kissed the Bible. Then I stepped to the rostrum to begin my inaugural address which is traditionally a part of the ceremony.> 1884HT026
On Thursday, January 20, 1949, in his Inaugural Address, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<In performing the duties of my office, I need the help and the prayers of every one of you....
The American people stand firm in the faith which has inspired this Nation from the beginning. We believe that all men have a right to equal justice under the law and equal opportunity to share in the common good.
We believe that all men have the right to freedom of thought and expression. We believe that all men are created equal because they are created in the image of God. From this faith we will not be moved....
Communism is based on the belief that man is so weak and inadequate that he is unable to govern himself, and therefore requires the rule of strong masters.
Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with reason and justice.
Communism subjects the individual to arrest without lawful cause, punishment without trial, and forced labor as a chattel of the state. It decrees what information he shall receive, what art he shall produce, what leaders he shall follow, and what thoughts he shall think.
Democracy maintains that government is established for the benefit of the individual, and is charged with the responsibility of protecting the rights of the individual and his freedom in the exercise of his abilities....
These differences between communism and democracy do not concern the United States alone. People everywhere are coming to realize that what is involved is material well-being, human dignity, and the right to believe in and worship God....
We are aided by all who desire freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom to live their own lives for useful ends. Our allies are the millions who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Mat. 5:6)....
Steadfast in our faith in the Almighty, we will advance toward a world, where man's freedom is secure.
To that end we will devote our strength, our resources, and our firmness of resolve. With God's help the future of mankind will be assured in a world of justice, harmony, and peace.> 1884HT027
On April 8, 1949, President Truman made public the first report of the President's Committee on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces, (Government Printing Office, March 24, 1949). In regards to this report, the President stated:
<The President's Committee on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces has submitted its first report, entitled "Community Responsibility to Our Peacetime Servicemen and Women."
This report confirms my belief that there is an immediate and long-term need for an expansion of existing community activities and services in support of the spiritual and moral well-being of personal in the Armed Forces.> 1884HT028
On October 5, 1949, in a letter to John L. Sullivan, accepting the Honorary Chairmanship of National Brotherhood Week, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<America is dedicated to the conviction that all people are entitled by the gift of God to equal rights and freedoms even though they may differ in religious persuasion, in social and political views, or in racial origin. Our greatness is and will be measured by the degree of our recognition of this fundamental truth.> 1884HT029
On October 30, 1949, in a radio address, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<Religion is like freedom. We cannot take it for granted. Man-to be free-must work at it. And man-to be truly religious-must work at that, too. Unless men live by their faith, and practice that faith in their daily lives, religion cannot be a living force in the world today....
Religious faith and religious work must be our reliance as we strive to fulfill our destiny in the world....
When the United States was established, its coins bore witness to the American faith in a benevolent deity. The motto then was "In God We Trust." That is still our motto and we, as a people, still place our firm trust in God.> 1884HT030
On November 11, 1949: in an address to the national Conference of Christians and Jews in Washington, D.C., President Harry S. Truman stated:
<The only sure bedrock of human brotherhood is the knowledge that God is the Father of mankind.> 1884HT031
On December 21, 1949, in an address at Arlington National Cemetery, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<This is an age where faith in one's self, faith in freedom, faith in the kinship of man and God, are more important to our survival that all the mighty armaments of war.> 1884HT032
On December 17, 1949, President Harry S Truman wrote to Pope Pius XII:
<Your Holiness: The summons to peace on earth, good will toward men has come ringing down the ages, giving direction to the thought and the action of every human being whose life is lived according to God's purpose. The significance of the divine call, personified in the birth and mission of the Savior, is increasingly visible in the record of history despite the vicissitudes oftentimes encountered on the long path of the centuries. It is found in the progress that man is making toward a better world. It is found in the humanitarian help given to lighten the burden of suffering wherever it has overtaken men, women and children. It is found in the steady achievement of friendly, mutually helpful relations among most of the world's peoples today, living indeed as Good Neighbors. It is found in the efforts of these peoples to persuade and encourage the leaders of the few nations not following this path to an enlightened and advancing world order rounded on morality, justice, truth and freedom to permit their peoples to live also as Good Neighbors, and to join with the multitude in striving to build a world wholly and truly at peace. It is at this Christmastide when, consecrating ourselves afresh to the service of mankind and meditating on the glorious lessons for man taught by the life of the Savior, all men of good will can again feel in their hearts the inward peace that is the Well-Spring of the Good Life. To bring a just, enduring peace among the nations is the great task that beckons still ahead and calls for re-dedication. Mindful of its Christian heritage, and of the moral tenets that alone can lead to the Good and the True in the lives of the far-flung community of the nations as in the lives of individuals, the United States gladly rededicates its efforts to the creation of a peaceful and advancing world order. This is my message to you for the most blessed day of the year. Faithfully yours, Harry S Truman.> 1884HT131
On December 24, 1949, President Harry S Truman lit the National Christmas Tree and stated:
<The first Christmas had its beginning in the coming of a Little Child. It remains a child's day, a day of childhood love and of childhood memories. That feeling of love has clung to this day down all the centuries from the first Christmas. There has clustered around Christmas Day the feeling of warmth, of kindness, of innocence, of love-the love of little children-the love for them-the love that was in the heart of the Little Child whose birthday it is. Through that child love, there came to all mankind the love of a Divine Father and a Blessed Mother so that the love of the Holy Family could be shared by the whole human family. These are some of the thoughts that came to mind as I gave the signal to light our National Christmas Tree in the south grounds of the White House...We must not forget that there are thousands and thousands of families homeless, hopeless, destitute, and torn with despair on this Christmas Eve. For them as for the Holy Family on the first Christmas, there is no room in the inn... Let us not on this Christmas, in our enjoyment of the abundance with which Providence has endowed us, forget those who, because of the cruelty of war, have no shelter-those multitudes for whom, in the phrase of historic irony, there is no room in the inn....We shall not solve a moral question by dodging it. We can scarcely hope to have a full Christmas if we turn a deaf ear to the suffering of even the least of Christ's little ones. Since returning home, I have been reading again in our family Bible some of the passages which foretold this night. It was that grand old seer Isaiah who prophesied in the Old Testament the sublime event which found fulfillment almost 2,000 years ago. Just as Isaiah foresaw the coming of Christ, so another battler for the Lord, St. Paul, summed up the law and the prophets in a glorification of love which he exalts even above both faith and hope. We miss the spirit of Christmas if we consider the Incarnation as an indistinct and doubtful, far-off event unrelated to our present problems. We miss the purpose of Christ's birth if we do not accept it as a living link which joins us together in spirit as children of the everliving and true God. In love alone-the love of God and the love of man-will be found the solution of all the ills which afflict the world today. Slowly, sometimes painfully, but always with increasing purpose, emerges the great message of Christianity: only with wisdom comes joy, and with greatness comes love. In the spirit of the Christ Child-as little children with joy in our hearts and peace in our souls-let us, as a nation, dedicate ourselves anew to the love of our fellowmen. In such a dedication we shall find the message of the Child of Bethlehem, the real meaning of Christmas.> 1884HT132
On February 9, 1950, President Truman issued an Executive Order appointing additional members to the Commission on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces; (committee was established by Executive Order 10013 on October 27, 1948, 3 CFR, 1943-48 Comp., p. 835). The Executive Order stated:
<To encourage and promote the spiritual, moral, and recreational welfare and character guidance of persons in the Armed Forces and thereby to enhance the military preparedness and security of the Nation.> 1884HT033
On February 15, 1950, at 10:05 a.m., President Harry S. Truman addressed the Attorney General's Conference on Law Enforcement Problems in the Department of Justice Auditorium, Washington. DC. In speaking to the organizations present, which included the Department Of Justice, the National Association of Attorneys, the U.S. Conference of Lawyers, and the National Institute of Municipal Law Officers, President Truman admonished:
<The fundamental basis of this nation's laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don't think we emphasize that enough these days.
If we don't have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State!> 1884HT034
On April 16, 1950, in a personal memorandum, President Harry S. Truman recorded:
<There is a lure in power. It can get into a man's blood just as gambling and lust for money have been known to do.
This is a Republic. The greatest in the history of the world. I want this country to continue as a Republic.
Cincinnatus and Washington pointed the way. When Rome forgot Cincinnatus, its downfall began. When we forget the examples of such men as Washington, Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, all of whom could have had a continuation in the office, then will we start down the road to dictatorship and ruin.> 1884HT035
On May 11, 1950, at 5:07 pm, at Gonzaga University in Spokane, shortly after being given the University's Citation of Merit, President Truman gave an address which was carried over the airwaves:
<A good society requires far more than progress in material things. The good society we are seeking is based on order and peaceful cooperation, among men who share common ideals of freedom and justice. All these things are not easy to attain. For society is made up of men, who are often weak, and selfish, and quarrelsome. And yet, men are the children of God. Men have within them the Divine spark that can lead them to the truth, and unselfishness, and courage to do the right.
Men can build a good society, if they follow the will of the Lord. Our great nation was founded on this faith. Our Constitution, and all our finest traditions, rest on a moral basis...
We have built our own Nation not by trying to wipe out differences in religion, or in tradition, or customs among us, not by attempting to conceal our political and economic conflicts, but instead by holding to a belief which rises above all differences and conflicts. That belief is that all men are equal before God. With this belief in our hearts, we can achieve unity without eliminating differences—we can advance the common welfare without harming the dissenting minority. Just as that belief has enabled us to build a great Nation, so it can serve as the foundation of world peace. Nations can live together peacefully, working for their common welfare, just as we do in this country. If they believe in the brotherhood of man, under God, millions and millions of people, all over the world, know that in their hearts we can live together. But many of these peoples are oppressed by disease and poverty. And many are under the control of tyrants. These people are prevented from expressing, in their daily lives and through their governments, their belief in the brotherhood of man. The great problem before us in the world today is how to break through the barriers of ignorance and poverty—through the bartiers of tyranny—and let the common people of the world combine their will for peace. That’s all the common people in any country you can name want, peace and the right to live as they choose in their own countries.
The greatest obstacle to peace is a modern tyranny led by a small group who have abandoned their faith in God. These tyrants have forsaken ethical and moral beliefs. They believe that only force makes right. They are aggressively seeking to expand the area of their domination. Our effort to resist and overcome this tyranny is essentially a moral effort.
Those of us who belief in God, and who are fortunate enough to live under conditions where we can practice our faith, cannot be content to live for ourselves alone, in selfish isolation. We must work constantly to wipe out injustice and inequality, and to create a world order consistent with the faith that governs us...It is the moral and religious beliefs of mankind which alone give our strength meaning and purpose. The struggle for peace is a struggle for moral and ethical principles....
In the face of aggressive tyranny, the economic, political, and military strength of free men is a necessity. But we are not increasing our strength just for strength’s sake. We must be strong if we are to expand freedom. We must be strong if free men are to be able to satisfy their moral obligations. It is the moral and religious beliefs of mankind which alone give our strength meaning and purpose. The struggle for peace is a struggle for moral and ethical principles.
These principles unite us with religious people in every land, who are striving, as we are striving, for brotherhood among men.
In everything we do, at home and abroad, we must demonstrate our clear purpose, and our firm will, to build a world order in which men everywhere can walk upright and unafraid, and do the work of God.
Thank you.> 1884HT036
On July 19, 1950, in a radio and television address, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<We believe that freedom and peace are essential if men are to live as our Creator intended us to live. It is this faith that has guided us in the past, and it is this faith that will fortify us in the stern days ahead.> 1884HT037
On December 5, 1950, in an address at the Mid-Century White House Conference on Children and Youth, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<The basis of mental and moral strength for our children lies in spiritual things. It lies first of all in the home. And next, it lies in the religious and moral influences which are brought to bear on the children. If children have a good home-a home in which they are loved and understood-and if they have good teachers in the first few grades of school, I believe they are well started on the way toward being useful and honorable citizens....
I no not think I am being old fashioned when I say that children ought to have religious training when they are young, and that they will be happier for it and better for it the rest of their lives.> 1884HT038
President Harry S Truman broadcast worldwide a message on World Day of Prayer over the Voice of America radio, December 24, 1950:
<ON THIS day of prayer and religious dedication and for the coming New Year, I want also to extend to our friends in other lands the best wishes of the people of the United States and my own personal wishes on this holiday which has come to mean more than a day of rejoicing with friends and family. Our thoughts and prayers go with all men regardless of race, creed, or nationality who share with us our hopes for peace and freedom in the times to come. I am confident that with understanding and determination we shall move steadily toward these goals. I send all of you again my greetings and best wishes.> 1884HT138
President Harry S Truman broadcast a Message on the Occasion of the Lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree on the White House Grounds, December 24, 1950:
<ALL OVER our country and in many other parts of the world, men, women, and children are preparing to celebrate the birthday of Christ. Never before in our lives has a Christmas seemed so important. I am not thinking of turkey dinners and stacks of gifts. I mean the quiet, reverent celebration of the faith, hope, and love--born in a manger in Bethlehem. Across all the continents of this world, peace-loving people today feel apprehension and loneliness and fear. Many have forgotten the humble surroundings of the nativity and how, from a straw-littered stable, shone a light which for nearly 20 centuries has given men strength, comfort, and peace. At this Christmastime we should renew our faith in God. We celebrate the hour in which God came to man. It is fitting that we should turn to Him. Many of us are fortunate enough to celebrate Christmas at our own fireside. But there are many others who are away from their homes and loved ones on this day. Thousands of our boys are on the cold and dreary battlefield of Korea. But all of us--at home, at war, wherever we may be--are within reach of God's love and power. We all can pray. We all should pray. We should ask the fulfillment of God's will. We should ask for courage, wisdom, for the quietness of soul which comes alone to them who place their lives in His hands. We should pray for a peace which is the fruit of righteousness. The Nation already is in the midst of a Crusade of Prayer. On the last Sunday of the old year, there will be special services devoted to a revival of faith. I call upon all of you to enlist in this common cause. I call upon you no matter what your spiritual allegiance. We are all joined in the fight against the tyranny of communism. Communism is godless. Democracy is the harvest of faith--faith in one's self, faith in one's neighbors, faith in God. Democracy's most powerful weapon is not a gun, tank, or bomb. It is faith--faith in the brotherhood and dignity of man under God. Let us pray at this Christmastime for the wisdom, the humility, and the courage to carry on in this faith.> 1884HT139
In 1950, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<But all of us-at home, at war, wherever we may be-are within the reach of God's love and power. We all can pray. We all should pray. We should ask the fulfillment of God's will. We should ask for courage, wisdom, for the quietness of soul which comes alone to them who place their lives in His hands.> 1884HT039
In a 1950 a Press Conference, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<A man cannot have character unless he lives within a fundamental system of morals that creates character.> 1884HT040
On January 8, 1951, in a State of the Union message, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<Peace is precious to us. It is the way of life we strive for with all the strength and wisdom we possess.
But more precious than peace and freedom and justice. We will fight, if fight we must, to keep our freedom and to prevent justice from being destroyed. These are the things that give meaning to our lives, and which we acknowledge to be greater than ourselves. This is our cause-peace, freedom, justice. We will pursue this cause with determination and humility, asking divine guidance that in all we do we may follow the will of God.> 1884HT041
On April 3, 1951, President Harry S Truman spoke at the laying of the cornerstone of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C.:
<Dr. Docherty, ladies and gentlemen: Speaking of that foundation, Doctor, it's too bad you didn't have to listen to the laying of the foundation of the White House. It's on the same sort of soil as your church is located. If you remember, they had to put a foundation under the Washington Monument because they didn't start it right, for the very same reason that you had to put this foundation under your church. And I think we are told in the Scriptures that if we build our house on a rock, it will stand, even if we have to manufacture that rock.
It is a great privilege for me to be able to take part in this service. The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church has played an important part in the history of Washington. For almost 150 years a Presbyterian congregation has worshiped on or near this spot. During all that period, this church has preached the Christian message to this busy Capital City.
As you have remarked, Doctor, several of our Presidents worshiped here, and of course among them the most famous, Lincoln.
This new building demonstrates that you are still going forward in the same spirit which moved those early worshipers who first came to the swamps and woodland of this National Capital a century and a half ago. May you long continue in that same missionary spirit.
The essential mission of the church is to teach the moral law. We look to our churches, above all other agencies, to teach us the highest moral standards of right and wrong. We rely on the churches particularly to instill into our young people those moral ideals which are the basis of our free institutions.
This great Republic is founded on a firm foundation based on those very principles-the Constitution of the United States.
Religion is not an easy thing. It is not simply a comfort to those in trouble or a means of escaping from present difficulties, as some people today would have us believe.
Religion is not a negative thing. It is not merely a series of prohibitions against certain actions because they are wicked.
Our religion includes these elements. But it also includes much more. It is a positive force that impels us to affirmative action. We are under divine orders--not only to refrain from doing evil, but also to do good and to make this world a better place in which to live.
Every one of us should measure the actions of his daily life against this moral code which our religion gives us. Every one of us, according to the strength and wisdom God gives to him, should try his best every day to live up to these religious teachings.
More than this, religion should establish moral standards for the conduct of our whole Nation, at home and abroad. We should judge our achievements, as a nation, in the scales of right and wrong.
The democracy we cherish and our free institutions depend upon the observance of the moral code--in private life and also in public life. Selfishness and greed can tear this Nation apart, just as they have torn apart other great nations in the past. Our only defense against them is to follow those moral principles which have been handed down to us by our forefathers and which are enshrined today in churches such as this one.
We talk a lot these days about freedom-freedom for the individual and freedom among nations. Freedom for the human soul is, indeed, the most important principle of our civilization. We must always remember, however, that the freedom we are talking about is freedom based upon moral principles. Without a firm moral foundation, freedom degenerates quickly into selfishness and license. Unless men exercise their freedom in a just and honest way, within moral restraints, a free society can degenerate into anarchy. Then there will be freedom only for the rapacious and those who are stronger and more unscrupulous than the rank and file of the people.
If we neglect these truths, our whole society suffers.
This is readily apparent in the case of some of the evils that continually confront us. For example, when organized crime and vice run loose and are accepted and patronized by the people, they threaten our free institutions and debase our national life. These evils are clearly moral issues and our religious beliefs command us to fight against them.
It is not so readily apparent that moral issues are involved in some of the other evils we have been fighting against in this country. But it is nevertheless true that the evils of the sweatshop and the slum, the evils of needless disease and poverty, and the evils of social injustice are, at the bottom, moral issues. Such conditions arise because men have neglected the moral law. They arise because men do not actually live up to the religious principles they profess to believe in.
When we move to correct these evils, through our personal conduct, through community action, or through the Government, we are responding to the divine command-to the Golden Rule--which requires us to do unto others as we would be done by.
Of course, this is a struggle that is never finally won. There are many injustices in our country that need correction today, and need them badly. We must continue to weigh our national life in the scales of justice, and keep on striving to improve it.
In the world at large, as well as in our domestic affairs, we must apply moral standards to our national conduct. At the present time our Nation is engaged in a great effort to maintain justice and peace in the world. An essential feature of this effort is our program to build up the defenses of our country.
There has never been a greater cause. There has never been a cause which had a stronger moral claim on all of us.
We are defending the religious principles upon which our Nation and our whole way of life are founded. We are defending the right to worship God-- each as he sees fit according to his own conscience. We are defending the right to follow the precepts and the example which God has set for us. We are defending the right of people to gather together, all across our land, in churches such as this one.
For the danger that threatens us in the world today is utterly and totally opposed to all these things. The international Communist movement is based on a fierce and terrible fanaticism. It denies the existence of God and, wherever it can, it stamps out the worship of God.
Our religious faith gives us the answer to the false beliefs of communism. Our faith shows us the way to create a society where man can find his greatest happiness under God. Surely, we can follow that faith with the same devotion and determination the Communists give to their godless creed.
That is what we must do. Our religion must live in our hearts, not as a set of dull rules learned by rote, but as a burning faith. Only such a faith--only a living allegiance to such a faith--can carry this country through the trials which are ahead of it.
This is a matter that comes home to every one of us. We have many different jobs to do and different parts to play in our country's defense of its freedom and its beliefs.
If each of us, wherever he may be--in a factory or a mine, on a farm or in an office, or in the home--if each of us does his best to help, we need have no fear of the outcome.
We should continue to ask ourselves whether we are responding to this cause with the moral conviction and the faith which it demands.
Every day our newspapers tell us about the fighting in Korea. Our men there are making heroic sacrifices. They are fighting and suffering in an effort to prevent the tide of aggression from sweeping across the world. They are fighting to prevent the much greater sacrifice and suffering which all of us would endure if another world war comes.
Although we read about these sacrifices in our newspapers every day, we have a tendency to think of the defense effort only in selfish terms--in terms of avoiding personal inconvenience or making some personal gain. Our young men are offering their lives for us in the hills of Korea--and yet too many of us are chiefly concerned over whether or not we can buy a television set next week, or make the profit we expect to make this year, or how we can turn the situation to our own selfish advantage.
This is a failure to understand the moral principles upon which our Nation is founded. This is a faltering in our allegiance to the moral faith we have inherited from our fathers.
If we truly believe in God, we ought to ask ourselves what He may be thinking of our present attitude and our present conduct. Considering all the advantages that God has given us as a nation and all the mercies that He has shown to us from our very beginnings, we ought to ask ourselves whether we today are worthy of all that He has done for us. We ought to ask ourselves whether we, as a people, are doing our part; whether we are carrying out our moral obligations.
I do not think that anyone can study the history of this Nation of ours-- study it deeply and earnestly--without becoming convinced that divine providence has played a great part in it. I have the feeling that God has created us and brought us to our present position of power and strength for some great purpose. And up to now we have been shirking it. Now we are assuming it, and now we must carry it through.
It is not given to us to know fully what that purpose is. But I think we may be sure. of one thing. That is, that our country is intended to do all it can, in cooperation with other nations, to help create peace and preserve peace in this world. It is given to us to defend the spiritual values--the moral code--against the vast forces of evil that seek to destroy them.
This is a hard task. It is not one that we have asked for. At times, we would like to lay it down. And, as we go on with it, we shall see that it is full of uncertainties and sacrifices.
But we need not be afraid, if we have faith.
There is a lesson for us in the passage from the Bible which has just been read here. That part of the Book of Ezra describes the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the long captivity in Babylon. You remember how the writer describes the people shouting with a great shout when the foundation of the new temple was laid. And then the author goes on to tell us that some of those in the crowd, particularly the old men, did not shout. They wept when they saw the foundation stones set in place.
These were the men who remembered all the sacrifices--all the suffering of all the people--what their people had undergone during the captivity. They knew that these sacrifices had not been made in vain. They realized that, in spite of all their troubles, and in the face of overwhelming odds, their faith had prevailed. And so they were too deeply moved to shout; they wept for joy.
They gave thanks to God "because He is good, for his mercy endureth forever."
If we hold true to our faith, as they did, I am sure that we will be able to offer, on some future day, the same heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving and joy. We too will be able to give God the glory for the victory of freedom and justice and peace for which we are striving today.
We, too, shall say: "He is good, for His mercy endureth forever." [After concluding his address the President presented to the church the silver trowel he had used in laying the cornerstone, as follows.]
Doctor, it is a great pleasure for me to present to you this trowel, which I myself had specially made for this occasion. I hope this trowel will stand in your church as a symbol of a trowel to spread religion and truth through the congregation and throughout the world.
[The President then received a copy of the New Testament from Peter John Marshall, son of the late pastor of the church who was also Chaplin of the United States Senate at the time of his death. He then resumed speaking.]
Well, thank you very much for this Testament. I appreciate very much having it. And all I can say to you is, I hope you will grow up to be as good a man as your father.> 1884HT141
On February 3, 1951, in an address given in Philadelphia, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<The unity of our country is an unity under God. It is a unity in freedom, for the service of God is perfect freedom.> 1884HT042
On September 28, 1951, in an address given to the Washington Pilgrimage of American Churchmen, Washington, D.C., President Harry S. Truman stated:
<If we are to respond to our religious heritage, we must be guided by the principle of charity-charity in the biblical sense of love for one's fellow man. This is the greatest virtue, without which other virtues are of little worth.> 1884HT043
On June 17, 1952, President Harry S. Truman issued Proclamation 2978, declaring an annual National Day of Prayer, after signing Congressional Resolution (Public Law 82-324; 66 Stat. 64):
<Whereas from the earliest days of our history our people have been accustomed to turn to Almighty God for help and guidance; and
Whereas in times of national crisis when we are striving to strengthen the foundations of peace and security we stand in special need of Divine support; and
Whereas the Congress, by a joint resolution approved on April 17, 1952 (66 Stat. 64), has provided that the President "shall set aside and proclaim a suitable day each year, other than Sunday, as a National Day of Prayer, on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation"; and
Whereas I deem it fitting that this Day of Prayer coincide with the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which published to the world this Nation's "firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence":
Now, Therefore, I, Harry S. Truman, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Friday, July 4, 1952, as a National Day of Prayer, on which all of us, in our churches, in our homes, and in our hearts, may beseech God to grant us wisdom to know the course which we should follow, and strength and patience to pursue that course steadfastly. May we also give thanks to Him for His constant watchfulness over us in every hour of national prosperity and national peril.
In Witness Thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington this 17th day of June in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-sixth. Harry S. Truman.> 1884HT044
On August 16, 1952, President Harry S. Truman concluded a personal note to General Dwight D. Eisenhower:
<May God guide you and give you light. From a man who has always been your friend and who always intended to be!> 1884HT045
On December 24, 1952, President Harry S Truman lit the National Community Christmas Tree, stating:
<My fellow Americans: As we light this National Christmas tree tonight, here on the White House lawn-as all of us light our own Christmas trees in our own homes-we remember another night long ago. Then a Child was born in a stable. A star hovered over, drawing wise men from afar. Shepherds, in a field, heard angels singing: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'
That was the first Christmas and it was God's great gift to us. This is a wonderful story. Year after year it brings peace and tranquility to troubled hearts in a troubled world. And tonight the earth seems hushed, as we turn to the old, old story of how 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'
Tonight, our hearts turn first of all to our brave men and women in Korea. They are fighting and suffering and even dying that we may preserve the chance of peace in the world. The struggle there has been long and bitter. But it has a hopeful meaning. It has a hopeful meaning because it is the common struggle of many free nations which have joined together to seek a just and lasting peace. We know, all of us, that this is the only way we can bring about peace in the conditions of our time on this earth.
Whether we shall succeed depends upon our patience and fortitude. We still have a long road ahead of us before we reach our goal. We must remain steadfast. And as we go about our business of trying to achieve peace in the world, let us remember always to try to act and live in the spirit of the Prince of Peace. He bore in His heart no hate and no malice-nothing but love for all mankind. We should try as nearly as we can to follow His example. Our efforts to establish law and order in the world are not directed against any nation or any people. We seek only a universal peace, where all nations shall be free and all peoples shall enjoy their inalienable human rights.
We believe that all men are truly the children of God. As we worship at this Christmastide, let us worship in this spirit. As we pray for our loved ones far from home-as we pray for our men and women in Korea, and all our service men and women wherever they are-let us also pray for our enemies. Let us pray that the spirit of God shall enter their lives and prevail in their lands. Let us pray for a fulfillment of the brotherhood of man.
Through Jesus Christ the world will yet be a better and a fairer place. This faith sustains us today as it has sustained mankind for centuries past. This is why the Christmas story, with the bright stars shining and the angels singing, moves us to wonder and stirs our hearts to praise. Now, my fellow countrymen, I wish for all of you a Christmas filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and many years of future happiness with the peace of God reigning upon this earth.> 1884HT145
President Truman commented:
<Peace is the goal of my life. I'd rather have lasting peace in the world than be President. I wish for peace, I work for peace and I pray for peace continually.> 1884HT046
In commenting on the Constitution in his Memoirs-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope, President Harry S. Truman stated:
<The men who wrote the Constitution knew what they were doing when they provided for three separate branches of the government. They were mostly men trained in the law, and they were all well informed on the history of government from Babylon to Britain. They were convinced that the government of the new nation should be one that would protect individual freedom and allow it to flourish.
They knew that arbitrary and even tyrannical government had come about where the powers of government were united in the hands of one man. The system they set up was designed to prevent a demagogue or "a man on horseback" from taking over the powers of government.
As a young man, I had read Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws and the Federalist Papers, that collection of essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay that explains so much of what the Constitution was intended to mean.
Later, during my evening studies of the law, I had read some of Blackstone and Coke and the Commentaries of Judge Story.
This reading and the study of history and of our government have been the foundation of my thinking about the Constitution. It is a document of remarkable qualities, and every American owes it to his country to absorb not only its words but also the great ideas for which it stands.
The greatest of these, in my opinion, is the idea of a fair trial. We inherited from the British this idea that no man shall be considered guilty until a fair, judicial process shall have found him so.
Next to this, the most important thought expressed in our Constitution is that the power of government shall always remain limited, through the separation of powers. This means that each of the three branches of the government-the legislative, the judicial, and the executive-must jealously guard its position.
This jealous concern is a good thing.> 1884HT047 President Truman recorded his favorite prayer:
<O Almighty and Everlasting God, Creator of Heaven, Earth and the Universe:
Help me to be, to think, to act what is right, because it is right; make me truthful, honest and honorable in all things; make me intellectually honest for the sake of right and honor and without thought of reward to me.
Give me the ability to be charitable, forgiving and patient with my fellow men-help me to understand their motives and their shortcomings-even as thou understandest mine! Amen, Amen, Amen.> 1884HT048
--
American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement.
Endnotes:
1884HT001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, April 12, 1945, recalling how he learned of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death. Harry S. Truman, Years of Decisions (Life Magazine, 1955, Time, Inc.). James Beasely Simpson, Best Quotes of '54, '55, '56 (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1957), p. 177.
1884HT002. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, April 13, 1945, in a statement to newsmen upon his return to the Capitol after becoming President. Harry S. Truman, Years of Decisions (Life Magazine, 1955, Time, Inc.). James Beasely Simpson, Best Quotes of '54, '55, '56 (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1957), p. 178.
1884HT003. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, April 1945, in his recollections upon returning from Franklin D. Roosevelt's funeral. Harry S. Truman, Years of Decisions (Life Magazine, 1955, Time, Inc.). James Beasely Simpson, Best Quotes of '54, '55, '56 (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1957), p. 178.
1884HT004. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, In his first address to Congress as President, following President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death, April 12, 1945. Harry S. Truman, Years of Decisions (Life Magazine, 1955, Time, Inc.). James Beasely Simpson, Best Quotes of '54, '55, '56 (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1957), p. 178. Merle Miller, Plain Speaking-An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman (Berkley, 1982). Charles E. Jones, The Books You Read (Harrisburg, PA: Executive Books, 1985), p. 197. Edmund Fuller and David E. Green, God in the White House-The Faiths of American Presidents (NY: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1968), p. 210.
1884HT005. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), p. 134.
1884HT006. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, July 24, 1945, in a memorandum to Winston Churchill. Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), p. 135.
1884HT007. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, August 17, 1945, the New York Times, Truman's reply to Press Conference question (Documents on Israeli-Soviet Relations, 1941-1953, Frank Cass Publishers, Newbury House, 900 Eastern Ave., London, IG2 7HH, Cummings Center, 2000, p. 121). Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), p. 136.
1884HT008. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), p. 157.
1884HT108. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1945, address at the Lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree on the White House grounds.
1884HT009. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, March 6, 1946, at noon, in an addressed, nationally broadcast via radio, given to a Conference of the Federal Council of Churches in Deshler-Wallick Hotel, Columbus, Ohio. Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S. Truman, 1946- Containing Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, January 1 to December 31, 1946 (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1962), Item 52, p. 141. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 84, 158, 162. Anson Phelps Stokes, Church and State in the United States (New York, Harper and Brothers, 1950), Vol. III, pp. 712-713.
1884HT010. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, March 23, 1946 in an address at a Jackson Day dinner. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 40.
1884HT011. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, April 6, 1946, at 10:15 a.m., at the Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, speaking to The Keen Teen Club of Chicago, a group of youths sponsored by the Chicago Daily News, in his 598th news conference. Public Papers of the Presidents-Harry S. Truman, 1946 Containing Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, January 1 to December 31, 1946 (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1962) Item 75, p. 181.
1884HT012. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, May 11, 1946, in an address at Fordham University. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 171.
1884HT013. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, July 30, 1946. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 64.
1884HT014. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 20, 1946, in an address to the Advisory Commission on Universal Military Training. Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), pp. 53-54.
1884HT015. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1946, in an address given at the Ceremony for the lighting of the national Christmas tree. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 44, 57, 82, 115.
1884HT115. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 31, 1946, issued Proclamation 2714: Cessation of Hostilities of World War II.
1884HT016. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, June 17, 1947, in his Commencement address at Princeton University. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 165.
1884HT017. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, August 28, 1947, in an exchange of messages with Pope Pius XII. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 79, 126.
1884HT018. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, Larry Witham, "'Christian Nation' Now Fighting Words" (The Washington Times, November 23, 1992), p. Al. Gary DeMar, The Biblical Worldview (Atlanta, GA: An American Vision Publication-American Vision, Inc., 1993), Vol. 9, No. 2, p. 12. Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States; 143 U. S. 457, 471 (1892).
1884HT019. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, September 26, 1947, in a radio address. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 85-86.
1884HT020. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 6, 1947, in an address given at the dedication of Everglades National Park. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 113-114.
1884HT120. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1947, in a nationally broadcast address at the lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree on the White House lawn.
1884HT021. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, January 7, 1948, in his State of the Union message to Congress. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 160.
1884HT022. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, March 17, 1948, in an address to the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in New York. Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), pp. 242-243.
1884HT023. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, July 7, 1948, in his State of the Union Message. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 61.
1884HT123. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, October 2, 1948, sent a telegram to the President of Israel, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, President of the Provisional Council of State, Tel Aviv.
1884HT024. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, October 25, 1948, in an address in Chicago Stadium. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 26, 172.
1884HT025. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, November 29, 1948, in a personal letter to Dr. Chaim Weizmann, President of the State of Israel. Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), pp. 168-169.
1884HT225. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Democrat Party Platform of 1948 http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29599 1884HT125. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1948, lighting the National Community Christmas Tree.
1884HT026. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), p. 226.
1884HT027. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, January 20, 1949, in his Inaugural Address. Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), pp. 226-227. Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States-From George Washington 1789 to Richard Milhous Nixon 1969 (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office; 91st Congress, 1st Session, House Document 91-142, 1969), pp. 251-256. Davis Newton Lott, The Inaugural Addresses of the American Presidents (NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961), pp. 251-255. Charles E. Rice, The Supreme Court and Public Prayer (New York: Fordham University Press, 1964), pp. 191-192. Lillian W. Kay, ed., The Ground on Which We Stand-Basic Documents of American History (NY: Franklin Watts., Inc, 1969), p. 275. Benjamin Weiss, God in American History: A Documentation of America's Religious Heritage (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1966), p. 141. Willard Cantelon, Money Master of the World (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1976), p. 121. Proclaim Liberty (Dallas, TX: Word of Faith), p. 2. J. Michael Sharman, J.D., Faith of the Fathers (Culpeper, Virginia: Victory Publishing, 1995), pp. 102-104. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 76.
1884HT028. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, April 8, 1949, making public the first report of the President's Committee on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces, (Government Printing Office, March 24, 1949, 22 pp.). See also the report, dated September 16, 1948, on Moral Safeguards for Selective Service trainees by the President's Advisory Commission on Universal Training; (Committee established October 27, 1948 by Executive Order 10013, 3 CFR, 1943-1948 Comp., p. 835). Public Papers of the Presidents-Harry S. Truman, 1949-Containing Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, January 1 to December 31, 1949 (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1964), Item 73, p. 204.
1884HT029. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, October 5, 1949, in a letter to John L. Sullivan, accepting the Honorary Chairmanship of National Brotherhood Week. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 28.
1884HT030. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, October 30, 1949, in a radio address. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 25, 147.
1884HT031. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, November 11, 1949: in an address to the national Conference of Christians and Jews in Washington, D.C. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 37.
1884HT032. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 21, 1949, in an address at Arlington National Cemetery. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 70.
1884HT131. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 17, 1949, writing to Pope Pius XII:
1884HT132. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1949, lighting the National Christmas Tree.
1884HT033. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, February 9, 1950, issued an Executive Order appointing additional members to the Commission on Religion and Welfare in the Armed Forces; (committee was established by Executive Order 10013 on October 27, 1948, 3 CFR, 1943-1948 Comp., p. 835). Public Papers of the Presidents-Harry S. Truman, 1950- Containing Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, January 1 to December 31, 1950 (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1965), Item 32, p. 33.
1884HT034. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, February 15, 1950, at 10:05 a.m., in an address given to the Attorney General's Conference on Law Enforcement Problems in the Department of Justice Auditorium, Washington. DC.; organizations present included the Department of Justice, the National Association of Attorneys, the United States Conference of Lawyers, and the National Institute of Municipal Law Officers. Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S. Truman, 1950-Containing Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, January 1 to December 31, 1950 (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1965), Item 37, p. 157. Steve C. Dawson, God's Providence in America's History (Rancho Cordova, CA: Steve Dawson, 1988), p. 13:1. Gary DeMar, America's Christian History: The Untold Story (Atlanta, GA: American Vision Publishers, Inc., 1993), p. 60.
1884HT035. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, April 16, 1950, in a personal memorandum. Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), pp. 488-489.
1884HT036. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, May 11, 1950, at 5:07 pm, in a broadcast speech given at Gonzaga University in Spokane, shortly after being given the University's Citation of Merit. Public Papers of the Presidents-Harry S. Truman, 1950-Containing Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, January 1 to December 31, 1950 (Washington William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014)., DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1965), Item 127, p. 375-377. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 26.
1884HT037. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, July 19, 1950, in a radio and television address. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 77.
1884HT038. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 5, 1950, in an address at the Mid-Century White House Conference on Children and Youth. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 43-44.
1884HT138. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1950, broadcast worldwide a message on World Day of Prayer over the Voice of America radio.
1884HT139. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1950, broadcast a Message on the Occasion of the Lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree on the White House Grounds.
1884HT039. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, 1950. Mrs. James Dobson (Shirley), chairman, The National Day of Prayer Information Packet (Colorado Springs, CO: National Day of Prayer Task Force, May 6, 1993).
1884HT040. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, 1950 at a Press Conference. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 41.
1884HT041. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, January 8, 1951, in a State of the Union message. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 125.
1884HT141. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, April 3, 1951, laying of the cornerstone of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C., with Dr. George M. Docherty, pastor.
1884HT042. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, February 3, 1951, in an address given in Philadelphia. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), p. 170.
1884HT043. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, September 28, 1951, in an address given to the Washington Pilgrimage of American Churchmen, Washington, D.C. T.S. Settel, and the staff of Quote, editors, The Quotable Harry Truman introduction by Merle Miller (NY: Droke House Publishers, Inc., Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1967), pp. 41-42.
1884HT044. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, June 17, 1952, issued Proclamation 2978, declaring an annual National Day of Prayer, in concurrence with the Congressional Resolution, Public Law 82-324; 66 Stat. 64). Edmund Fuller and David E. Green, God in the White House-The Faiths of American Presidents (NY: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1968), p. 210.
1884HT045. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, August 16, 1952, in a personal note to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Harry S. Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), p. 513.
1884HT145. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, December 24, 1952, lighting the National Community Christmas Tree.
1884HT046. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman. Herbert V. Prochnow, 5100 Quotations for Speakers and Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1992), p. 502.
1884HT047. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman, Memoirs by Harry S. Truman-Volume Two: Years of Trial and Hope (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1956), pp. 452-453.
1884HT048. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Harry S Truman. Herbert V. Prochnow, 5100 Quotations for Speakers and Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1992), p. 502.