Press Release, Remarks of President Harry S. Truman at Yonkers, New York

IMEDIATE RELEASE IMMEDIATE RELEASE REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT MARRY NATIONAL ARCHIVES L.RKIN PLAZA, YONKERS, NEW YORK, RECORDS SERVICE OCT. 29, 1948, 12:25 P.I ,E.S.T. SOVERN MENT Thank you. Thank you vory, vory much. I am most happy, most happy and ploased at this wondorful recoption which you have given mo horo this aftornoon. I think that Yonkors almost has it on Now York City for the turnout. In You know, this is not unusual. /hoarly every city whore I have boon the people have boon turning out just this way -- broaking records with the crowds, because they want to hear the truth and the facts in this campaign. And thoy know that I am trying to givo then the truth and the facts. I think that you poople of Yonkors have como horo this morning for that samo roason -- that you want to know exactly what the issues are in this campaign. I have boon travoling all ovor the Country -- from coast to coast, from linnosota to Toxas and from Pugot Sound to the Straits of Florida -- tolling the Amorican peoplo whore I stand on the critical issues in this oloction. I have also boon tolling thom -- because thoy can't find it out any other way -- just exactly whore the Ropublican Party stands, and what the Country can expect if tho Republican candidate for Prosidont woro, by somo chance, clocted. I can't go into all tho problems which face the Nation today, but I would liko to talk to you about places to livo. I don't nood to toll you that we have on acuto housing shortago. You know that yoursolvos. Thore are moro than 3 million familios living doubled up -- two familios whore thore is only room for ono. 5 million other familios are living in what we are forced to call slum districts. Thoro is a dosporato shortage of apartments and houses for ront at prices that working mon and womon can afford to pay. That is & disgrace to a nation as rich as ours -- and I want to correct that tuation. I have boon fighting for three years to got a comprohonsive housing law through the Congross. Wo nood 0. law that will pormit the Fodorál Government to clear away slums, build largo-scalo, low-cost rental housing, and holp farmors as woll as city folks to improve thoir homos. The Ropublican loadors in Congross, working hand in glovo with the roal estato lobby, stalled off action on the Fodoral housing bill until the last hours of tho 80th Congross. And thon they vory quiotly murdored that bill and passed n fake ono with which thoy want to fool you poople. That means we will continuo to have a very great shortage of houses and apartmonts for a long time to como. That moans that if the Republicáns are clocted noxt Tuesday you won't got any roTiof from the housing shortage, because the same backward-locking mon will still be orrand boys in Congross for the roal estato lobby. The roal ostato lobby isn't through with you yot. itst killing the house bill isn't all they want to do to you. Only two wooks ago they gave us a proviow of what WO can expect noxt Spring if the Republicans win control of the Congross again. The National Apartmont Owners Association hold a mooting out at Coronado, California. When it was ever, this is what the Well Stroot Journal reported in the issuo of October 13th -- If you want to know exactly whore the Republicans stand, all you have to do is read the Wall Stroot Journal --: "Tho Nation's landlords are going after ront control this year with a double-barrolo d shotgun.' This is dated Wednesday, October 13th. "Ono barrol, repoating the singlo-shot blast usod before, will renow a direct appoal to Congross to kill this last romaining wartine control. Tho other, aimed at prlisting John Public in the hunt, will poppor him with landlord lemonts and ploas to holp got rid of rostrictions which, ho will bo assured, are working to his own disadvantago." You soo, thoy started out with tho idoa of fooling you to bogin with. The Wall Stroot Journal is a wondorful papor to road if you want to find out what thoRopublicans beliovo, and how thoy are going to act towards the people. This story continuos with the nows that the Apartment Owners Association is planning to spond a quartor of a million dollars in trying to deceive you into belioving that we don't nood ront control any longor. You know, that 80th Congross was the most thoroughly surrounded Congross with lobbics in the whole history of this groat Country of ours. There wore more lobbyists in Ker aton, thoro was more monoy spont by lobyists in Washington, than ever before in tho history of the Congross of the United States. It's disgracoful, and you ought not to lot that happon again. Now, thoso lobbyists know they won't have any trouble with a Republican Congross, but thoy afraid you night riso up in wrath and keep ront control from boing repoaled unloss you have boon influenced by thoir doccitful propaganda. OVER