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321497072
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Press Release, Remarks of President Harry S. Truman at Alexander Smith Carpet Works, Yonkers, New York
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doc
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document
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1
Source metadata
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321497072
contentType
document
title
Press Release, Remarks of President Harry S. Truman at Alexander Smith Carpet Works, Yonkers, New York
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collections
President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)
Speech Files
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Presidential campaign, 1948
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321497072
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29
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1948-10-29
month
10
year
1948
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nara-archive
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1
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photo
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ed7ef87280088c9d
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IMEDIATE RELEASE
IMBEDIATE RW
SE
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT
ALEXANDER SMITH CARPET WORKS,
TRUMEN
YONKERS, NEW YORK - October 29,
partiv
"NATIONAL
ARCHIVES AND
1948 -- 12:40 P.M., S.S.T.
RECORDS
AMERICA
SERVICE"
Mr. Chairman, and Ladies and Gentlomon: I cortainly am highly ploased and
much improssed by your wondorful turnout horothis aftornoon.
During the past 6 wooks I have boon going around the country, talking to the
American people about two different ideás of government. I have boon proving
by the rocord that the Ropublican Party, no matter what its candidate may say
during tho clection campaign, works for the benofit of special interosts. And
I have boon proving by the rocord that the Domocratic Party works for the
bonefit of all the poople. I have been asked a lot of questions. I have given
straight answors and honost facts and correct figures. I think by this timo
you know exactly where I stand. There is good roason why I can be frank and
honost in this business. It's because I have made no socrot deals with lobbios
or big businoss. I have no commitments excopt the commitment to servo the
American people for the bonofit of the whole country. I don't resort to double
talk to conceal what I stand for and what I proposo to do. I have told tho
people timo and again what I think about high pricos, the housing shortage,
social socurity, and labor laws, and minimum wago. I have told exactly what I
think ought to bo done. Maybe my way isn't the way to run an olection campaign.
Some people say I would have more monoy for publicity if I warn't so frank --
the radio commontators and the nowspapormon wouldn't be against me if Ihadn't
been against so many big corporations and so many lobbyists But kooping quiot
on the issuos that are in the intorosts of the American peoplo is not my way.
I would rathor be defeated trying to do what's right than to be elected under
false protensos. I nover sit on the fenco.
Nor do I hang out on an up-
side-down farm gato trying to fool the people into believing that I know all
about the farm. I spont 10 of the bost years of my life on tho farm.
One issue on which I have made my position clear is the Taft-Hartloy Act.
The Taft-Hartloy Law was passed by the Republican 80th Congross for just one
roason -- to crush the power of organized labor. The Ropublican bosses think
that laborunions have too much power. They want to woakon unions so that you
can't bargain for better wages and better working conditions.
The Taft-Hartloy Law is only a first step in what the Republicans have in
mind to do to you if they got another chance. They intond to pass oven more
oppressivo labor laws. I still say that that's wrong. I boliovo the Taft-
Hartley Act ought to be repealed, and I am working to got that done. I boliove
that labor must always bo in a position to bargain for wages which will enable
tho working man of this Nation to maintain good standards of living. A timo
when Ropublican high prices are squoozing overyone of us to the wall is no
time to strip from American workers thoir best weapon of defonse.
If you want a Government that will repoal the Taft-Hartloy Act, provide
good houses and apartmonts at prices you can afford to pay, build more schools
and hospitals, oxtend social security and raise the minimum wago, and put a
stop to rising prices -- if you want a Government that will do those things for
you, then you had better 60 to the polls noxt Tuosday and vote the Domocratic
ticket straight. Then you'll be voting inyour own intorosts.
Voto for Richard McSpodon and Charles Nagor for Congross. If you sond
fino mon like those to Congressyou won't be in the position you are in now.
You really don't have roprosontation in this District now.
Got out to the polls on the morning of Election Day. Voto in your own
intorosts. If you do that, you'll have a Domocratic Congross, a Domocratic
Prosidont, and your interests will be safo.
Thank you very much.