Press Release, Speech of President Harry S. Truman, Sandusky, Ohio

IMMEDIATE RELEASE IMMEDIATE RELEASE REAR TFORM REMARKS OF THE PRESID INT AT SANDUSKY, OHIO OCTOBER 26, 1948 TRUMAR 3:37 P.M., E.S.T. "NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS LIBRARY SERVICE" I am very hapry indeed to be here this afternoon. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this wonderful turnout. I sincerely hope that you will send Dwight Blackmore to the Congress. We need Democrats in this next Congress to look after the interests of the people, and you can't do better than to send Dwight Blackmore to the Congress. I know very well that you are going to elect Frank Lausche as Governor. I have it in my bones that you are not going to put a new occupant in the White House. I wish I had time this afternoon to make an inspection of Sandusky Bay, which is certainly one of the finest natural harbors on the Great Lakes. I have been there before. You know, I believe in doing everything I can to develop our natural ressurces, and I have been fighting throughout my term as President for the St. Lewrence Seaway, I believe that the St. Lawrence Seaway would bring a tremendous new boom to ports like Sandusky, and that it would bring great benefits to the whole Middle-West. I can't see for myselfhow any Congressman or Senator in the Great Lakes Region can be against the St. Lawrence Seaway project, because it makes every city on the Great Lakes a seeport. The Democratic Party has always believed in building up the resources of the Country. We don't stop at just develoring natural resources, however. We work just as hard to improve the welfare and well-being of the people, who are the greatest natural resource that this Country has. Ne believe that all Americans, whatever their job, or whatever their income -- wherever they live or whatever their race'or creed, are entitled to a good education, good medical care, and a decent place to live. I have been doing everything in my power to raise the level of the health in this country. Each year, about 325 thousand Americans die needlessly for lack of proper medical care. I believe that there should be a national health program to correct this shocking condition. I also believe that we nedd a prêgram of federal aid to the States to help them meet the acute crisis in education. Now, we had an education bill that passed the Senate in this last Congress, but the Republican leadership in the House would not let the House vote on that education bill. Now I believe very deeply that we must have a comprehensi national housing program to clear away city slums, and provide better rural hbuses and public low-rent housing projects. That bill passed the Senate and was known as the Taft-Ellender- Wagner Bill. It was killed in the House, because the leaders would not let the House membership vote on it. I not only believe in these things, I have been fighting for them -- and so has the Democratic Party. If there everywas any doubt in anybody's mind about what the Democrats believe in, this Campaign has taken care of those doubts. Everybody knows now what we have been doing, because I haveb een telling them exactly what we have been doing. That is the only way you can find out, because most of the press -- 90% of the press -- are against me and my Administration, so`I have to come out and tell you exactly just what I stand for,