Press Release, Speech of President Harry S. Truman, Bridgeport, Connecticut

IM EDIATE RELEASE INTEDIATE RELEASE TREMAN REAR PLATFORM REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, OCTOBER 28, ARCHIVES AND "NATIONAL ANVURY SERVICE" 1948 - 2:23 P.M., E.S.T. GOVERN MERT Thank you much, thank you very much. This is cortainly a wonderful roecption. Nobody could ask for anything bottor than this, and I can't toll youhow much I appreciato it. You know, whon I was a kid, about 17or 18 years gld, I saw the first horsoloss carriago in Indopondenco, Missouri, and thoro wore just about this many people out to look at it. And that was a Locomobile that was made right horo in Bridgoport, and it was a horsoloss carriago. It lookod just liko an old buggy, and it ran with stoam. But thoro is quito a change now in that automobilo businoss from what it was in thoso days, and that's truo of the ago iň which WO livc. We are living in an ago with which WO haven't yot caught up, and I am doing overything I can to koop the country going forward instoad of trying to turn the clock back to that old stoam horsoloss carriago we had in 1902. I passod the housing project a while ago, with whích I am familiar. Father Stophon Panic built that housing project -- or, ho was tho promotor of it -- and it is ono of tho groat things in this Community. I wish we had moro of thom. And if it woron't for the Ropublican Congross we would have moro of thom. I want to soo this great Stato go forward with the rost of tho world, and I think that is what you are going to do. I have boon travoling all over the United Statos for the past six wooks, tolling the Amorican poople the truo facts about this oloction campaign in which wo are ongagod. I had to como out and join your Domocratic candidatos in tolling you just exactly what the issues are in this compaign because that's the only way you can find out what thoy arc. You want the truth and the facts because the Republicans won't tell you the facts. The Ropublicans are prótond- ing that thoro aron't any issuos. Thoir candidato is going around saying, "Mo too, but I can do it better. You aron't gotting any facts from tho Ropublican candidato for Prosidont oither. Hc is sticking to high-lovcl platitudos big two-bit words that ho uses to hido bohind. I have about como to the conclusion that "GOP" in this day and ago stands for "Grand Old Platitudos. You poople in Connocticut cen't afford to tako any chances with mon who won't toll you what they believe in. Voto for Democratic candidatos who believe in tho Domocratic platform and will carry out their plodgos. Sond William Gaston to Congross, and bo suro to oloct Chester Bowlos to be Governor of tho groat State of Connocticut. When you sond Mr. Gaston to the 81st Con ross I'll have someone there who will work with me in controlling thoso sky-rockoting pricos that the Ropublican 80th Congrossrofuscd to do anything about. Back in the days whon wo had a Democratic program to control pricos, and Chostor Bowlos was in Washington keeping prices in chock, you folks horo in Bridgoport wore paying 17 conts for a quart of milk, 65 conts for 10 pounds of flour, ton conts for a loaf of broad; 53 conts for a dozon 0ggs. Now a quart of milk is costing you 23 conts, ton pounds of flour costs you as high as a dollar, broad còsts 13 conts a loaf, oggs aro about 80 conts a dozon. Why thoy put it up overy day, I don't know. I can't koop up with the way thoy put it up. Whoat has gone up moro than a dollar a bushol, but youhavon't had any reflection of that inyour bread pricc. It just keeps going up. That's Ropublican froo onterpriso. That's what you are living under. Back in 1945 you could go to the grocory and buy a quart of milk, a loaf of broad, ton pounds of flour, and a dozon 0ggs for $1.45. It costs you about $2.16 now, and it may cost you about $3.00 tomorrow. And that's what tho National Association of Manufacturors and tho Republicans, working together, did to you in Washington. The National Association of Manufacturors had more influence with tho Congross this timó than any of you people did, and if you are going to lo that happon again, that will be your own fault. (OVER)