White House Press Release, Address of President Harry S. Truman

881 444 HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE October 14, 1946 GONFIDENTIAL: The following address of the President, to be deliv- ered by radio from the White House, MUST BE HELD IN STRICT CONFIDENCE UNTIL RELEASED. NOTE: Release is automatic at 10:00 P.M., EASTERN STANDARD TIME, today, Monday, October 14, 1946. The same release applies to radio announcers and news broadcasters. PLEASE GUARD AGAINST PREMATURE PUBLICATION OR RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT. CHARLES G. ROSS Secretary to the President MY FELLOW COUNTRYMEN: I wish to report to you this evening on a subject which I NARA am sure has concerned you as much as it has me -- the meat shortage and our general stabilization program. I recognize the hardship that many of you have undergone because of the lack of meat. I sympathize with the millions of housewives who have been hard pressed to provide nourishing meals for their families. I sympathize particularly with our thousands of veterans and other patients in hospitals throughout the country. I know that our children, as well as those persons engaged in manual labor, need meat in their diet. Many workers have been thrown out of work by the meat shortage. The by-products that result from the lawful slaughter of livestock are sorely needed. We depend upon these by-products for insulin and other necessary medicines. We depend upon them also for hides; and already some of our shoe factories are closing and workers are being laid off for lack of leather. Many of us have asked the same questions: Why should there be a meat shortage when there are millions of cattle and hogs on the ranges and farms and in feed lots in this country? Who are the persons responsible for this serious condition? Why doesn't the Government do something about it? I assure you that those questions have been the concern of your Government for many weeks. The real story is a simple one. The responsibility rests squarely on a few men in the Congress who, in the service of selfish interests, have been determined for some time to wreck price controls no matter what the cost might be to our people. The old price control act was due to expire on June 30, 1946. As long ago as nine months before it expired I urged the Congress to extend it right away in order to protect our people and prevent ruinous inflation. Four times more in the spring of 1946, I urged the Congress to act promptly. Each time the Congress failed, and it continued to delay taking action until the very day the Act expired. Then, at the eleventh hour, the Congress passed a bill which I could not sign - mainly because of the Taft and Wherry profiteer- ing amendments. In the interest of the people -- to prevent a legal- ized run-away inflation -- I had to veto that bill. (OVER)