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- 3 - SARRA ARCHITIONAL TRUMAN REGORDS VERIFY U.S. NEW SERVICE It is not unusual in our history that the majority of the Congress represents a party in opposition to the President's party. I am the twentieth President of the United States who, at some time during his term of office, has found his own party to be in the minority in one or both Houses of the Congress. I realize that on some matters the Congress and the President may have honest differences of view. opinion Partisan Differences in party however, did not cause material disagreements differences Iasto in the conduct of the war.- Nor, in the conduct of our international relations, during and partison feen material. since the war, have such 1 differences mattered. a great deal. On some domestic issues we may, and probably shall, disagree. That in itself is not to be feared. - 4 - It is inherent in our form of Government. But there are ways of disagreeing; men who differ can still work together sincerely for the common good. We shall be risking the Nation's safety and destroying our opportunities for progress if we do not settle any disagreements in this spirit, without thought of partisan advantage. UNIRY U.S. & ARCHIVES "НАТИНАС GOVERNMENT SERVICE" REGORDS THOMAS AND GENERAL Domastic EconoMy As the year 1947 begins, the state of our national economy presents great opportunities for all. We have virtually full employment. Our national production of goods and services is fifty per cent higher than in any year prior to the war emergency. The national income in nineteen forty-six was higher than in any peacetime year. Our food production is greater than it has ever been. - 6 - Two groups of temporary laws still remain: The first are those which by Congressional mandate are to last during the "emergency"; the second are those which are to continue until the "termination of the war". BARRY a ARCHIVES "NAXIONAL RECORDS TRUNAR AND LIBERTY 8.5. SERVICE" BOVERNMENT I shall submit to the Congress recommendations for the repeal of certain of the statutes which by their terms continue for the duration of the "emergency". I shall at the same time recommend that others within this classification be extended until the state of war has been ended by treaty or by legislative action. As to feen those statutes which continue until the Estateof war has terminated, I urge that the Congress promptly consider each statute individually, and repeal such emergency legislation where advisable. - 7 - Now that nearly all war-time controls have been removed, the operation of our industrial system depends to a greater extent on the decisions of business men, farmers, and workers. These decisions must be wisely made with genuine concern for the public welfare. For the welfare of business men, farmers and workers depends upon the economic well-being of those who buy their products. An important present source of danger to our economy is the possibility that prices might be raised to such an extent that the consuming public could not purchase the tremendous volume of goods and services which will be produced in nineteen forty-seven. We all know that recent price increases have denied to many of our workers much of the value of recent wage increases. - 11 - LABOR- - MANAGEMENT RELASIONS, The year just past -- like the year after the First World War -- was marred by labor-management strife. HARRY NATIONAL TRUMAN ARD CHERE 8.5. Despite this outbreak of economic warfare in nineteen forty-six, we are today producing goods and services in record volume. Nevertheless, it is essential to improve the methods for reaching agreement between labor and management and to reduce the number of strikes and lock-outs. We must not, however, adopt punitive legislation. We must not, in order to punish a few labor leaders, pass vindictive laws which will restrict the proper rights of the rank and file of labor. We must not, under the stress of emotion, endanger our American Freedoms by taking ill-considered action which will lead to results not anticipated or desired. - 14 - In the light of these considerations, I propose to you and urge your cooperation in effecting the following four-point program to reduce industrial strife: Point number one is the early enactment of legislation to prevent certain unjustifiable practices. First, under this point, are jurisdictional strikes. such In jurisdictional strikes the public and the employer are innocent bystanders who are injured by a collision between rival unions. This type of dispute hurts production, industry, and the public - and labor itself. I consider jurisdictional strikes indefensible. - 15 - The National Labor Relations Act provides procedures for determining which union represents the employees of a particular employer. In some jurisdictional disputes, however, minority unions strike to compel employers to deal with them despite the employer legal duty to bargain with the majority union. Strikes to compel an employer to violate the law are inexcusable. Legislation to prevent TRUMAN such strikes is clearly desirable. SAFTA THE By RECORDS SERVICE BOVERNING UNITED Another form of inter-union disagreement is the jurisdictional strike involving the question of which labor union is entitled to perform a particular task. When rival unions are unable to settle such disputes themselves, provision must be made for peaceful and binding determination of the issues. - 19 - There is need for integrated governmental to provide machinery - offering the successive steps of mediation, voluntary arbitration and - ultimately in appropriate cases - ascertaining mentol n the facts of the dispute and the reporting them to the public. Such machinery would facilitate and expedite the settlement of disputes. HARRY ES a ARCHIVED "NATIONAL RECORDS SERVICE" TRUMAN POVERNMENT AND ASMIN Point number three is the broadening of our program of social legislation to alleviate the causes of workers' insecurity. On June eleventh, nineteen forty-six, in my message vetoing the Case Bill, I made a comprehensive statement of my views concerning labor-management relations. I said then, and I repeat now, that the solution of labor-management difficulties is to be found not only in legislation dealing directly with labor relations, - 21 - The President, the Congress, and management and labor have a continuing responsibility to cooperate in seeking and finding the solution of these problems. I therefore recommend that the Commission be composed as follows: twelve to be chosen by the Congress from the members of both parties in the House and the Senate, and eight representing the public, management and labor, to be appointed by the President. The Commission should be charged with investigating, reporting and making recommendations upon certain major subjects, among others: 2Ponly First - the special and unique problem of nation-wide strikes in vital industries affecting the public interest. - 22 - In particular, the Commission should examine into the question of how to settle or prevent such strikes without endangering our general democratic freedoms. Upon a proper solution of this problem may depend the whole industrial future of the United States. The paralyzing effects of a nation-wide strike in such industries as transportation, coal, oil, steel, or communications can-result.in * national disaster. We have been able to avoid such disaster, in recent years, only by the use of extraordinary war powers. All those powers will soon be gone. In their place there must be created an adequate system and effective machinery in these vital fields. This problem will require careful study and a bold approach, but an approach consistent with the preservation of the rights of our people. The need is pressing. The Commission should give this its earliest attention. - 24 - I recommend that this Commission make its first report, including specific legislative recommendations, not later than March fifteenth, BARRY E ARCHIVES S "NATIONAL GOVERN WENT SERVICE REGORDS THOMAN AND LIMITY nineteen forty-seven. Restriction of MoNopoly + PROMOTION of PRIPATE The second major policy I desire to lay ENTERPRISE before you has to do with the growing concentration of economic power and the threat to free competition in private enterprise. In nineteen forty-one the Temporary National Economic Committee completed a comprehensive investigation into the workings of the national economy. The Committee's study showed that, despite half a century of anti-trust law enforcement, one of the gravest threats to our welfare lay in the increasing concentration of power in the hands of a small number of giant organizations. - 25 - During the war, this long-standing tendency toward economic concentration was accelerated. As a consequence, we now find that to a greater extent than ever before, whole industries are dominated by one or a few large organizations which can restrict production in the interest of higher profits and thus reduce employment and purchasing power. In an effort to assure full opportunity and free competition to business we will vigorously enforce the anti-trust laws. There is much the Congress can do to cooperate and assist in this program. To strengthen and enforce the laws that regulate business practices is not enough. however, must Enforcement has do be supplemented by positive measures of aid to new enterprises. - 26 - Government assistance, research programs, and credit powers should be designed and used to promote the growth of new firms and new industries. Assistance to small business is particularly important at this time when thousands of veterans who are potential business and industrial leaders are beginning their careers. BIRRY E.E. & ARCHIVES "NATIONAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE RECEIDS TRUNAN AND 1 We should also give special attention to the decentralization of industry and the development of areas that are now under-industrialized. Housing The third major policy is also of great importance to the national economy -- an aggressive program to encourage home construction. The first federal program to relieve the veterans' housing shortage was announced in February, nineteen forty-six. - 27 - In nineteen forty-six one million family housing units have been put under construction and more than six sixty hundred and seventy-five thousand units have already been completed. The rate of expansion in construction has broken all records. TRUMAN THE SARAT NATIONAL ANY 15 RECEIVEDS SOVERNING In the coming year the number of dwelling units built will approach, if not surpass, the top construction year of nineteen twenty-six. The primary responsibility rests with private industry and labor to deliver housing at reasonable prices that veterans can afford. The Government will continue to expedite the flow of key building materials, to limit most non-residential construction and to give financial support where it will do the most good. Measures to stimulate rental housing and new types of housing construction will receive special emphasis. - 28 - To reach our long-range goal of adequate housing for all our people, comprehensive housing legislation bill is urgently required, similar to the non-partisan bill passed by the Senate last year. At a minimum, BARRY W.S. ARCHIVES S. "NATIONAL SERVICE" BEORRDS GOVERNMENT TRUMAN AND UNITED such legislation should open the way for rebuilding the blighted areas of our cities and should establish positive incentives for the investment of billions of dollars of private capital in large-scale rental housing projects. It should provide for the improvement of housing in rural areas and for the construction, over a four-year period, of half a million units of public low-rental housing. It should authorize a single peacetime federal housing agency to assure use efficient and economical mobilization of our resources on the vast housing front. - 29 - BARRY S. ARCHIVES AND TABMAR FiscAL AFFAIRS 8.2. The fourth major policy has to do with balancing the budget. In a prosperous period such as the present one, the budget of the Federal Government should be balanced. Prudent management of public finance requires that we begin the process of reducing the debt. The budget which I shall submit to you this week has a small margin of surplus. In the Budget Message, I am making recommendations which, if accepted, will result in a substantially larger surplus which should be applied to debt retirement. One of these recommendations is that the Congress take early action to continue throughout the next fiscal year the war excise tax rates, which, under the present law, will expire on June thirtieth, nineteen forty-seven. Expenditures relating to the war are still high. Considerable sums are required to alleviate world famine and suffering. - 30 - Aid to veterans will continue at a peak level. The world situation is such that large military expenditures are required. Interest on the public debt and certain other costs are irreducible. For these reasons I have had to practice stringent economy in preparing the budget; and I hope that the Congress will co-operate in this program of economy. AGRICULTURE The fifth major policy has to do with the welfare of our farm population. THEART 'S AMO ABHVH a.S. Production of food reached record heights in nineteen forty-six. Much of our tremendous peak grain crop production of bread cereals can readily be sold to about, foreign claimants and thus will become no threat in our domestic markets. But in the next few years American Agriculture can face the same dangers it did after World War One. - 31 - In the early twenties the nation failed to maintain outlets for the new productive capacity of our agricultural plant. It failed to provide means to protect the farmer while he adjusted his acreage to peace time demands. TARMY NATIONAL TRUMAN STREET B.S. The result we all remember too well. Farm production stayed up while demand and with prices fell, in contrast to industry where prices stayed up and output declined. The farmer was caught Farm Empluses piled up, in a mounting pile of surplus, and disaster followed. We must make sure of meeting the problems which we failed to meet after the first World War. Present laws give considerable stability to farm prices for nineteen forty-seven and nineteen forty-eight, and these two years must be utilized to maintain and develop markets for our great productive power. - 32 - The purpose of these laws was to permit an orderly transition from war to peace. The querment Its plan of support prices was not designed to absorb, at great cost, the unlimited surpluses of a highly productive agriculture. BARRY NATIONAL ARGHIVES AS TRUMAN THE U.S. We must not wait until the guarantees expire to set the stage for permanent farm welfare. The farmer is entitled to a fair income. Ways can be found to utilize his new skills and better practices, to expand his markets at home and abroad and to carry out the objectives of a balanced pattern of peacetime production without either undue sacrifice by farm people or undue expense to the government. - 33 BARRY & ARCHIVES "NATIONAL RECORDS TRUMAN AND UNITED HEALTH+ GENERAL U.S. WELFARE Of all our national resources, none is of more basic value than the health of our people. Over a year ago I presented to the Congress my views on a national health program. The Congress acted on several of the recommendations in this program -- mental health, the health of mothers and children, and hospital construction. I urge this Congress to complete the work begun last year and to enact the most important recommendation of the program -- to provide adequate medical care to all who need it, not as charity but on the basis of payments made by the beneficiaries of the program. One administrative change would help greatly to further our national program in the fields of health, education, and-welfare. I again recommend the establishment of a well-integrated Department of Welfare. - 34 - VETERAN: S BARRY a. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL REGARDS SOVERN WENT TRUMAN AND THEM Fourteen million World War Two servicemen have returned to civilian life. The great majority have found their places as citizens of their communities and their Nation. It is a tribute to the fiber of our servicemen and to the flexibility of our economy that these adjustments have been made so rapidly and so successfully. More than two million of these veterans are attending schools or acquiring job skills through the financial assistance of the Federal Government. Thousands of sick and wounded veterans are daily receiving the best of medical and hospital care. Half a million have obtained loans, with Government guarantees, to purchase homes or farms or to embark upon new businesses. Compensation is being paid in almost two million cases for disabilities or death. - 35 - More than three million are continuing to maintain their low-cost National Service Life Insurance policies. Almost seven million veterans have been aided by unemployment and self-employment allowances. Exclusive of mustering-out payments and terminal leave pay, the program for veterans of all wars is costing over seven billion dollars a year -- one fifth of our total Federal budget. This is the most far-reaching and complete veterans' program ever conceived by any nation. Except for minor adjustments, I believe that our program of benefits for veterans is now complete. In the long run, the success of the program will not be measured by the number of veterans obtaining recieving financial aid or by the number of dollars we spend. - 36 - History will judge us not by the money we spend, but by the further contribution we enable our veterans to make to their country. In considering any additional legislation, that must be our criterion. TRUNAH Civir RiCHTS. REFT 8.8. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL SERWINE RECORDS GOVERNMENT AND LITHER We have recently witnessed in this country attacks numerous assaults upon the constitutional rights of individual citizens as a result of racial and religious bigotry. Substantial segments of our people have been prevented from exercising fully their right to participate in the election of public officials, both locally and nationally. Freedom to engage in lawful callings has been denied. The will to fight these crimes should be in the hearts of every one of us. - 38 - BARTH B. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL RECORDS TROMAN AND UNITED U.S. NATVRAL RESOURSES. In our responsibility to promote the general welfare of the people, we have always to consider the natural resources of our country. They are the foundation of our life. In the development of the great river systems of America there is the major opportunity of our generation to contribute to the increase of the national wealth. This program is already well along; it should be pushed with full vigor. I must advise the Congress that we are rapidly becoming a "have not" Nation as to many of our minerals. The economic progress and the security of our country depend upon an expanding return of mineral discovery and upon improved methods of recovery. The Federal Government must do its part to meet this need. UARAT 3. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL RECORDS TROMAN AND - 39 - SERVICE FoREigN AFFAIRS THE Progress in reaching our domestic goals is closely related to our conduct of foreign affairs. All that I have said about maintaining a sound and prosperous economy and improving the welfare of our people has greater meaning because of the world leadership of the United States. What we do, or fail to do, at home affects not only ourselves but millions throughout the world. If we are to fulfill our responsibilities to ourselves and to other peoples, we must make sure that the United States is sound economically, socially and politically. Only then will we be able to help bring about the elements of peace in other countries - political stability, economic advancement, and social progress. Peace treaties for Italy, Bulgaria, Rumania and Hungary have finally been prepared. - 41 - The delay in arriving at the first peace settlements is due partly to the difficulty of reaching agreement with the Soviet Union on the terms of settlement. Whatever differences there may have been between us and the Soviet Union, however, should not be allowed to obscure the fact that the basic interests of both nations lie in the early making of a peace under which the peoples of all countries may return, as free men and women, to the essential tasks of production and reconstruction. The major concern of each of us should be the promotion of collective security, not the advancement of individual security. Our policy toward the Soviet Union is guided determine by the same principles which guide our policies toward all nations. We seek only to uphold the principles of international justice which have been embodied in the Charter of the United Nations. - 42 - - We must now get on with the peace settlements. The occupying powers should recognize the independence of Austria and withdraw their troops. The Germans and the Japanese cannot be left in doubt and fear as to their future; they must know their national boundaries, their resources and what reparations they must pay. Without trying to manage their internal affairs, HARTY S. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL GUYERN WENT SERVICE™ RECORDS THOMAN AND THEY we can insure that these countries do not rearm. INTERNATIONAL Relieft Displaced PERSONS. The United States can be proud of its part in caring for peoples reduced to want by the ravages of war, and in aiding nations to restore their national economies. the hungry peoples We have shipped more supplies to deficit areas of the world since the end of the war than all other countries combined. - 43 - However, insofar as admitting displaced persons is concerned, I do not feel that the United States has done its part. Only about five thousand of them have entered this country since May nineteen forty-six. The fact is that the executive agencies are now doing all that is reasonably possible under the limitation of existing law and established quotas. Congressional assistance in the form of new legislation is needed. I urge the Congress to turn its attention to this world problem, in an effort to find ways whereby we can fulfill our responsibilities to these thousands of homeless and suffering refugees of all faiths. World economic cooperation is essential to world political cooperation. We have made a good start on economic cooperation through the International Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Export-Import Bank. - 44 - We must now take other steps for the reconstruction of world trade and we should continue to strive for distructions an international trade system as free from controls as possible. HARTY E ARCHIVES "HATIONAL REGARDS TRUMAN AND LIMIT ATONIC ENERGY. : a GOVERNMENT SERVICE" The United States has taken the lead in the endeavor to put atomic energy under effective international control. We seek no monopoly for ourselves or for any group of nations. We ask only that there be safeguards sufficient to insure that no nation will be able to use this power for military purposes. So long as all governments are not agreed on means of international control of atomic energy, the shadow of fear will obscure the bright prospects for the peaceful use of this enormous power. - 45 - In accordance with the Atomic Energy Act of nineteen forty-six, the Commission established under that law is assuming full jurisdiction over our domestic atomic energy enterprise. The program of the Commission will, of course, be worked out in close collaboration with the military services in conformity with the wish of the Congress, but it is my fervent HARRY U.S. ARCHIVES of "RATIONAL SERVICE" RECORDS TRUMEN AND hope that the military aspect of atomic energy will decline. ROVERNMENT have a steadily diminishing significance. We look to the Commission to foster the development of atomic energy for industrial use and scientific and medical research. In the vigorous and effective development of these praceful uses constructive aspects of atomic energy ) rests our hope that this new force may ultimately be turned into a blessing for all nations. - 46 - TRUMAN Miritary Poric STATE EARRY 'NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS DESCRIBE" NUVERN WENT In nineteen forty-six the Army and Navy completed the demobilization of their wartime forces. They are now maintaining the forces which we need for national defense and to fulfill our international obligations. We live in a world in which strength on the part of peace-loving nations is still the greatest deterrent to aggression. World stability can be destroyed when nations with great responsibilities neglect to maintain the means of discharging their responsibilities. This is an age when unforeseen attack could come with unprecedented speed. We must be strong enough to defeat, and thus to forestall. ) any such attack. -48 - The Army will be reduced to one million and seventy thousand officers and men by July first nineteen forty-seven. Half of the Army will be used for occupation duties abroad and most of the remainder will be employed at home in the support of these overseas forces. ANNA E.S. . OF ARCHIVES "NATIONAL RECORDS ГДОМАН AND The Navy is supporting the occupation troops in Europe and in the Far East, and Its fundamental mission - to support our ofmnational interests wherever that support is required - is unchanged. The Navy, including the Marine Corps, will average five hundred and seventy-one thousand officers and men during the fiscal year nineteen forty-eight. We are encountering serious difficulties in maintaining our forces at even these reduced levels. - 52 - sbuly But we have a higher duty and a greater responsibility than the attainment of national security. Our goal is collective security for all mankind. If we can work in a spirit of understanding and mutual respect we can fulfill this solemn obligation which rests upon us. The spirit of the American people can set the course of world history. If we maintain and strengthen our cherished ideals, and if we strivben share our great bounty with war-impoverished people over the world. then the faith of our citizens in freedom and democracy will spread over the whole earth and free men everywhere will share our devotion to these ideals.

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    "ocrText": "- 3 -\nSARRA ARCHITIONAL TRUMAN REGORDS VERIFY\nU.S. NEW\nSERVICE\nIt is not unusual in our history that the majority\nof the Congress represents a party in opposition\nto the President's party. I am the twentieth President\nof the United States who, at some time during his term\nof office, has found his own party to be in the minority\nin one or both Houses of the Congress.\nI realize that on some matters the Congress\nand the President may have honest differences of view. opinion\nPartisan Differences in party however, did not cause material\ndisagreements\ndifferences Iasto in the conduct of the war.- Nor, in the\nconduct of our international relations, during and\npartison\nfeen material.\nsince the war, have such 1 differences mattered. a great deal.\nOn some domestic issues we may,\nand probably shall, disagree. That in itself is not\nto be feared.\n- 4 -\nIt is inherent in our form of Government.\nBut there are ways of disagreeing; men who differ\ncan still work together sincerely for the common good.\nWe shall be risking the Nation's safety and destroying\nour opportunities for progress if we do not settle\nany disagreements in this spirit, without thought\nof partisan advantage.\nUNIRY U.S. & ARCHIVES \"НАТИНАС GOVERNMENT SERVICE\" REGORDS THOMAS AND\nGENERAL Domastic EconoMy\nAs the year 1947 begins, the state of\nour national economy presents great opportunities for all.\nWe have virtually full employment. Our national\nproduction of goods and services is fifty per cent\nhigher than in any year prior to the war emergency.\nThe national income in nineteen forty-six was higher\nthan in any peacetime year. Our food production\nis greater than it has ever been.\n- 6 -\nTwo groups of temporary laws still remain:\nThe first are those which by Congressional\nmandate are to last during the \"emergency\";\nthe second are those which are to continue\nuntil the \"termination of the war\".\nBARRY a ARCHIVES \"NAXIONAL RECORDS TRUNAR AND LIBERTY\n8.5.\nSERVICE\"\nBOVERNMENT\nI shall submit to the Congress recommendations\nfor the repeal of certain of the statutes which\nby their terms continue for the duration of the \"emergency\".\nI shall at the same time recommend that others within\nthis classification be extended until the state of war\nhas been ended by treaty or by legislative action.\nAs to feen those statutes which continue until the Estateof war\nhas terminated, I urge that the Congress promptly\nconsider each statute individually, and repeal such\nemergency legislation where advisable.\n- 7 -\nNow that nearly all war-time controls\nhave been removed, the operation of our industrial\nsystem depends to a greater extent on the decisions\nof business men, farmers, and workers. These decisions\nmust be wisely made with genuine concern for the\npublic welfare. For the welfare of business men,\nfarmers and workers depends upon the economic\nwell-being of those who buy their products.\nAn important present source of danger\nto our economy is the possibility that prices might\nbe raised to such an extent that the consuming public\ncould not purchase the tremendous volume of goods and\nservices which will be produced in nineteen forty-seven.\nWe all know that recent price increases have\ndenied to many of our workers much of the value\nof recent wage increases.\n- 11 -\nLABOR- - MANAGEMENT RELASIONS,\nThe year just past -- like the year\nafter the First World War -- was marred by\nlabor-management strife.\nHARRY NATIONAL TRUMAN ARD CHERE\n8.5.\nDespite this outbreak of economic warfare\nin nineteen forty-six, we are today producing goods\nand services in record volume. Nevertheless, it is\nessential to improve the methods for reaching agreement\nbetween labor and management and to reduce the number\nof strikes and lock-outs.\nWe must not, however, adopt punitive legislation.\nWe must not, in order to punish a few labor leaders,\npass vindictive laws which will restrict the proper rights\nof the rank and file of labor. We must not, under the\nstress of emotion, endanger our American Freedoms by\ntaking ill-considered action which will lead to results\nnot anticipated or desired.\n- 14 -\nIn the light of these considerations,\nI propose to you and urge your cooperation\nin effecting the following four-point program to\nreduce industrial strife:\nPoint number one is the early enactment\nof legislation to prevent certain unjustifiable\npractices.\nFirst, under this point, are jurisdictional\nstrikes.\nsuch\nIn jurisdictional strikes the public and\nthe employer are innocent bystanders who are injured\nby a collision between rival unions. This type of\ndispute hurts production, industry, and the public -\nand labor itself. I consider jurisdictional strikes\nindefensible.\n- 15 -\nThe National Labor Relations Act provides\nprocedures for determining which union represents\nthe employees of a particular employer. In some\njurisdictional disputes, however, minority unions\nstrike to compel employers to deal with them despite\nthe employer\nlegal duty to bargain with the majority\nunion. Strikes to compel an employer to violate\nthe law are inexcusable. Legislation to prevent\nTRUMAN\nsuch strikes is clearly desirable.\nSAFTA THE By RECORDS SERVICE BOVERNING UNITED\nAnother form of inter-union disagreement\nis the jurisdictional strike involving the question\nof which labor union is entitled to perform a particular\ntask. When rival unions are unable to settle such\ndisputes themselves, provision must be made for\npeaceful and binding determination of the issues.\n- 19 -\nThere is need for integrated governmental\nto provide\nmachinery - offering the successive steps of mediation,\nvoluntary arbitration and - ultimately in appropriate\ncases - ascertaining mentol n the facts of the dispute and the\nreporting them to the public. Such machinery would\nfacilitate and expedite the settlement of disputes.\nHARRY ES a ARCHIVED \"NATIONAL RECORDS SERVICE\" TRUMAN POVERNMENT AND ASMIN\nPoint number three is the broadening of\nour program of social legislation to alleviate the\ncauses of workers' insecurity.\nOn June eleventh, nineteen forty-six,\nin my message vetoing the Case Bill, I made a comprehensive\nstatement of my views concerning labor-management\nrelations. I said then, and I repeat now, that the\nsolution of labor-management difficulties is to be found\nnot only in legislation dealing directly with labor relations,\n- 21 -\nThe President, the Congress, and management\nand labor have a continuing responsibility to cooperate\nin seeking and finding the solution of these problems.\nI therefore recommend that the Commission be composed\nas follows:\ntwelve to be chosen by the Congress from\nthe members of both parties in the House and the Senate,\nand eight representing the public, management\nand labor, to be appointed by the President.\nThe Commission should be charged with\ninvestigating, reporting and making recommendations\nupon certain major subjects, among others:\n2Ponly\nFirst - the special and unique problem of\nnation-wide strikes in vital industries affecting\nthe public interest.\n- 22 -\nIn particular, the Commission should examine into\nthe question of how to settle or prevent such strikes\nwithout endangering our general democratic freedoms.\nUpon a proper solution of this problem\nmay depend the whole industrial future of the\nUnited States. The paralyzing effects of a nation-wide\nstrike in such industries as transportation, coal, oil,\nsteel, or communications can-result.in * national disaster.\nWe have been able to avoid such disaster, in recent years,\nonly by the use of extraordinary war powers. All those\npowers will soon be gone. In their place there must be\ncreated an adequate system and effective machinery\nin these vital fields. This problem will require\ncareful study and a bold approach, but an approach\nconsistent with the preservation of the rights of our\npeople. The need is pressing. The Commission should\ngive this its earliest attention.\n- 24 -\nI recommend that this Commission make\nits first report, including specific legislative\nrecommendations, not later than March fifteenth,\nBARRY E ARCHIVES S \"NATIONAL GOVERN WENT SERVICE REGORDS THOMAN AND LIMITY\nnineteen forty-seven.\nRestriction of MoNopoly + PROMOTION of PRIPATE\nThe second major policy I desire to lay\nENTERPRISE\nbefore you has to do with the growing concentration\nof economic power and the threat to free competition\nin private enterprise. In nineteen forty-one the\nTemporary National Economic Committee completed a\ncomprehensive investigation into the workings of\nthe national economy. The Committee's study showed that,\ndespite half a century of anti-trust law enforcement,\none of the gravest threats to our welfare lay in the\nincreasing concentration of power in the hands of a\nsmall number of giant organizations.\n- 25 -\nDuring the war, this long-standing tendency\ntoward economic concentration was accelerated.\nAs a consequence, we now find that to a greater extent\nthan ever before, whole industries are dominated by one\nor a few large organizations which can restrict\nproduction in the interest of higher profits and thus\nreduce employment and purchasing power.\nIn an effort to assure full opportunity and\nfree competition to business we will vigorously enforce\nthe anti-trust laws. There is much the Congress can do\nto cooperate and assist in this program.\nTo strengthen and enforce the laws that\nregulate business practices is not enough. however,\nmust\nEnforcement has do be supplemented by positive measures\nof aid to new enterprises.\n- 26 -\nGovernment assistance, research programs, and\ncredit powers should be designed and used to promote\nthe growth of new firms and new industries. Assistance\nto small business is particularly important at this time\nwhen thousands of veterans who are potential business\nand industrial leaders are beginning their careers.\nBIRRY E.E. & ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE RECEIDS TRUNAN AND 1\nWe should also give special attention to the\ndecentralization of industry and the development of\nareas that are now under-industrialized.\nHousing\nThe third major policy is also of great\nimportance to the national economy -- an aggressive\nprogram to encourage home construction. The first\nfederal program to relieve the veterans' housing\nshortage was announced in February, nineteen forty-six.\n- 27 -\nIn nineteen forty-six one million family housing units\nhave been put under construction and more than six\nsixty\nhundred and seventy-five thousand units have already\nbeen completed. The rate of expansion in construction\nhas broken all records.\nTRUMAN\nTHE\nSARAT NATIONAL\nANY\n15\nRECEIVEDS SOVERNING\nIn the coming year the number of dwelling units\nbuilt will approach, if not surpass, the top construction\nyear of nineteen twenty-six. The primary responsibility\nrests with private industry and labor to deliver\nhousing at reasonable prices that veterans can afford.\nThe Government will continue to expedite the flow of\nkey building materials, to limit most non-residential\nconstruction and to give financial support where it\nwill do the most good. Measures to stimulate rental\nhousing and new types of housing construction will\nreceive special emphasis.\n- 28 -\nTo reach our long-range goal of adequate\nhousing for all our people, comprehensive housing legislation\nbill\nis urgently required, similar to the non-partisan\nbill passed by the Senate last year. At a minimum,\nBARRY W.S. ARCHIVES S. \"NATIONAL SERVICE\" BEORRDS GOVERNMENT TRUMAN AND UNITED\nsuch legislation should open the way for rebuilding\nthe blighted areas of our cities and should establish\npositive incentives for the investment of billions of\ndollars of private capital in large-scale rental\nhousing projects. It should provide for the improvement\nof housing in rural areas and for the construction,\nover a four-year period, of half a million units of\npublic low-rental housing. It should authorize a\nsingle peacetime federal housing agency to assure\nuse\nefficient and economical mobilization of our resources\non the vast housing front.\n- 29 -\nBARRY S. ARCHIVES AND TABMAR\nFiscAL AFFAIRS 8.2.\nThe fourth major policy has to do with\nbalancing the budget. In a prosperous period\nsuch as the present one, the budget of the Federal\nGovernment should be balanced. Prudent management\nof public finance requires that we begin the process\nof reducing the debt. The budget which I shall submit\nto you this week has a small margin of surplus.\nIn the Budget Message, I am making recommendations which,\nif accepted, will result in a substantially larger\nsurplus which should be applied to debt retirement.\nOne of these recommendations is that the Congress take\nearly action to continue throughout the next fiscal year\nthe war excise tax rates, which, under the present law,\nwill expire on June thirtieth, nineteen forty-seven.\nExpenditures relating to the war are still high.\nConsiderable sums are required to alleviate world famine\nand suffering.\n- 30 -\nAid to veterans will continue at a peak level.\nThe world situation is such that large military\nexpenditures are required. Interest on the public\ndebt and certain other costs are irreducible.\nFor these reasons I have had to practice stringent\neconomy in preparing the budget; and I hope that the\nCongress will co-operate in this program of economy.\nAGRICULTURE\nThe fifth major policy has to do with the\nwelfare of our farm population.\nTHEART 'S AMO ABHVH\na.S.\nProduction of food reached record heights in\nnineteen forty-six. Much of our tremendous peak grain crop\nproduction of bread cereals can readily be sold to about,\nforeign claimants and thus will become no threat in\nour domestic markets. But in the next few years\nAmerican Agriculture can face the same dangers it did\nafter World War One.\n- 31 -\nIn the early twenties the nation failed to maintain\noutlets for the new productive capacity of our\nagricultural plant. It failed to provide means to\nprotect the farmer while he adjusted his acreage to\npeace time demands.\nTARMY NATIONAL TRUMAN STREET\nB.S.\nThe result we all remember too well.\nFarm production stayed up while demand and\nwith\nprices fell, in contrast to industry where prices\nstayed up and output declined. The farmer was caught\nFarm Empluses piled up,\nin a mounting pile of surplus, and disaster followed.\nWe must make sure of meeting the problems\nwhich we failed to meet after the first World War.\nPresent laws give considerable stability to farm prices\nfor nineteen forty-seven and nineteen forty-eight, and\nthese two years must be utilized to maintain and develop\nmarkets for our great productive power.\n- 32 -\nThe purpose of these laws was to permit\nan orderly transition from war to peace.\nThe querment\nIts plan\nof support prices was not designed to absorb,\nat great cost, the unlimited surpluses of a highly\nproductive agriculture.\nBARRY NATIONAL ARGHIVES AS TRUMAN THE\nU.S.\nWe must not wait until the guarantees expire\nto set the stage for permanent farm welfare.\nThe farmer is entitled to a fair income.\nWays can be found to utilize his new skills\nand better practices, to expand his markets at home and\nabroad and to carry out the objectives of a balanced\npattern of peacetime production without either undue\nsacrifice by farm people or undue expense to the government.\n- 33\nBARRY & ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL RECORDS TRUMAN AND UNITED\nHEALTH+ GENERAL U.S. WELFARE\nOf all our national resources, none is\nof more basic value than the health of our people.\nOver a year ago I presented to the Congress my views\non a national health program. The Congress acted on\nseveral of the recommendations in this program --\nmental health, the health of mothers and children,\nand hospital construction. I urge this Congress to\ncomplete the work begun last year and to enact the\nmost important recommendation of the program --\nto provide adequate medical care to all who need it,\nnot as charity but on the basis of payments made by\nthe beneficiaries of the program.\nOne administrative change would help greatly\nto further our national program in the fields of\nhealth, education, and-welfare. I again recommend the\nestablishment of a well-integrated Department of Welfare.\n- 34 -\nVETERAN:\nS BARRY a. ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL REGARDS SOVERN WENT TRUMAN AND THEM\nFourteen million World War Two servicemen\nhave returned to civilian life. The great majority\nhave found their places as citizens of their\ncommunities and their Nation. It is a tribute to the\nfiber of our servicemen and to the flexibility of our\neconomy that these adjustments have been made so\nrapidly and so successfully.\nMore than two million of these veterans\nare attending schools or acquiring job skills through\nthe financial assistance of the Federal Government.\nThousands of sick and wounded veterans are daily\nreceiving the best of medical and hospital care.\nHalf a million have obtained loans, with Government\nguarantees, to purchase homes or farms or to embark\nupon new businesses. Compensation is being paid in\nalmost two million cases for disabilities or death.\n- 35 -\nMore than three million are continuing to maintain\ntheir low-cost National Service Life Insurance\npolicies. Almost seven million veterans have been\naided by unemployment and self-employment allowances.\nExclusive of mustering-out payments and\nterminal leave pay, the program for veterans of all wars\nis costing over seven billion dollars a year --\none fifth of our total Federal budget. This is the\nmost far-reaching and complete veterans' program ever\nconceived by any nation.\nExcept for minor adjustments, I believe that\nour program of benefits for veterans is now complete.\nIn the long run, the success of the program will not\nbe measured by the number of veterans obtaining recieving\nfinancial aid or by the number of dollars we spend.\n- 36 -\nHistory will judge us not by the money we spend,\nbut by the further contribution we enable our veterans\nto make to their country. In considering any additional\nlegislation, that must be our criterion.\nTRUNAH\nCivir RiCHTS.\nREFT 8.8. ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL SERWINE RECORDS GOVERNMENT AND LITHER\nWe have recently witnessed in this country\nattacks\nnumerous assaults upon the constitutional rights of\nindividual citizens as a result of racial and religious\nbigotry. Substantial segments of our people have\nbeen prevented from exercising fully their right to\nparticipate in the election of public officials,\nboth locally and nationally. Freedom to engage in\nlawful callings has been denied.\nThe will to fight these crimes should be in\nthe hearts of every one of us.\n- 38 -\nBARTH B. ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL RECORDS TROMAN AND UNITED\nU.S.\nNATVRAL RESOURSES.\nIn our responsibility to promote the\ngeneral welfare of the people, we have always to\nconsider the natural resources of our country.\nThey are the foundation of our life. In the\ndevelopment of the great river systems of America\nthere is the major opportunity of our generation to\ncontribute to the increase of the national wealth.\nThis program is already well along; it should be\npushed with full vigor.\nI must advise the Congress that we are\nrapidly becoming a \"have not\" Nation as to many of our\nminerals. The economic progress and the security of\nour country depend upon an expanding return of mineral\ndiscovery and upon improved methods of recovery. The\nFederal Government must do its part to meet this need.\nUARAT 3. ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL RECORDS TROMAN AND\n- 39 -\nSERVICE\nFoREigN AFFAIRS THE\nProgress in reaching our domestic goals\nis closely related to our conduct of foreign affairs.\nAll that I have said about maintaining a sound and\nprosperous economy and improving the welfare of\nour people has greater meaning because of the world\nleadership of the United States. What we do, or\nfail to do, at home affects not only ourselves but\nmillions throughout the world. If we are to fulfill\nour responsibilities to ourselves and to other peoples,\nwe must make sure that the United States is sound\neconomically, socially and politically. Only then\nwill we be able to help bring about the elements of\npeace in other countries - political stability,\neconomic advancement, and social progress.\nPeace treaties for Italy, Bulgaria, Rumania\nand Hungary have finally been prepared.\n- 41 -\nThe delay in arriving at the first peace\nsettlements is due partly to the difficulty of reaching\nagreement with the Soviet Union on the terms of\nsettlement. Whatever differences there may have been\nbetween us and the Soviet Union, however, should not be\nallowed to obscure the fact that the basic interests of\nboth nations lie in the early making of a peace under\nwhich the peoples of all countries may return, as free\nmen and women, to the essential tasks of production\nand reconstruction. The major concern of each of us\nshould be the promotion of collective security, not the\nadvancement of individual security.\nOur policy toward the Soviet Union is guided\ndetermine\nby the same principles which guide our policies toward\nall nations. We seek only to uphold the principles of\ninternational justice which have been embodied in the\nCharter of the United Nations.\n- 42 - -\nWe must now get on with the peace settlements.\nThe occupying powers should recognize the independence\nof Austria and withdraw their troops. The Germans and\nthe Japanese cannot be left in doubt and fear as to their\nfuture; they must know their national boundaries,\ntheir resources and what reparations they must pay.\nWithout trying to manage their internal affairs,\nHARTY S. ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL GUYERN WENT SERVICE™ RECORDS THOMAN AND THEY\nwe can insure that these countries do not rearm.\nINTERNATIONAL Relieft Displaced PERSONS.\nThe United States can be proud of its part in\ncaring for peoples reduced to want by the ravages of war,\nand in aiding nations to restore their national economies.\nthe hungry peoples\nWe have shipped more supplies to deficit areas of the\nworld since the end of the war than all other countries\ncombined.\n- 43 -\nHowever, insofar as admitting displaced\npersons is concerned, I do not feel that the United\nStates has done its part. Only about five thousand\nof them have entered this country since May nineteen\nforty-six. The fact is that the executive agencies\nare now doing all that is reasonably possible under\nthe limitation of existing law and established quotas.\nCongressional assistance in the form of new legislation\nis needed. I urge the Congress to turn its attention\nto this world problem, in an effort to find ways whereby\nwe can fulfill our responsibilities to these thousands\nof homeless and suffering refugees of all faiths.\nWorld economic cooperation is essential to\nworld political cooperation. We have made a good start\non economic cooperation through the International Bank,\nthe International Monetary Fund, and the Export-Import Bank.\n- 44 -\nWe must now take other steps for the reconstruction\nof world trade and we should continue to strive for\ndistructions\nan international trade system as free from controls\nas possible.\nHARTY E ARCHIVES \"HATIONAL REGARDS TRUMAN AND LIMIT\nATONIC ENERGY. : a GOVERNMENT SERVICE\"\nThe United States has taken the lead in the\nendeavor to put atomic energy under effective\ninternational control. We seek no monopoly for ourselves\nor for any group of nations. We ask only that there\nbe safeguards sufficient to insure that no nation\nwill be able to use this power for military purposes.\nSo long as all governments are not agreed on means of\ninternational control of atomic energy, the shadow of fear\nwill obscure the bright prospects for the peaceful use\nof this enormous power.\n- 45 -\nIn accordance with the Atomic Energy Act of\nnineteen forty-six, the Commission established under\nthat law is assuming full jurisdiction over our\ndomestic atomic energy enterprise. The program of\nthe Commission will, of course, be worked out in close\ncollaboration with the military services in conformity\nwith the wish of the Congress, but it is my fervent\nHARRY U.S. ARCHIVES of \"RATIONAL SERVICE\" RECORDS TRUMEN AND\nhope that the military aspect of atomic energy will\ndecline.\nROVERNMENT\nhave a steadily diminishing significance. We look to\nthe Commission to foster the development of atomic energy\nfor industrial use and scientific and medical research.\nIn the vigorous and effective development of these praceful\nuses\nconstructive aspects of atomic energy ) rests our hope\nthat this new force may ultimately be turned into a\nblessing for all nations.\n-\n46\n-\nTRUMAN\nMiritary Poric STATE EARRY\n'NATIONAL\nARCHIVES AND\nRECORDS\nDESCRIBE\"\nNUVERN WENT\nIn nineteen forty-six the Army and Navy\ncompleted the demobilization of their wartime forces.\nThey are now maintaining the forces which we need\nfor national defense and to fulfill our international\nobligations.\nWe live in a world in which strength on the\npart of peace-loving nations is still the greatest\ndeterrent to aggression. World stability can be\ndestroyed when nations with great responsibilities\nneglect to maintain the means of discharging their\nresponsibilities.\nThis is an age when unforeseen attack\ncould come with unprecedented speed. We must be strong\nenough to defeat, and thus to forestall. ) any such attack.\n-48 -\nThe Army will be reduced to one million\nand seventy thousand officers and men by July first\nnineteen forty-seven. Half of the Army will be used\nfor occupation duties abroad and most of the remainder\nwill be employed at home in the support of these\noverseas forces.\nANNA E.S. . OF ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL RECORDS ГДОМАН AND\nThe Navy is supporting the occupation troops\nin Europe and in the Far East, and Its fundamental mission -\nto support our ofmnational interests wherever that support is\nrequired - is unchanged. The Navy, including the\nMarine Corps, will average five hundred and seventy-one\nthousand officers and men during the fiscal year nineteen\nforty-eight.\nWe are encountering serious difficulties in\nmaintaining our forces at even these reduced levels.\n- 52 -\nsbuly\nBut we have a higher duty and a greater\nresponsibility than the attainment of national security.\nOur goal is collective security for all mankind.\nIf we can work in a spirit of understanding\nand mutual respect we can fulfill this solemn\nobligation which rests upon us.\nThe spirit of the American people can\nset the course of world history. If we maintain\nand strengthen our cherished ideals, and if we\nstrivben\nshare our great bounty with war-impoverished people\nover the world. then the faith of our citizens in\nfreedom and democracy will spread over the whole\nearth and free men everywhere will share our devotion\nto these ideals."
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