Weve All Just Made Fools of Ourselves Again

Truman Speaks

The President offers his views on the presidency, education, government, history, child-rearing, personal values, politics, polls, women and more.

COMPILED BY RAYMOND H. GESELBRACHT

Truman on America's Greatest Presidents

I'll name the ones that I consider fabricated the greatest contribution to the maintenance of the commonwealth. Washington, of class, that's established; Jefferson, who turned the regime over to the people; and Jackson, who continued that policy; then James K. Polk, who expanded the country to the Pacific and gave u.s. space equally a continental power and a chance to abound into one of the greatest republics. Show more than

James K. Polk paid the aforementioned price for that office of the country that Thomas Jefferson paid for Louisiana. Don't forget that. And so Abraham Lincoln, of course, who saved the Union; he kept the Union from breaking apart. There might have been four or five countries, just like in Fundamental America if that war had been successful…. Then, the next of the great ones was Grover Cleveland; he restored the Presidency to its proper identify in the ready-up of the regime. he refused to exist browbeaten by the Congress.

And subsequently Grover Cleveland came Theodore Roosevelt, who started the programme of taking the government out of the hands of the great exploiters and putting information technology dorsum into the hands of the people. Woodrow Wilson then came along in 1912 and followed through on that. If information technology hadn't been for Earth State of war One, he would have been very successful in obtaining what he set up out to do in his offset message. Then, when he finally worked on the peace treaty, he tried his level best to accommodate world affairs so that nosotros could non enter into another debacle like the Commencement Globe War.

He was not successful on account of…[the] isolationists…. They helped to bring on the Second Globe War. Then along came Franklin Roosevelt, who gear up the Presidency along the same lines as the ones I've named. He set the Presidency where it belonged and got the situation developed so that when the Second World War was over, we were able to plant the Un.

Some of the Presidents were great and some of them weren't. I can say that, because I wasn't one of the keen Presidents, but I had a good time trying to exist ane, I can tell you that.

Truman on His Nigh Difficult Determination

The reason for that was the fact that the policies of our allies and the members of the United nations were at pale at the same time equally ours. We were in the position where nosotros had to enforce the situation; a great many of those friends of ours in the United Nations came in and helped. But that decision on Korea had to be made on the basis or globe requirements; it was non entirely a determination of the Us, and every one of the allies approved it. Then did the Congress, until they got it into politics.

Truman on the Role of the President

The President of the United States has half dozen jobs....The starting time bang-up chore that the President of the United States has is prepare out in the Constitution of the United states of america. In the second article you'll find that he'due south the Master Executive, with orders to take care that the laws are faithfully executed. Show more

The President is the representative of the whole nation and he'southward the only lobbyist that all the 160 million people in this country accept…. Now as to the President'south next job in the Constitution: he's Commander in Main of the armed forces of the United states when they're in Federal service. He's the accented commander of the armed forces of the United States in time of war.

He's the commander of the military when they're chosen out for whatever purpose, if he wants to take control of them. Nobody else can practise information technology. It's his business to outline policy for the military…. It's his privilege to appoint generals–and sometimes to fire them when it's necessary…. The President is also the maker of foreign policy of the United States.

The President is absolutely responsible for our relations with other countries. he appoints ambassadors, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to stand for him in these other countries. The President directs the foreign policy of the United States all the time. No i else can do it…. Then, he's one of the top legislators in the whole authorities. It's his business to inform the Congress, at least in one case a yr, on the country of the Union, and to make such recommendations equally he thinks are proper for the welfare of the country and for the peace of the earth….

The President of the United States makes a lot of recommendations which he thinks are for the practiced of the state. Congress…commonly tells him where to go–half the fourth dimension. But he's still got to make the affair work. When Congress passes legislation, nobody can enforce that legislation only the President…. He's caput of his political party. He sets the policy for the party that'due south responsible for the performance of the government; he must understand the workings of this approach to the performance of the government; and he must be sure that there is political party responsibleness for the policies which he makes….

Hither's some other chore that is only every bit interesting every bit information technology can be…. Equally the caput of the land, the President entertains all the visiting heads of land. He entertains kings and queens and princes and prime ministers. And usually, he gives a state dinner in honor of the visiting person…. Every time ane of those great dinners comes upwards, you tin can only seat ninety-nine people in the State Dining Room in the White House, and you know what a time it is to become those ninety-nine places filled without making some of the bang-up old social leaders feel pretty bad because they're not on the list. But sometimes information technology does them good to be left off; they carry a little improve afterwards that.

Truman on the Constitution

The longer I alive, the more I am impressed with the significance of our American Constitution. I want you to read it and think nigh information technology. It's a plan, simply not a strait jacket, flexible and short. Read it one hundred times, and you lot'll always find something new. Bear witness more

In many countries men swear to be loyal to the rex, or to a nation, or to a flag, or to something else. Nosotros swear to uphold and defend a document, a document that sets up our living government. That'due south the reason why information technology is such a sacred document.

Truman on Becoming President

I was very much shocked. I am not hands shocked but was certainly shocked when I was told of the President's death and the weight of the Government had fallen on my shoulders. Prove more

I did not know what reaction the country would take to the decease of a man whom they all practically worshiped. I was worried almost the reaction of the Armed Forces. I did not know what effect the situation would have on the state of war effort, price control, war product and everything that entered into the emergency that then existed. I knew the President had a nifty many meetings with Churchill and Stalin.

I was not familiar with any of these things and it was actually something to think most but I decided the all-time matter to practise was to go home and get as much rest as possible and face up the music. My married woman and girl and mother in law were at the flat of our next door neighbour [at 4701 Connecticut Artery in Washington, DC]…. They had had a turkey dinner and they gave united states something to eat. I had not had anything to eat since noon. [I] went to bed, went to sleep, and did not worry whatsoever more.

Truman on Women

I've e'er thought that the all-time homo in the world is inappreciably skilful enough for whatever woman. I'm a damn fool I estimate considering I could never get excited or worked up about gals or women. I only had one sweetheart from the time I was six. Bear witness more

I saw her in Sun Schoolhouse at the Presbyterian Church in Independence when my mother took me there at that age and afterwards in the 5th grade at the Ott School in Independence when her Aunt Nannie was our teacher and she sat backside me. She sabbatum backside me in the sixth, 7th and Loftier School grades and I thought she was the most beautiful and sweetest person on earth–and I'm still of that opinion after…[many] years of existence married to her. I'm erstwhile fashioned, I guess.

Truman on Education

My definition of an pedagogy is the lighting of that spark which is called a "thirst for data or cognition." A higher graduate with the correct sort of instruction should find at his graduation that he is only at the door of cognition. Show more than

He should have learned in going through his schooling where to discover the data on the subjects that make for scholarship. If he hasn't learned that, the time spent in school has been wasted for no good purpose.

If, when he comes out of school, that thirst for learning has been brought out he never ceases to find fields for report that open up up endlessly before him. For our twenty-four hour period, and our children's day, education must go a standing adventure in human being understanding, shared by all. I call up we need to spend more time and money to brand good teachers, both men and women.

No one has more influence on the immature mind except his mother. Readers of good books, particularly books of biography and history, are preparing themselves for leadership. Non all readers become leaders. But all leaders must be readers. Many readers go historians and teachers. They are retiring, timid when publicity is involved, and are amongst the greatest assets to this republic.

Truman on Prayer

[This] prayer...has been said by me – by Harry S. Truman – from high school days...as a bank clerk, as a farmer riding a gang plow backside four horses and Prove more mules, as a fraternity official learning to say nothing at all if skilful could not be said of a human, as a public official judging the weaknesses and shortcomings of constituents, and as President of the U.Southward.A Show more

…Oh! Almighty and Everlasting God, Creator of Heaven, Earth and the Universe: Help me to be, to think, to act what is right, considering information technology is right; make me truthful, honest and honorable in all things; brand me intellectually honest for the sake of correct and honor and without thought of reward to me.

Give me the power to be charitable, forgiving and patient with my boyfriend men–help me to understand their motives and their shortcomings–fifty-fifty every bit One thousand understandest mine!

Truman on Condign a Political leader

If a young man chooses politics as a profession he'll find it to his advantage to study the lives of all the smashing leaders throughout history starting with Greece and the swell leaders of the urban center republics and...the Roman Republic.... Show more

He should carefully report the lives of the leaders of the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and he should know the lives and motives of every President of the United states. Congressional leaders in every Presidential Assistants should be carefully studies along with their ethics and their motives. Then he should know his State History from its colonial or territorial beginnings every bit well as his county history.

If he lives in a boondocks or city he should know his city government and its workings…. It takes a lifetime of the hardest kind of work and study to become a successful politician…. A peachy political leader is known for the service he renders. He doesn't have to get President or Governor or the head of his metropolis or canton to be a bang-up political leader. There are mayors of villages, canton attorneys, canton commissioners or supervisors who render merely equally great service locally as do the heads of the authorities.

No young man should go into politics if he wants to get rich or if he expects an adequate reward for his services. An honest public servant tin can't become rich in politics. he tin only attain greatness and satisfaction past service…. I would much rather be an honorable public retainer and known as such than to be the richest man in the world.

Truman on Polls

I wonder how far Moses would have gone if he'd taken a poll in Arab republic of egypt? What would Jesus Christ accept preached if he'd taken a poll in Israel? Where would the Reformation have gone if Martin Luther had taken a poll? It isn't polls or public opinion of the moment that counts. Information technology is right and incorrect and leadership–men with fortitude, honesty and a belief in the right that makes epochs in the history of the globe. 16. What are some of your favorite books?

Truman on Books

Here are a few of the books I studied which helped to lend me confidence on many occasions. There were the Marquis James books on Andrew Jackson, Claude Bowers' books on Jefferson, particularly his Jefferson and Hamilton, and a collection of Jefferson'southward letters called A Jefferson Profile, edited by a man named Padover. Evidence more

I call back very highly of this terminal book. There were all of Carl Sandburg'southward works on Abe Lincoln, the memoirs of Thomas H. Benton and those of our former Congressman and Speaker from Missouri, Gnaw Clark; the memoirs of General Grant, which Marking Twain helped him write; the memoirs of John Sherman and of William T. Sherman. Too valuable is Sol Blossom's accumulation of George Washington's papers, which were published by the government.

When I was young, I read the Bible through many times. I read Plutarch's Lives and, before that, a four-volume set entitled Slap-up Men and Famous Women and Abbot's Makers of History. Later on, I came across and read Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. In fact, I read everything I could get my hands on most men who made history.

The simplest conclusion I reached was that the lazy men acquired all the trouble and those who worked had the job of rectifying their mistakes. It has been a life-fourth dimension program [of reading] for me, and if y'all start out on fifty-fifty this incomplete list, you will notice it a lengthy study only well worthwhile. It will keep yous out of mischief besides.

Truman on Success

Success seems to me to be merely a point of view.... Some men have an thought that if they corner all the loose change they are self-made successful men. Makes no difference to them if they practise consume beans off a knife or not know whether Napoleon was a human or a slice of silver. Prove more than

Some others have a notion that if they can get high offices and hold up themselves as models of virtue to a gaping public in long-winded, arty speeches they have reached the highest pinnacle of success. Information technology seems to me that an ability to mitt out self-praise makes most men successes in their ain minds anyway.

Some of the earth's greatest failures are really greater men than some of the other kind. To succeed financially a man can't accept whatsoever eye. To succeed politically he must be an egotist or a fool or a ward dominate tool. To my notion, an ideal condition would be to have to work just enough then if you stopped y'all'd non become disrepair at once–but still you'd know if you didn't work you couldn't live. And then accept you home and friends and pleasures regulated to your income…. I am certain I'd be satisfied so to allow vile ambition, political or monetary, starve at the gate.

Truman on People

I've seen and so much difficulty acquired by sheer unthoughtfulness that I've tried all my life to be thoughtful and to make every person I come in contact with happier for having seen me…. I've never paid any attention to what people…said about me and very petty to what they say to me, considering most people simply mean about half they say.

Truman on Conclusion-making

I am non one who believes it does whatever proficient to weep over past mistakes. You lot accept got to go along looking ahead and going directly alee all the time, making decisions and correcting the situation as you keep. This calls for a cardinal policy, a bones outlook, for the making of major strange and domestic decisions.... Show more

A President who hesitates or temporizes usually is not certain of what he wants, and he is greatly handicapped when he has to act without a clear-cut policy. A President ought non to worry whether a determination he knows he has to make will testify to be pop. The question is non whether his actions are going to exist popular at the time but whether what he does is right. And if information technology is right in the long run it will come out all right.

The homo who keeps his ear to the ground to find out what is popular will exist in trouble. I usually say that a human being whose heart is in the right place and who is informed is not likely to go very far wrong when he has to deed. [When I was President,] once I fabricated up my listen, I acted. And I did not worry well-nigh the action I took. If you are going to walk the floor and worry yourself to expiry every fourth dimension you lot accept to make a decision, or if you lot neglect to make upward your mind, so y'all are not suited for the job.

Truman on a Third Term

My reason for not running again [was] based on the fact that I don't recall that whatsoever man – I don't care how adept he is – is indispensable in any job. Prove more

The Presidency  itself is a continuing role, the greatest office in the history of the globe, and that part ought to be continuing every bit far as individuals are concerned. And another affair…. When a man has been [President] for 8 years…he has-or should take by that time-made all the contribution that he possibly can to the welfare of the Nation…. I tried my all-time to give the Nation everything I had in me.

At that place are a great many people – I expect a meg in the state – who could have washed the chore meliorate than I did information technology. But, I had the job, and I had to do it. And I always quote ane epitaph which is on a tombstone in the cemetery at Tombstone, Arizona. It says, "Here lies Jack Williams, he done his damndest." I call up that is the greatest epitaph that a human being tin can take. When he gives everything that is in him to the job that he has before him, that's all you can ask of him. And that'due south what I have tried to do.

Truman on His Post-Presidency

I always thought that when a fellow who had started on a farm and had gone through all the political setup that there is, from precinct to President, came to that indicate where information technology was time to quit, he ought to quit, then go dorsum and see if he couldn't requite people information on what causes the greatest government in the history of the world to run. Show more

I'1000 a nut on the subject, I guess. I don't know of anything meliorate in the world that a man tin can do that'south more helpful to the welfare of the nation than to get the youngsters to understand what they have and what they have to practise to keep information technology, only I try to impress upon them that they didn't get this form of government for cypher.

Information technology was gotten through sweat, blood, and tears, the shedding of a lot of claret. In fact, we had to spend four years [in the Civil War] whipping ourselves earlier we made up our minds that nosotros wanted this course of government. We've still got it. It's nevertheless the all-time regime in the history of the globe, and it e'er will exist if the youngsters want to keep it up on the footing on which it was founded.

Truman on Child-Rearing

I think we've been likewise lazy in bringing them up. You know, it takes a female parent and a begetter who are interested in raising a family to make a family unit. Prove more

The greatest institution in the world is the raising of a family in the correct mode. In social club to do that, they must be taught respect and field of study at home. It can't be done anywhere else, and when that fails…then trouble begins.

Information technology takes mother and father to raise a family, and they've both got to be interested in seeing that that family grows up to be good citizens. And they tin make them that if they want to. But it takes hard work. I know, because I've tried it.

hallwassied.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.trumanlibraryinstitute.org/truman/truman-speaks/

Share this post