In what began as the dedication of a memorial to members of the 35th Infantry Division, of which Harry Truman was Captain of the 129th Field Artillery during World War 1, turned into a much anticipated speech on Foreign Policy which Truman delivered in a nationwide address on June 11, 1949.

In his address, Truman warned of dire consequences if Congress went ahead in slashing funds for European recovery, saying the only thing to gain from it would be Communism. He urged for stronger commitment to a stable European economy and a stronger United Nations in order to deal with conflicts abroad.

Here is that address, as broadcast over CBS Radio on June 11, 1949.

We tend to forget what a crucial role railroads played in our society during the 20th century. It was the main source of transportation over long distances for passengers (or medium distances for commuters) and for freight and raw materials. Air travel was still considered a luxury and our highway system was still evolving.

In 1946 the country was crippled from a strike by Railroad workers. Essentially, the entire nation was stranded, and the strike quickly escalated to crisis stage where President Truman addressed the country to declare a national emergency in an effort to bring the warring parties back to the bargaining table.

On May 24th he made a radio address and on May 25th he addressed an emergency session of Congress.

Here is that May 24th address by President Truman from the White House as broadcast over all networks.

Ironically, the strike was settled the next day as Truman addressed Congress. But until then, it was a nail-biter.

Today most people naturally assume Presidential Press Conferences were always a thing of national record - something broadcast to the American people on a regular basis since the earliest days of broadcasting.

Not so. In fact, it wasn't until the Eisenhower Administration in the mid-1950's did anything remotely resembling a broadcast Press conference exist.

Prior to that they were recorded only as a means of verifying a statement and never broadcast. Because of that, they were much more relaxed, jovial and off-the-cuff affairs - on occasion they were free-for-all's, but in retrospect they are important glimpses of the less formal side of the White House and its interaction with the Press corps.

This Press Conference, given on January 10, 1952 focuses mostly on the upcoming election. In January, it was still not decided whether Truman would run for re-election or not. Speculation was General Eisenhower would, as a Republican and the Press tried every way imaginable to get a statement out of Truman over his decision to run.

Technically speaking - because the press conferences were informal affairs, not a lot of importance was placed on getting clearly asked questions. Subsequently, the volume levels fluctuate all over the place and it's a little hard in places to make out what was being said. Some of the references are obscure and germane only
to the Beltway in 1952. But for the most part it's an informative, rare look into the White House before the era of high-tech and how much, in retrospect, has changed as the result.

Here is the complete Press Conference of President Truman from January 10, 1952.

One of the most glowing examples of the Cold War was the 100 yard dash on the parts of the U.S. and the Soviet Union to win "hearts and minds" throughout the world during the Post World War 2 reconstruction and Developing Nations period. President Truman first introduced his Point Four Technical Assistance/Foreign Aid program during his Inaugural address. Simply put, it was Truman's idea to not just throw vast wads of money at the problem, but rather to create a stable environment by introducing American technology and assistance along with a vast array of other goodies in an effort to promote goodwill and well . . . .converts and allies against the Iron Curtain.

During his address at the 17th Annual Newspaper Guild Convention, Truman continues making his case for the Point Four Program, which included something of a Freudian slip at this excerpt:

President Truman: “Point Four is not new and should not become a matter for partisan differences of opinion. However, some critics have attempted to ridicule Point Four as a “do-good” measure. Others have said it is a waste of money. This is the most foolish kind of short sightedness. We fail to carry out a vigorous Point Four program we run the risk of losing to Communism by default, hundreds of millions of people who now look to us for help against their struggle against hunger and despair. And what we won’t do is to teach these people how to help themselves. Point Four is a successor to the old Colonialsim idea. The exploiting idea of the middle 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. We want to have a prosperous world that’ll be interested in buying the immense amount of surplus things that we’re going to have for sale. In order to do that, they’ve got to have something to give back to us in order that they can buy our goods. I want to keep this factory organization of ours going at full tilt. And in order to do that we must help these people to help themselves.”

After a reasonably quick recovery (from "We won't teach these people how to help themselves" to "We must help these people help themselves"), the speech sailed into a successful conclusion.

Carefully pointed out not to be an extension of the Marshall Plan, the Point Four Program was instead set up to cultivate a technical assistance program and it was the first of its kind to be introduced. The program was implemented in October of 1950 and, although modified and discarded in places, remained a cornerstone in Foreign Aid by the U.S. throughout the 1950's and is now known as the Agency For International Development.

So now you know where it got started and who started it.

(Korea: Police Action - swore up and down we'd be there a few weeks)

Note: This is a repost from last November, but the misfires linger on.

Our legacy of Foreign Policy misfires is long and involved and certainly not the exclusive property of the last twenty or so years. Although it does make you wonder how long we've been screwing up and has it always been this bad.

There was that matter of Korea and the Domino Theory of Communist takeovers in the Far East put forth by the Eisenhower Administration. There was also the matter of the Red Scare and how the Marshall Plan was a dismal failure guaranteed to make the U.S. a weaker superpower. There was the blame game where the United Nations was a dismal failure, also guaranteed to make the U.S. a weaker superpower and how we needed to divest ourselves of that body.

But nowhere in all the arguments, even going back to 1950, was there an alternative to what we were doing and doing badly.

Everybody agreed something was wrong and something needed to change drastically over how we were dealing with the rest of the world and both sides of the political aisle varied wildly over what the solution was. This exchange between Senators William Benton (D-Connecticut) and George Malone (R-Nevada) offer ample proof. The program was The American Forum Of The Air, broadcast on July 9, 1950 - the subject: "Do We Need A New Foreign Policy?". The ensuing shouting match said it all.

Sen. George Malone: “We have not yet had a definite Foreign Policy. I note that your subject today, do we need a new foreign policy? I say definitely we do, because we have never yet said and the President has not said in Korea whether or not the integrity of Korea is important to our ultimate safety. He (President Truman) has said he has got us in it on account of the United Nations and half of the world is not with us in the United Nations. Eastern Europe, Russia, Communist China. We better make up our minds just what our foreign policy is and let the American people know it and let the other nations know it. So we can come out. Now if he has any ideas at all, if he has any ideas, I say he ought to let us know what they are.”

60 years later and the arguing doesn't look like it's ending anytime soon. Meanwhile, there's the body bags . . .

Help keep this thing going. Newstalgia, Crooks and Liars, Late Night Music Club - everybody depends on you. So . .

News for this March 15th in 1947 was about reconstruction, Foreign Aid, the creeping Cold War and grumblings of discontent.

Starting with news of the upcoming Big Four Conference and Russia's criticism via Pravda and Izvestia (the government Press) of President Truman's plan for assistance to Greece and Turkey, and a general blast of the Marshal Plan on the grounds of "Imperialist meddling". Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marshal and Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov were huddled in Moscow debating the word Democracy. The nits were being picked clean. Discussions were also underway as to what Moscow was planning on doing in the area of repatriation for the hundreds of thousands and German Prisoners of War, still held in Russian camps.

In other International news: Britain was making plans to toss the Palestine question over to the United Nations to sort out in the coming week. The Japanese War Crimes Tribunal was meeting in Tokyo and the latest from the Japanese Defense team was Japan's fear of a Communist takeover from Russia that made it do what it did. Not much of a defense. Fighting was intensifying in China with Communist forces making gains and serious advances against Government forces. And the Civil War in Paraguay was taking a huge turn for the rebels, who were now outnumbering government forces three to one. Following suit, but with not much success, was a revolt brewing in Ecuador meeting with heavy resistance from the government there.

And blizzards were churning around in Wales while East London was underwater from floods.

On Capitol Hill: Debate was going on regarding the Foreign Aid question and, as usual, where was all this money going to come from. On the Good News domestic front - new housing construction was hitting its highest point in history.

And President Truman was in Key West, fishing. It seemed like a good time to take a vacation.

All this and so much more via Roy Porter and The NBC World News Roundup for (Friday) March 15, 1947.

1952 was certainly an interesting election year. Since Harry Truman declined the run for a second term, it blew the playing field wide open for both Republicans and Democrats.

The radio documentary, first aired on June 2, 1952, the day before the California and South Dakota primaries.

What's curious about this primary, the last one until the respective Conventions, it features none of the eventual Presidential candidates on the ballot. The Republicans were voting for California Governor Earl Warren and the Democrats were voting either for Estes Kefauver or a ballot originally intended for Harry Truman. Eisenhower was late in declaring his intentions and there appears to be no word about Adlai Stevenson, both would eventually become their party's Presidential candidate. Which just goes to show you how much the election process has changed over the years.

This half hour broadcast analyzes the upcoming election and features a number of interviews with key members of both parties as well as how the individual voter feels.

There really are no parallels to draw between the '52 election and the '12 election. It seems as though the entire political process has become unrecognizable in the sixty years since.

And maybe that's the problem.

In setting the tone for what promised to be a contentious election year, February 6th 1948 fit in quite nicely.

With a call for Southern Democrats to bolt from the Party over President Truman's proposed Civil Rights legislation (which included an anti-lynching Law) and nominate their own Presidential candidate, got their first meeting together, headed by Mississippi Governor Fielding L. Wright. Far from a unified front, Governor Wright pledged to do anything possible to defeat Truman in 1948, including support the Republican nominee, whoever that was going to be.

Meanwhile, predictions were coming in that Truman would win re-election, if the current Economic climate kept up. Food prices were dropping considerably, even though it was too early to tell if the drop would be across the board. Republicans charged it was an election year gimmick. How things never change.

Further domestic news saw the Rent Control Bill on temporary hold, but did forecast an extension of controls through 1949 even though the extension would be in a greatly relaxed form. General Eisenhower stepped down on this day as Chief of Staff at the Pentagon with Gen. Omar Bradley taking over.

Overseas news saw trouble for Eamon de Valera in Ireland with election returns showing the Valera government now in a minority and in a definite lack-of-confidence mode. On the Foreign Aid front - an additional $250 million was seen to be needed as the slow process of rebuilding Europe continued.

And the last day of the 1948 Winter Olympics was bogged down with snowstorms putting a number of events on hold.

And that's what it looked and sounded like on this particular February 6th in 1948 via NBC's News Of The World with John Cameron Swayze and live reports from all over.

The week ending November 12, 1949, as seen by NBC's radio series Voices and Events. Again, strikes were an issue, with the Coal Miner's and United Mineworkers President John L. Lewis at the forefront.

John L. Lewis: “The United Mineworkers Of America are instructed to resume immediately the mining and production of coal to continue until Midnight, Wednesday November 30, 1949”

There were also some local elections and a look back at the 1948 Presidential election with the famous Harry Truman clip about listening to dire predictions of election returns on his radio.

All in all, a reasonable week as far as history goes. At least it was a hopeful one and you can't say that all the time.

(Harry S. Truman - knew a thing or two about hysteria)

(as long as you're downloading, could ya toss in a few pennies to the folks who put this up?)

When Harry S. Truman left public office on January 1953, he didn't slip into the comfortable shadows of the ex-Presidency. If anything, he stepped up his very public criticism of the wave of hysteria that had taken over the country since the end of World War 2.

Harry S. Truman: “I’m rather skeptical of fake crusaders, who dig up and distort records of the past in order to take the attention of the people away from their political failures of the present day.”

Giving an address at the Alumni Dinner for the City College of New York on November 1953, Truman lashed out at the hysteria mongers and offered some history to prove that this sort of thing had been tried ever since this country got started and that common sense eventually prevailed.

Truman: “These attacks which we are seeing on our basic institutions such as our departments of government, our institutions of higher learning and our churches have their parallel in waves of hysteria that have swept over the country in the past. One of the first of these was the agitation that culminated in the Alien and Sedition laws. This occurred at the end of the eighteenth century when France, which had been our ally in the revolution, seemed to have been transformed from a friend into a threatening enemy. At the same time, the majority of Americans here at home were rising up politically against the Federalist Party. Unscrupulous politicians tried to play on the fear of France in such a way as to injure the growing power of Jeffersonian Democracy. As a result, the Alien and Sedition laws were passed. The Sedition Law provided penalties of fine and imprisonment for people who indulged in criticism of the Government of The United States. It was enforced exclusively against the editors and orators who supported Jefferson . . . we don’t have many editors to do that to today, but . . . (laughter). But this wave of hysteria was only temporary. The people were horrified by the use of the Federal power to suppress the free expression of opinion. They moved to the ballot boxes and pitched the Federalists out of office. And the Federalist Party never recovered. I hope somebody’ll learn a lesson from that.”

Apparently they haven't. But they keep trying. And they're still trying.