PRESIDENT'S NEWS CONFERENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700560060-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 8, 2004
• Sequence Number: 60
• Publication Date: January 24, 1946
• Content Type: OPEN

Approved For Release 2004/12/15 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000700560060-1
Harry S. Truman, r946 Jan. 24 [21j
PRESIDENT. I don't think it's prac-
t c:1 to seize the steel mills at the present
tune. 1 don't say that I won't do it even-
tuay.
Q, Mr. President, how can the workers go
back to work if the Corporation won't give
them the increase?
THE PRESIDENT. They can't.
I am saying to you.
go into Mr. Murray's--I didn't know any-
thing about Mr. Murray's letter, because I
had that information on my own. initiative,
when I was trying to settle this thing. I
know all about it, however, but I haven't
seen Mr. Murray's letter. I know what the
situation is.
Q. Anything to be done about it--any
suggestions?
THE PRESIDENT. No. I
tions to make.
Q. Legislation?
have no sugges-
[ .] Q. Mr. President, in the case of the
meat industry, we understand that the men
are going back to work at the old wage?
THE PRESIDENT. The men, I am sure, will
obey the law. The law requires them to
go back to work at the old wage.
[7.] Q. If you seized the steel plants,
they would have to go back-
THE PRESIDENT. That is correct.
Q. -after the seizure?
THE PRESIDENT. That is correct.
[8.] Q. Mr. President, now that Mayor
La Guardia is a radio commentator, has he
submitted his resignation as Chairman of
the Canadian-American Defense Board?
THE PRESIDENT. I haven't received it as
yet. I don't think I have. I have a drawer
full of ti:em. It may be among them. I
haven't seen it.
Q. Mr. La Guardia is coming in today.
Will that be discussed?
THE PRESIDENT. It will not. Mr. La Guar-
dia is going as the Special Representative of
the President of the United States to the
inauguration of the President of Brazil.
That is the subject he is going to talk to'
n.e about.
[g.; Q. Mr. President, Phil Murray,yes-
ttErday sent a letter to Secretary Vinson,
outlining very large rebates from taxes to
ccrporx.`ons, including steel companies.
_..ve you gone into that?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes, I have.
Q. Is there any reply to it?
THE ;?RESIDENT. None whatever. I didn't
THE PRESIDENT. I made my suggestions to
Mr. Fairless and Mr. Murray.
[xo.] Q. Mr. President, would you care
to make any observations on the new Na-
tional Intelligence Authorit ?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes. I think it is a prac-.
tical program, and that it will work for the
best interests of the Government. It was a
necessary arrangement, in order to have all
the information available for all the people
who-need it in implementing foreign policy.
It combines the intelligence services of the
State, War, Navy, and the President, in a
manner so that the information. will be avail-
able to all four for the transaction of Gov-
ernment business.
[ x x.] Q. Mr. President, is Hap Arnold
quitting, and when?
THE PRESIDENT. He was making this tour
of South America prior to his retirement.
He expected to retire as soon as he returned.
Q. That will be about February x5?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes, somewhere between
the ist and the xoth of February. But I
think he is coming home ahead of schedule,
because he is-he hasn't been feeling very
well.
[x2.] Q. Is General Spaatz [pronounc-
ing it Spats] going to take ;his place?
THE PRESIDENT. Generai Spaatz ~ [pro-
nouncing it'Spahts]---
Q. Spaatz [Spahts] it is. [Laughter]
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[ 15.] Q. Mr. President, if we could re-
turn to the trusteeship question again, isn't
the veto of the big powers significant in con-
nection with the trusteeship question?
THE PRESIDENT. I think it will be, y`&.
[16.] Q. Mr. President, have Republi-
cans suggested to you that there should be
two Republicans on the Maritime Com-
mission?
THE PRESIDENT. No, they haven't; but
that probably will be the case. I just ap-
pointed two Republicans day before yes-
terday.
[17.] Q. Mr. President, from your ex-
perience in the Senate, have you any sug-
gestions as to how the Senate can solve this
problem of filibustering on the FEPC?
[Laughter]
THE PRESIDENT. For your information, I
have been through several filibusters, and
that is a matter that the Senate itself must
settle without outside interference, especially
from the President. [More laughter]
Q. Mr. President, have you ever taken a
position on cloture?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes. Well, all you have
to do is to read the Record down there. I
was always for cloture. No secret.
[18.] Q. Mr. President, is the Anglo
credit message going up shortly?
THE PRESIDENT. Yes. Just as soon as we
get it prepared, it will go up.
[ Ig.] Q. Mr. President, the morning
papers report the Government has $I billion
worth of steel plants of its own which are
now strike-bound. Why isn't the Govern-
ment operating them?
THE PRESIDENT. They are integrations of
other plants, a ad principally-except the one
at Provo, Utah. That one is a complete
plant by itself, and we have under considera-
tion the idea of operating it. .
[21] Jan. 24
Public Papers of the Presidents
THE PRESIDENT. -will take his place.
[13.]. Q. Mr. .PPresidepl ,going back to
that Intelligence Authority for a minute, is
Z aival of the OFF in general?
THE PRESIDENT. No, it is not. It isn't. It
Q. Mr. President, do you suppose, if we
had such a setup back in 1940 or 1941, that
there would not have been a Pearl Harbor?
THE PRESIDENT: I can't say that it was
a-contributing greatly towards its not tak-
ing place. I can't say whether there would
have been a Pearl Harbor or not. You can
make any "if" meet any situation.
[14.] Q. May I revert to the steel strike?
THE PRESIDENT. Certainly-certainly.
Q. There is an organization known as
nonbasic steel producers headed up by a
man named Evans-he heads a steel shop
in Detroit-probably everybody's got it-
they run 700 secondary plants or nonbasic
plants, and they have this CIO union con-
tract. in none of them is there any dispute
with the men on wages, but they are all
out.
THE PRESIDENT. They ought to go back to
work. They ought to go back to work. If
there is no dispute, they ought to go back
to work. We are trying to get everybody
to work, so as to make this production work.
Everybody that can, ought to go back. I
have been preaching that ever since
August 18.
Q. Mr. President, do you think, if the steel
strike is settled, that the General Motors
strike will fall in line?
THE PRESIDENT. I can't say whether it
would or not, but that is-it is logical to
conclude that that'might happen.
Q. Mr. President, do you plan to recorn-
mend any further legislation to labor such
as beyond the factfinding, if the strikes
continue?.
ti THE PRESIDENT. NO. I made that recom-
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