The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
PUBLIC PAPERS OF THE OF THE UNITED PRESIDENTS STATES Harry S. Truman Containing the Public Messagesj Speechesj and Statements of the President JANUARY I TO D EC EMB ER 31, I946 1:9 4 6 UNITED STATES G O V E R N M E N T WASHINGTON PRINTING : I $6z OFFICE Feb. 20 [39] H a rry S. Trum an, ig^.6 obligations to these veterans. B u t the G o v sioner to the Ph ilipp in es to prepare fo r m e ernment o f the Ph ilipp in es is in no position a plan to m eet these difficulties. today, nor w ill it be fo r a num ber o f years, asked that this plan be subm itted not later to support a large-scale p ro gram fo r the than M arch fifteen th. care of its veterans. Congress to m ake such provisions as are However, in recogn ition o f the practical difficulties faced in m a k in g paym ents to Philippine A rm y veterans un der the G .I. Bill of Rights, I have directed the Secretary of War, the A d m in istrato r o f V eteran s’ A f fairs, and the U n ited States H ig h C o m m is I have I expect to request necessary to im p lem ent the p ro gram w h en it is evolved. A s enacted, H.R. 5x58, approved February 18, 1946, is Public Law 301, 79th Congress (60 Stat. 6). For die President’s message to the Senate trans mitting a bill to provide benefits for Philippine veterans, sec Item 122. n o te : 39 Statement by the President Upon Signing the Employment Act. February 20, 1946 I H A V E S I G N E D today the E m p lo ym en t Act of 1946. people do expect the G overn m en t, how ever, In en actin g this legislation to create and m aintain conditions in w h ich the Congress and the President are respond the in d ivid u al businessm an and the in d iv id ing to an o verw h elm in g dem an d o f the ual job seeker have a chance to succeed by people. their o w n efforts. T h e legislation gives expression to a deep-seated desire fo r a conscious and positive attack upon the ever-recurrin g prob lems of mass un em ploym en t and ruinous depression. T h e m ajor provisions o f this im portant legislation can be briefly sum m arized . 1. T h e A c t declares that it is “ the con Within three years after the F irst W o rld War, we T h a t is the objective o f the E m p lo ym en t A c t o f 1946. experienced farm foreclosures, tin u in g p olicy and responsibility o f the F e d eral G o vern m en t . . . to coordinate and business failures, and mass unem ploym en t. u tilize all its plans, functions, and resources In fact, the history o f the last several decades fo r the purpose o f creatin g and m ain tain has been one o f speculative boom s alter in g . . . conditions un der w h ich there w ill nating with deep depression. T h e people be afforded useful em ploym ent op portu ni have found them selves defenseless in the ties, in clu d in g self-em ploym ent, fo r those face of economic forces beyond their control. able, w illin g , and seekin g to w o rk . . .” Democratic governm en t has the responsi T h e C ongress by this declaration has ac bility to use all its resources to create and maintain conditions un der w h ich free com cepted a great responsibility. 2. T h e Congress has placed on the Presi petitive enterprise can operate effectively— dent conditions under w h ich there is an abun designed to accom plish the purpose o f the the d u ty of fo rm u la tin g program s dance of em ploym ent opportu nity fo r those A ct. who are able, w illin g , and seekin g to w o rk . sponsibility, w h ich I believe is in lin e w ith It is not the G o vern m en t’s duty to su p the responsibility placed on the President In sig n in g this A ct, I accept this re plant the efforts o f private enterprise to find by the C on stitution . markets, or of individuals to find jobs. that I can perform it only w ith the fu ll and The T h is task is so great 125 [39] Feb. 20 un qu alified Public Papers of the Presidents are w ill be an im p ortan t addition to the facilities sincerely interested in the general w elfare cooperation of all w ho available fo r p rep arin g econom ic policies and in side and outside the G o vern m en t. program s. M ak In ca rryin g on this w ork, I in g this A c t w o rk m ust becom e one o f the expect the fu llest cooperation betw een the prim e objectives o f all o f us: citizens g e n C o u n cil, the C abin et, and the several divi erally, industry, labor, and agricu ltu re, State sions o f the E x ecu tive Office. and local governm en ts, and the F ederal I am happy that the Senate adopted this legislation un an im ously, the H o u se o f Rep G overn m en t. 3. T h e A c t includes a significant provision that w ill facilitate cooperation betw een the resentatives by a large m ajority. T h e result is not all I had hoped fo r, but I congratulate E x ecu tive and the Con gress in the fo rm u la M em bers o f both H ouses and their leaders tion o f policies and program s to accom plish upon their constructive and fru itfu l efforts. It establishes a T h e E m p lo ym en t A c t o f 1946 is not the jo in t C on gressional C o m m ittee consisting o f the objectives o f the A ct. end o f the road, but rather the beginning. seven M em bers o f the Senate and seven It is a com m itm ent b y the G overn m en t to M em bers o f the H o use. T h is com m ittee is the people— a com m itm ent to take any and g iv en an assignm ent o f great scope and the all o f the m easures necessary fo r a healthy econom y, one that provides opportunities for highest im portance. 4. T h e A c t establishes in the E xecu tive those able, w illin g , and seekin g to work. O ffice o f the President a C o u n cil o f E co W e shall all try to hon or that commitment. n om ic A d visers, com posed o f three m em bers to be appointed by the President w ith the consent o f the Senate. 40 The Employment Act of 1946 is Public Law 304, 79th Congress (60 Stat. 23). n o te : T h e n ew C o u n cil Statement by the President Urging Continuation of the Victory Garden Program. February 21, 1946 D U R I N G T H E W A R P E R I O D , gard en A co n tin u in g p rogram o f ga rd en in g will in g furth er dem onstrated its value to our be o f great benefit to o u r people. people in m an y w ays. tion to the contribution gardens m ake to T h e splendid re In addi sponse to the appeal fo r m ore hom e-pro better nutrition, their value in p ro vid in g out duced food door physical exercise, recreation and relax w as an im portan t factor in m a k in g it possible d u rin g the w a r for the ation people o f this country to be better fed than w id ely recogn ized. fro m the strain o f m odern life is T h e D ep artm en t o f A g before the w a r w h ile su p p lyin g the best-fed ricultu re th rou gh a long-tim e garden pro fig h tin g forces in the w orld and p ro vid in g gram can do m u ch to encourage m ore attrac essential food supplies to o u r allies. tive hom e surroun dings and im p roved com The threat o f starvation in m an y parts o f the m u n ity developm ent, and w o rld and the urgent need for food from la rge body o f citizens w ith m uch needed this coun try em ph asize the im portance o f assistance in hom e gard en in g . continued effort to add to our total food supply this year. 126 can provide a This statement was made public as part of a White House release issued following a meeting of n o te :
@FedFRASER