Harry Truman: Could He Be a Democrat Today?

In evidence, consider his speech — during his presidency — to the Attorney General's Conference on Law Enforcement Problems, February 15, 1950:

.... It is important, therefore, that we work together in combating organized crime in all its forms. We must use our courts and our law enforcement agencies, and the moral forces of our people, to put down organized crime wherever it appears.

At the same time, we must aid and encourage gentler forces to do their work of prevention and cure. These forces include education, religion, and home training, family and child guidance, and wholesome recreation.

The most important business in this Nation — or any other nation, for that matter — is raising and training children. If those children have the proper environment at home, and educationally, very, very few of them ever turn out wrong. I don't think we put enough stress on the necessity of implanting in the child's mind the moral code under which we live.

The fundamental basis of this Nation's law was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings which we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don't think we emphasize that enough these days.

If we don't have the proper fundamental moral background, we will finally wind up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the state....

(Thanks, Tom.)

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Sun. 09/27/09 06:03:45 PM
Categorized as Historical & Political & Speeches and Suchlike.