Harry S. Truman photo

Remarks to the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee.

January 21, 1949

Mr. Chairman of the Democratic Committee, Mrs. Tillett, and Mrs. Edwards of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee, ladies and gentlemen:

I didn't get any tickets to this performance. After I had arrived here, I was informed that this was the only program during this week where tickets were not necessary!

I do appreciate most highly, ladies and gentlemen, what the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee has done in organizing this meeting, and in presenting me with myself.

Nobody, of course, can understand what he looks like to other people. He can only see one side of himself, and if he looks in the mirror, he is not right sure whether that is true or not, because he thinks he's better looking than that.

But I am sure that the family will highly appreciate this gift, and they will also highly appreciate the fact that they don't have to leave it in the White House, because nearly everything that is given to a President is given to him in his official capacity as President of the United States, and he has no right to claim it as his own personal property. And besides, the Constitution won't let him accept a gift from any foreign power, or from anybody that may have business with the Government--which is perfectly right and proper, and ethical.

But, since this bronze has been given by the women of the Democratic Committee to the family of the President, we are going to have a pretty hard time leaving it in the White House.

I went down to the Capitol this morning to have breakfast with the Missouri delegation. In spite of the fact that I got to bed at 3 o'clock and got up at 5:30, I made it down there in time.

And Mr. Cannon, in introducing me, made the statement that he was introducing the most powerful man in the world, who is now President of the United States.

And I explained to the Congressman that I didn't think that was quite true, because I couldn't get my wife and daughter up to come with me!

So you see, you can be perfectly sure that this wonderful gift will remain in the family.

I do want to thank you most sincerely for this cordial expression of your kindness and admiration for your President. I hope that it will not be necessary, at some future date, to have it destroyed, as I have seen done with public men who have been awarded things of this kind, while they were yet alive. I hope that you will always feel that I should have had this in the beginning, and shall continue to have it in the future.

Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 12:15 p.m. at the Departmental Auditorium in Washington. In his opening words he referred to Senator J. Howard McGrath, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Mrs. Charles Tillett, vice-chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Mrs. India Edwards, executive director of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee. Later he referred to Representative Clarence Cannon of Missouri.

The gift presented to the President was a bronze bust of himself. The artist was Felix de Weldon.

Harry S Truman, Remarks to the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/230008

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