Harry S. Truman photo

Proclamation 2812—National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week, 1948

September 13, 1948


By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Whereas our Nation would be materially strengthened and our democracy enriched if all citizens capable of performing any kind of useful labor were afforded opportunities for suitable employment; and

Whereas the millions of disabled persons in the United States, both military and civilian, should be encouraged to avail themselves of the facilities for rehabilitation and training, as well as the services for placement, provided by our Federal, State, and local governments; and

Whereas war-production records and recent industrial surveys show that handicapped workers, when selectively placed, perform their tasks as well as or better than those without handicaps; and

Whereas acceptance of the handicapped by employers will be the means of bringing opportunity for economic independence and full participation in our democratic life to citizens who, despite physical impairments, are willing and able to perform a wide variety of essential tasks; and

Whereas, in order to secure greater voluntary cooperation in employment of the handicapped on the part of the public generally, I have established the President's Committee on National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week, composed of leaders of organizations outside the Government; and

Whereas the Congress, by a joint resolution approved August 11, 1945 (59 Stat 530), has designated the first week in October of each year as national Employ the Physically Handicapped Week, during which time appropriate ceremonies are to be held throughout the nation, and has requested the President to issue a suitable proclamation each year:

Now, Therefore, I, Harry S. Truman, President of the United States of America, do hereby call upon the people of the United States to observe the week beginning October 3, 1948, as national Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. I also call upon the Governors of States, the mayors of cities, and other public officials, as well as leaders of industry and labor, of civic, veterans', farm, women's, and fraternal organizations, and of other groups representative of our national life, to lend full support to the observance of the week, in order to enlist public interest in effectuating full employment of the handicapped.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this 13th day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-third.

Signature of Harry S. Truman

HARRY S. TRUMAN

By the President:

G. C. MARSHALL,

Secretary of State.

Harry S Truman, Proclamation 2812—National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week, 1948 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/287272

Simple Search of Our Archives