Oral History Interviews with Charles S. Murphy
Former staff member in the office of the legislative counsel of the U.S. Senate, 1934-46; Administrative Assistant to the President of the United States, 1947-50; and Special Counsel to the President, 1950-53. Subsequent to the Truman Administration Murphy served as Under Secretary of Agriculture, 1960-65; and chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, 1965-68.
Interview Transcripts May 2, 1963 | June 3, 1963 | July 24, 1963 | May 21, 1969 | June 24, 1969 | July 15, 1969 | July 25, 1969 | May 19, 1970 C. T. Morrissey and Jerry N. Hess See also Charles S. Murphy Files and Charles S. Murphy Papers finding aids

NOTICE
These are transcripts of tape-recorded interviews conducted for the Harry S. Truman Library. A draft of each transcript was edited by the interviewee but only minor emendations were made; therefore, the reader should remember that these are essentially transcripts of the spoken, rather than the written word.

Numbers appearing in square brackets (ex. [45]) within the transcript indicate the pagination in the original, hardcopy version of the oral history interview.

RESTRICTIONS
These oral history transcripts may be read, quoted from, cited, and reproduced for purposes of research. They may not be published in full except by permission of the Harry S. Truman Library.

Appendix A Memorandum dated June 29, 1948, "Should the President Call Congress Back."

Appendix B Memorandum from President Truman to staff of April 16, 1950 telling them in effect that he would not run for reelection.

Appendix C Letter from Charles S. Murphy to President Truman on November 23rd, 1951, concerning his memorandum telling his staff in effect that he would not run for reelection.

Acheson, Dean, 213, 481, 507, 508
Armed services, unification of, 58
Arvey, Jacob M., 496
Assassination attempt on President Truman, 221-223
Atomic Energy Act of l946, 113

Bailey, Eugene, 184-185
Bailey, Frederick J., 252
Baldridge, Holmes, 332-333
Ball, George, 346-347, 349
Bankhead, John H., 47
Barkley, Alben, 47, 48-50, 269-270, 362-364
Barriere, John, 128, 132
Barringer, Lewis T., 46, 47, 57
Batt, William L., Jr., 81, 128, 131
Bell, David, 63, 64, 85, 86, 156, 176, 321-322, 325, 391, 393, 394, 402-403, 442, 447, 479
Bennett, Henry G., 290
Berkeley, California, speech by President Truman (1948), 33
Bethune, Mary McLeod, 466, 467
Biffle, Leslie, 115, 269
Birkhead, Kenneth, 128, 132
Bolling, Richard, 431
Boyle, William M., Jr., 405-406, 407-408, 412-413
Bradley, Omar, 195, 198, 200
Budget message, preparation of, 64-66, 119-120
Bureau of the Budget:

enrolled bills, recommendations on, 247-251
relationship with White House staff, 63-64
Butler, Paul, 496, 498
Butte, Montana, speech by President Truman (1948), 27
Byrnes, James F., 54-55

Cabinet, role in President Truman's administration, 110-111
Carey, Idaho, speech by President Truman [1948), 22-24
Carr, Albert Z., 139, 155-156, 165
Carter, John F., 157-158, 159, 160-163
Caudle, T. Lamar, 304-308, 510, 511-514
Chapman, Oscar, 387
China, controversy concerning, 470-471
Chinese intervention, Korea, 204-206
Civil Aeronautics Act, 41-42
Civil rights groups, influence of, 465-467
Civil rights plank, Democratic Party platform in 1952, 368-369, 371-374
Civil rights program, 224-231
Clark, Champ, 54
Clark, John, 122
Clark, Tom, 328, 333-334
Clay, Lucius, 319, 320
Clifford, Clark, 2, 3, 13, 26, 30, 71, 78, 90, 91, 92-93, 117, 118, 119, 123, 127, 128, 129, 130, 133, 144, 234,

273, 274, 282, 284, 448-450, 455
Coffelt, Leslie, 223
Congress, special session of (1948), origin of, 146-151
Congressional liaison:
in Eisenhower administration, 267-268
in Johnson administration, 268-269
in Truman administration, 111-115, 236-241, 253-261, 269-270
Connelly, Matthew, 1, 2, 46, 57, 70, 100, 102, 111, 144, 160, 295, 355, 387, 446, 455, 509-511, 514-516
Council of Economic Advisors, 120-123

Dawson, Donald, 99, 100-101, 385, 447, 451-453
Defense budget, 1950, discussions on, 521-530
Democratic Advisory Council, 495-509
Democratic National Committee:

Presidential campaign of 1952, role in, 394-397
Research Division, origins of, 80-83, 127-129
Research Division, relationship with White House staff, 121-133
Democratic National Convention of 1952, 359-365, 492-494
Democratic National Convention of 1956, platform of, 370-371
Democratic Presidential campaign of 1952, strategy of, 385-391, 398-399
Dennison, Robert L., 3
Department of Defense, drafting of bill to create, 243-244
Dreyer, Phil, 128, 132

Economic Report of the President, preparation of, 119-120, 121-123
80th Congress, as target of criticism in 1948 campaign, 28-30
Eisenhower, Dwight D., 166

estimation of, 539-540
"I will go to Korea" statement and Presidential campaign of 1952, 423-429
Elsey, George, 90-93, 117, 127, 130, 133, 140, 191, 273-274, 288, 450
Employment Act of 1946, 266
Enarson, Harold, 99
Enrolled bills, executive action on, 246-251, 270-271
Evans, Carol, 351
Ewing, Oscar, 149

Fair Employment Practices Commission, 229-231
Feeney, Joseph, 111-112, 257-260, 447
Finletter, Thomas, 497, 506
Ford, Peyton, 307, 513
Ft. Lewis, Washington, 184
Fowler, Henry, 481, 498, 519
Friedman, Martin L., 99, 100, 386, 443
Fritchey, Clayton, 392-393, 402, 447

Galbraith, J. Kenneth, 508
Grain-bin storage issue [1948), 52-53
Grand Coulee Dam, dedication of (1950), 175
Green, William, 464

Hansen, Donald, 95, 97, 243, 442
Harper, Roy, 318
Harriman, W. Averell, 195, 203, 204, 491
Harriman, W. Averell, and Democratic National Convention of 1952, 360-362, 365, 492-494
Hart, Philip A., 188
Hartke, Vance, 188
Hassett, William, 71, 101, 102, 104, 355, 454-457, 460
Hayes, Albert J., 464
Hays, Brooks, 373
Hechler, Kenneth, 88-90, 176, 384, 442
Hillman, William, 134, 135, 136, 137, 139, 141, 153-155, 180
Hoeber, Johannes, 128
"Hoover carts", 400-401
Hopkins, William-J., 247, 485
Housholder, Vic H., 34-35
Houston, John, 99
Hume, Paul, 290-293

Idaho Falls, Idaho, speech by President Truman (1948), 24-25
Irelan, Charles, 97-98
Israel, recognition of, 281-285

Jessup, Philip, 198
Johnson, Louis, 212-215, 521, 527, 528
Johnson, Louis, resignation of, 207-212
Johnson, Lyndon B., 500, 539
Johnston, Olin, 259
Jones, Charles S., 331
Jones, Roger, 251, 252-253

Kayle, Milton, 99, 443
Keech, Richmond, 56, 57
Kelly, Frank, 128, 132
Kennedy, John F.:

and Democratic Advisory Council, 501-502
estimation of, 538-539
Keyserling, Leon, 122-123, 523-524
Key West, staff operations in, 293-318
Kingsley, J. Donald, 149, 436
Korean conflict:
Chinese intervention in, 204-206
U.S. intervention in, 217-221

Labor unions, influence on President Truman's policies, 464
Legislation, Presidential recommendations on, 66-67
Legislative Counsel’s Office (Senate), 40
Legislative Counsel’s Office (Senate), operating procedures of, 245-246
Leva, Marx, 519-521, 527
Leviero, Anthony, 425-426
Lewis, John L., 468-469
Lloyd, David D., 80-81, 84, 86, 128, 131, 156, 176, 181, 321-322, 325, 345-347, 384, 442, 447
Loeb, James, 349
Lovett, Robert, 216, 217, 326, 327
Lowenthal, Max, 43
Loyalty program, 96

MacArthur, Douglas D., 189-190
MacArthur, Douglas D., and Wake Island conference, 195-204, 205
McCabe, Thomas B., 301-303
McGrath, J, Howard, 307-308, 404-405, 411, 413, 513
McGuire, Phil, 99
McKellar, Kenneth D., 47
McKinney, Frank, 318, 395-396, 409-411, 412
Marshall, George C., 75-79, 166, 424-425, 526, 527

as Secretary of Defense, 215-216
Marshall plan, 73-75
Martin, Williams McChesney, 301, 303-304
Maylon, Charles, 111-112, 258-260, 447
Memorandum, June 29, 1948, on calling Congress into special session, 147-149, Appendix A
Memorandum, "Some Aspects of the Preparation of President Truman’s Speeches for the 1948 Campaign,"
December 6, 1948, noted, 5-6
Messall, Victor, 40
Miller, Justin, 38
Minton, Sherman, 55
Mitchell, Stephen, 395-397, 411, 412
Mr. President [by William Hillman), comments on, 153-155
Morison, Graham, 514-515
Murphy, Charles S.
acceptance speech by Harry S. Truman, 1948, role in preparing, 144-146
Administrative Assistants to the President, relationship with, 444-447
as Administrative Assistant to the President, 439-440, 442-455
administrative bills, drafter of, 237-238, 241-243
agricultural legislation, drafter of, 51
Civil Aeronautics Act, assists in drafting, 41
civil aeronautics matters, assigned to, 67
civil rights plank in 1952, role in drafting, 368
civil rights program, role in, 224-225, 227
Clifford, Clark, relationship with, 448-450
Connelly, Matthew, and subpoena concerning, 514-515
and-defense budget for 1950, 521-530
and Democratic Advisory Council, 495-509
and Democratic National Convention of 1952, 359-365, 492-494
:Democratic Party national chairmen, estimation of, 411
on election day, 1948, 172-173, 431
enrolled bills, involvement in, 248-251
and events of January 20, 1953, 481-483
in Key West, 295-297, 300, 305-314, 337
legislation on cotton, drafter of, 46-47
legislative recommendations, role in, 92-95
message to President Truman on declining renomination in 1952, Appendix B
Mitchell, Stephen, relationship with, 412
portal-to-portal bill, recommendations on, 273-275
Presidential campaign of 1948, speechwriter for, 3-4, 13-14, 26, 125-127, 132-133, 137-139, 155-160
Presidential campaign of 1952, role in, 381-394, 400-403
Presidential message to Congress with statement on meaning of an approved bill, an innovation, 92-95
Presidential office, organization of, comments, on, 531-534
Secretaries (appointments, Correspondence, and .Press) on White House staff, relationship with, 453-456
as Special Counsel for Democratic National Committee, 412-413
Special Counsel to the President, procedures of, 117-120
speech on election eve, 1948, rewriting of, 168-171
and speech preparation conferences, 455-456
speechwriting in Presidential campaign of 1948, 3-9, 11-15, 133-140, 156-160, 233-234, 455-459
staff of, 442-443
Steelman, John R.., relationship with, 432-435, 439-440
Stevenson, Adlai, relationship with, 345-351
Stevenson’s Presidential campaign in 1952, evaluation of, 397-398
Taft-Hartley bill, drafting of veto message on, 276-278
transition to Eisenhower administration, role in, 474-480
Truman Committee, drafts resolution for, 42
and Truman, H.S.:
in campaigns of 1954, 1956, and 1958, 180-188
first meeting with, 39-40
letter to, on announcement not to seek reelection, Appendix C
relationship with, 109-110, 114
in Senate, drafting legislation for, 41-43
Unification of armed services, role in, 58-60
Vinson, Fred M., Presidential candidacy of, 341-342
and White, Harry Dexter, case, 516-520
White House staff, appointment to, 45-48
White House staff, early duties on, 56-58
Murray, Philip, 464

Nash, Frank, 521
Nash, Philleo, 443, 444
National Securities Resources Board, 315
NSC-68 (National Security Council report No. 68), 523, 529, 530
Neustadt, Richard, 85-87, 369, 373, 384, 442
Niles, David, 447
Nitze, Paul, 508, 521
Norstad, General Lauris, 58, 60, 244
Noyes, David, 134, 135, 136, 137, 139, 141, 153, 155, 163-164, 165

O'Brien; Laurence, 260
O'Donnell, John, 58
Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, termination of, 434, 441
Omaha, Nebraska, speech by President Truman in (1948), 20-21

Perlman, Philip B., 48, 327-328, 333, 496, 498
Perlmeter, Irving, 448
Phillips, Cabell, 352, 358-359
Philippines Commission, 68
Pianos in the White House, 323-324
Point 4 program, 285-290
Portal-to-portal bill, 273-275
Presidential campaign of 1948:

June trip, main features of, 1-9
President Truman’s speech in Madison Square Garden, controversy about, 457-458
See also Murphy, Charles S., Presidential Campaign of 1948
See also Speeches in Presidential Campaign of 1948
See also Truman, Harry S., Presidential Campaign of 1948
Presidential message to Congress with statement on meaning of an approved bill, as an innovation, 92-95
Presidential staff meetings, conduct of, 69-72
Presidential trip of 1950, 175-179
Press conferences, at Key West, 309
Private bills, 271-272
Public opinion mail, influence of, 460-461
Public opinion polls, evaluation of, 462

Radford, Admiral Arthur, 193-195, 310
Rayburn, Sam, 499-500, 504
Reconversion, economic, 264
Rigdon, William, 297, 298, 338
Roosevelt, Franklin D., estimation of, 538
"Rose-colored glasses" speech (1958), 181-182
Rosenman, Samuel, 141, 144, 145, 164-165
Rosenman, Samuel, and White, Harry Dexter case, 517
Ross, Charles G., 13, 72, 102, 104, 121, 144, 160, 168, 169, 171, 454-457
Rusk, Dean, 195, 198

Sawyer, Charles, 330-331
Schwellenbach, Lewis B., 55
Sherman, Admiral Forrest, 58, 60, 244
Short, Joseph, 73, 101, 102, 355, 448, 455
Simmons, William D., 2
Snyder, John W., 301-302, 357
Special interest, groups, role of, in President Truman's policy making, 462
Speech, acceptance, Democratic National-Convention of 1948, 143-146
Speeches in Presidential campaign of 1948:

Berkeley, California, 17-19, 33
Butte, Montana, 27-28
Carey, Idaho, 22-24
Dexter, Iowa, 136
Idaho Falls, Idaho, 24-25
Los Angeles, California, 35-36
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 233-235
Omaha, Nebraska, 20-21
St. Louis (Kiel Auditorium), 173-175
Spokane, Washington, 28
Speech on steel strike of 1952, preparation of, 324-325
Speechwriting for President Truman, procedures of, 3-9, 11-15, 102-105, 133-140, 156-160, 233-234, 383-384,
455-459
Spingarn, Stephen J., 95-97, 224, 225, 231-235, 242-243, 466
Sproul, Robert Gordon, 18
Staats, Elmer, 252, 253
State of the Union message, preparation of, 119-120
Stauffacher, Charles, 319, 320
Steelman, John R., 62, 71, 84, 111, 317, 326, 355
The Assistant to the President, origin of title, 440-441
Clifford, Clark, relationship with, 440
duties of, 432-440, 441-442, 455
and transition planning, 478-479, 484
steel strike of 1952, 313-314, 318, 321-337
Stein, Harold, 99
Stevenson, Adlai:
and Democratic Advisory Council, 497-507
and Presidential candidacy in 1952, 345-352, 365-368
speeches in Presidential campaign of 1952, evaluation of, 429-430
Truman, Harry S., meeting with, August 1952, 378-381
Truman, Harry S., relationship with, in Presidential campaign of 1952, 388-398, 402-403
Stowe, David, 305, 317, 385, 386, 435, 512
Sundquist, James, 384, 412, 443

Taft-Hartley bill, veto of, 276-279
Taft, Robert A., 265-266
Thurston, John, 435
Transition to Eisenhower administration, 474-480, 484-486
Truman Committee, drafting of resolution for, 42
Truman, Harry S,:

assassination attempt on, 221-223
Barkley, Alben W., support for nomination in 1952, 363-365
Byrnes, James F., relationship with, 54-55
Cabinet, role of, 110-111
and campaign tour in 1958, 181-188
candidacy for reelection in 1952, declines, 337-339, Appendix B, Appendix C
civil rights groups, relationship with, 465-467
and civil rights program, 224-231
Clark, Champ, relationship with, 54
and congressional campaign trip in 1950, 175-179, 188-189, 207
Congress, relations with, as President, 236-241, 253-261
crowd reactions to, in Presidential campaign of 1948, 125-127
decision making process, 105-106, 109-110
and Democratic Advisory Council, 497, 504-505
and Democratic National Convention of 1952, 492-494
Eisenhower, Dwight D., relationship with, 423-429, 486-487
estimation of, 534-535, 538, 541-542
as a fisherman, 312-313
and Hannegan, Robert, 404
and Harriman, W, Averell, in Democratic National Convention of 1952, 360-362, 492-94
innovation, signing of bill with statement of "understanding" on its meaning, 274-275
Key West, 293-318, 340-341, 349
labor unions, attitude toward, 464-465, 468-469
Legislative Counsel’s Office, use of, 40-41
legislative liaison, conduct of, 114-115
and legislative program, initiator of, 238-245
as a liberal, 536-537
MacArthur, Mrs. Douglas, gift of candy for, 203-204
McGrath, J. Howard, relationship with, 404-405
McKinney, Frank, relationship with, 410-411
Marine Corps, controversial comment on, 469-470
Marshall, George C., relationship with, 75-79
Murphy, Charles S., first meeting with, 39-40
political considerations in legislation, attitude toward, 115-116
Presidential campaign of 1948, speech at Madison Square Garden, 56
Presidential campaign of 1948, speeches in the South, 399-401
Presidential campaign of 1952, role in, 378-390, 387-397, 399-400, 423-428
Presidential candidacy in 1952, letter from Charles S. Murphy concerning, 376-377, Appendix C
Presidential candidacy in 1952, memorandum of April 16, 1950, 375-376, 377-378, Appendix B
Presidential nomination in 1952, considers running for, 353-357
private bills, action on, 271-272
in Senate, friends of, 55-56
special interest groups, reaction to, 463-465
speeches on election eve, 1948, rewriting of, 169-171
speeches, Presidential campaign of 1948, format of, 7-16
See also Speeches, Presidential campaign of 1948.
Stevenson, Adlai:
Presidential candidacy in 1952, 348-352, 365-368, 491
meeting with, August 1952, 378-381
as a swimmer, 297, 311-312
Taft-Hartley bill, veto of, 276-279
and transition to Eisenhower administration, 474-480, 484-485
and Vinson, Fred A., concerning presidential candidacy in 1952, 339-344
Wake Island Conference, 190-204
and Wallgren, Monrad C., 31-32, 55
and Warren, Earl, 32-33
Wheeler, Burton K., relationship with, 54
White, Harry Dexter, case, 516-520
White House staff, attitude toward, 473
Tubby, Roger, 448
Turner, Robert C., 436
"Turnip Day" session of Congress, origin of, 146-151
Tyroler, Charles, and Democratic Advisory Council, 505, 506, 508-509

Unification of armed services, 58

Vandenberg, Arthur H., 262, 265
Vaughan, Harry H., 3, 34-35, 295, 470
Vinson, Fred:

as a potential Presidential candidate (1952), 339-344, 356
proposed trip to Moscow, 165-166

Wake Island Conference (1950), 190-204
Wallgren, Monrad C., 31-32, 55
Walter, Francis E., 517-519
Warren, Earl, 32-33
Webb, James, 59-60, 61, 63, 210, 211, 521, 527-529
Weinberg, Sidney, 319-320
Wheeler, Burton K., 54
”Whistlestop” campaign, origin of term, 4-6
White House staff:


procedures of, 106-108, 116-117
Secretaries (Appointments, Correspondence, and Press), role of, 453-459
Whitney, A.F., 467, 468
Williamsburg yacht, 136, 138, 295
Wilson, Charles E. ("Electric Charlie"), 313-317, 318-320
Wilson, Henry Hall, 260
Wirtz, Willard, 391, 392, 403