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 [Notices and Restrictions | Appendicies | List of Subjects Discussed] 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 They may not be published in full except by permission of the Harry S. Truman Library. [Top of the Page | Notices and Restrictions | Appendicies | List of Subjects Discussed] Appendicies 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. [Top of the Page | Notices and Restrictions | Appendicies | List of Subjects Discussed] List of Subjects Discussed A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X-Y-Z 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 [Top of the Page | Notices and Restrictions | Appendicies | List of Subjects Discussed] For questions, e-mail truman.reference@nara.gov Return to Truman Library Oral History Finding Aid Return to Archival Reference at the Truman Library

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