Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and George W. Constable

Please wh Thank Presidential TRUMAN Date HARRY S LIBRARY ort 18 ARCHIVESAL AND RECORDS U.S. U.S. S. GOVERNMENT SERVICE 710/19/50. 471-B October 18, 1950 Dear Mr. Constable: It is with a deep sense of appreciation that I read your letter of October twelfth. You were thoughtful to let me have your expressions of approval of our decision in the Korean crisis and I wish to assure you of my gratitude. # Very sincerely yours HARRY TRUMAN NATIONAL LIBRARY ARCHIVES RECORDS AND SERVICE U.S. GOVERNMENT (Sgd) HARRY S. TRUMAN x Mr. George W. Constable, Maryland Trust Building, Baltimore 2, Maryland. kb 3 Octo LAW OFFICES CONSTABLE & ALEXANDER MARYLAND TRUST BUILDING TELEPHONE WM. PEPPER CONSTABLE BALTIMORE-2, MD. LEXINGTON 3474 JOHN D. ALEXANDER GEORGE W. CONSTABLE JAMES R.CROOK,JR. October 12, 1950 The Honorable Harry S. Truman President of the United States The White House TRUMAN Washington, D. C. HARRY LIDARY ARCHIVES AND RECORDS Dear Mr. President: GOVERNMENT I have never voted for you in the past. I may never do so in the future. Many of your actions and policies, both do- mestic and foreign, have seemed mistaken to me. Nevertheless, as an American citizen, I wish to express my profound gratitude for the decision you took on our behalf to go to the aid of the South Koreans. For the first time in history, a world union rose to suppress a serious aggression; and this was made possible, through you, by us. In the past we have been slowly drawn or swiftly kicked into our wars, some highly questionable. This time we not only led the way from the beginning; we led the whole world; and this in the noblest of causes. It is our blood and our wealth and our leadership that have been swiftly, steadfastly, courageously placed on the side of right while many other nations have given only lip- service support or the flimsiest material assistance and others have vacillated and even impeded our efforts. We are far from being a perfect nation; but what we have done and are doing here should purge us of many of our sins; for what we have done is truly noble. Even if our troops had been pushed into the sea, our action would have been eternally right. It is easy to say after the event that the decision was easy and that anyone would have done the same. This is the carping, grudging judgment of hindsight--history has a way of never being inevitable until some later vision makes it seem so by obscuring the alternatives that might easily have come to pass. How simple it would have been to pass the buck to the U. N. in the initial crisis--each nation perhaps expressing conditional willingness, each fearing a world war, dreading the cost, hesitating. until South Korea was overrun and united X471-B Statement of 6/27/50 Pro'ls" Pro "Is" The Honorable Harry S. Truman Page 2 October 12, 1950 action would be too late and impossible to organize. How simple to refuse to take the large risks, blurring our excuses in ex- pressions of indignation, helplessness and threats of future retaliation--a as when Hitler, and later Stalin, moved into Prague. Your decision, and the efforts of our men in arms, have enabled us to earn as a nation in the harts of people of good will the world over, moral capital that will serve us in good stead for years to come. May this never be forgotten amid all the criticism that may be heaped upon you for other actions. This one action alone, in my opinion, will overshadow in the books of history the demerits of a thousand lesser ones. And for it, I am grateful. HARRY TRUMAN NATIONAL AND LIBRARY Respectfully yours ARCHIVES RECORDS SERVICE S. GOVERNNENT Mr. Georgelo. Constable