Letter from Karl Armstrong to President Harry S. Truman with a Reply from Charles G. Ross

400 alasha July 31, 1950 statehood mise Dear Mr. Armstrong: This will reply to your letter of July twenty-fourth, addressed to the President. As I am sure you will understand, the great pres- sure of official duties these days makes it impossible for the President to reply personally to all of the hundreds of letters that are coming to him daily. For the same reason I am afraid it will not, be possible for him to comply with your re- quest that he compose a preamble for the proposed Alaska Constitution which you and your associates # are planning to submit. You may be sure the President appreciates the interest which you are taking in government and politics and in the affairs of Alaska. The President has had to decline a great many requests these days for letters and messages of all kinds and he could not make an exception by complying with your request, as I know you will understand. Sincerely yours, CHARLES G. ROSS Secretary to the President Mr. Karl Armstrong, Jr., Box 1500, + Anchorage, Alaska. EAA:kdh P 7-27 Anchorage, Alaska Box 1500 July 24, 1950 Hon. Harry S. Truman President Of The United States The White House Washington, D.C. Dear Mr President, In all probability, this letter will never reach your desk. I understand that almost all the President's mail is usually answered by a secretary. But I am in hope that perhaps this might be the exception. I am a 23 year old Alaskan Democrat with an active interest in government and politics. Despite my rather tender age, I have already been beaten in a campaign for the Alaska Legislature. But my interest in government and politics has not flagged from the defeat. Alaska statehood seems imminent at this time and interest is high in Alaska about the drafting of a new state constitution. I have been interested in that matter for many months now and have been attempting to complete a library of the 48 state constitutions for the purpose of study. I hope to be one of the elected delegates to the constitutional convention and wish to be prepared. I hope to see Alaska draft and adopt a constitution which will be consistent with the spirit of progressive democracy which spirit has guided the nation since 1932. I strongly believe in the program you have urged the Congress to adopt and am not in the least afraid of the words "Fair Deal" or Welfare State". I have found that many democrats would softpeddle your program in what they call the "interest of the Party" I firmly believe that the promotion of the Fair Deal program is in the interest of our party. It is the program on which the people elected you and the present Congress, and I think that it is the program which will continue to serve the people and therefore will serve the interest of the party. I had greatly hoped that perhaps you would make a visit to Alaska when you made your tour to Coulee Dam, and was most disappointed at hearing you would not. I hope that you will be able to visit Alaska in the near future. I am writing to you to ask if you would perhaps make a few pertinent statements in regards to the drafting of the new constitution for Alaska. What should be avaided in your opinion, and what should be aimed for. It is the desire of some of us young people to draft a constitution to submit to the convention for its consideration. I would like to have part of Harry Truman in the Alaska Constitution. If it is not imposing to greatly upon you, I would like to ask you to compose the Preamble for the constitution we young people propose to submit. I realize that you are a tremeddously busy man Mr President, and perhaps I am asking to much at this time, but I do know that you could greatly encourage young people overywhere if you could do this. Hoping that I may get to meet you whenever you make a trip to this great land. Respectfully yours, Karl Armstrong Jr. Karl Armstrong Fr.