Harry Truman Quotes

some smart alecs of those days after World War I used to say: "The French fought for liberty, the British fought to control the seas, but the Americans fought for souvenirs.
Harry Truman
Politics should make a thief, a roué, and a pessimist of anyone but I don't believe I am any of them...
Harry Truman
Since childhood at my mother's knee, I have believed in honor, ethics and right living as its own reward. I find a very small minority who agree with me on that premise.
Harry Truman
Once a decision was made, I didn't worry about it afterward...
Harry Truman
I doubt if there is any problem in the world today - social, political or economic - that would not find a happy solution if approached in the spirit of the sermon on the mount.
Harry Truman
Give me a one-handed Economist. All my economists say 'on hand...', then 'but on the other...
Harry Truman
I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.
Harry Truman
Dictatorship, by whatever name, is founded on the doctrine that the individual amounts to nothing; that the State is the only one that counts; and that men and women and children were put on earth solely for the purpose of serving the state.
Harry Truman
A person who is fundamentally honest doesn't need a code of ethics. The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount are all the ethical code anybody needs.
Harry Truman
Brave men don't belong to any one country. I respect bravery wherever I see it.
Harry Truman
Poor Ike. He'll say do this and do that and nothing at all will happen.
Harry Truman
There is a lure in power. It can get into a man's blood just as gambling and lust for money have been known to do.
Harry Truman
Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.
Harry Truman
Millions of our citizens do not now have a full measure of opportunity to achieve and to enjoy good health. Millions do not now have protection or security against the economic effects of sickness. And the time has now arrived for action to help them attain that opportunity and to help them get that protection.
Harry Truman
Republicans don't like people to talk about depressions. You can hardly blame them for that. You remember the old saying: Don't talk about rope in the house where somebody has been hanged.
Harry Truman
Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself.
Harry Truman
In most of my campaigns, I find it is best not to mention my opponent by name because, by doing so, it just gives him a chance to get into the headlines.
Harry Truman
The Republicans believe in the minimum wage -- the more the minimum, the better.
Harry Truman
Republicans approve of the American farmer, but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing. They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for restricting labor's rights. They favor minimum wage--the smaller the minimum wage the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them. They consider electrical power a great blessing--but only when the private power companies get their rake-off. They think American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it.
Harry Truman
Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in
Harry Truman
The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount…If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State.
Harry Truman
You want a friend in this city? [Washington, DC.] Get a dog!
Harry Truman
[The American President] has to take all sorts of abuse from liars and demagogues.… The people can never understand why the President does not use his supposedly great power to make ’em behave. Well, all the President is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway.
Harry Truman
[The American President] has to take all sorts of abuse from liars and demagogues.… The people can never understand why the President does not use his supposedly great power to make ’em behave. Well, all the President is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway.
Harry Truman
Not all readers become leaders, but all leaders must be readers.
Harry Truman
The only thing new in the world is the history you do not know.
Harry Truman
We must remember that the test of our religious principles lies not just in what we say, not only in our prayers, not even in living blameless lives - but in what we do for others
Harry Truman
Show me a man that gets rich by being a politician, and I'll show you a crook.
Harry Truman
Selfishness and greed, individual or national, cause most of our troubles.
Harry Truman
Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow and only one thing endures - character.
Harry Truman
I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.
Harry Truman
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.
Harry Truman