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Remarks to a Group of Editors and Executives of the McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.
July 17, 1946

IT IS NICE to have you here again. There has been considerable water under the bridge since you were here before. And some improvement in world affairs, and I might say also some improvement in domestic affairs. The world situation, I think, is slowly and gradually approaching a settlement.

I don’t want to make any prophecies, but I think within a reasonable time we will be able to sign peace treaties with the Axis satellites; and then we will have only Austria and Germany to deal with, which will be a difficult job, but one which is not beyond the power of being dealt with.

The difficulties in China are still very, very bad, but we appointed a new Ambassador the other day, which will be very helpful to General Marshall, and we hope in the long run that peace will come out of the Chinese situation; in which case there is an unusual chance for a development in the Far East which I think will be exceedingly helpful to us from a trade standpoint.

Our future, I think, lies in the Pacific, from a foreign trade standpoint, if we can get peace in the Pacific—and I think we will eventually get it.

On the domestic front, the Congress and the President have not always been in agreement on domestic affairs. That has been customary after any great war. I don’t think—I don’t want to bother you too much, but this fall the country will have another chance to express its viewpoint on policy, and I shall make it my business to make it very clear to the country what I think the policy ought to be; and if the country decides that it ought to be something else, why that is up to them.

I am hoping that we can get a price control bill eventually from the conference that will work. If that is the case, then we can continue our production program for the next 6 or 8 months in as good shape as it has been up to date; and price control will eventually take care of itself with the supply and demand.

I am not so sure that this flurry hasn’t been of some help. We have had difficulty, of course, with the administrative features of OPA, in some instances. Maybe this will disclose some of those difficulties and give us a chance to iron them out in a manner which we could not have done previous to this time.

I am very sure that the country is not going backwards. It can’t go anywhere but forwards. I think I told you when you were here before that when you arrive at that point where our production machine could produce for peace as it showed its ability to produce for war, we would have nothing to worry about for the next 10 or15 years to come, and maybe longer.

In fact, if we can get peace in the world, and get a world understanding, I think I have told you before there is no limit to what we can do in this country. Of course, that is up to you, and up to the people to decide whether that is what you want or not. I think the people do want that. At least, that is my viewpoint, and I think I express the viewpoint of the majority of the people when I say that.

It is a pleasure to have you gentlemen here this morning. I haven’t anything in particular to tell you that I think will be of great interest to you, except what I have just said.

I hope you will regard these remarks as strictly off the record, and merely for your background and information, and your viewpoint and approach to the general picture, for your publications. I don’t want to pose as a prophet, or the son of a prophet, but I am merely speaking to you as President of the United States, and expressing to you my viewpoint as I see it from here; and I think I have more sources of information than all of you put together.
I thank you very much for coming here.

NOTE: The President spoke in his office at the White House at 11:53 a.m. Before he spoke Curtis W. McGraw, Vice President and Treasurer, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, Inc., made a few informal remarks in presenting the group to the President.