Harry Truman to York County, Pa.: ‘And you got exactly what you deserved’
The Gazette and Daily, a supporter of one of Harry S. Truman’s opponents in the 1948 presidential election, played the story of the president’s visit at the bottom of its front page. Background posts: Harry S. Truman’s first York visit: ‘A statesman is only a dead politician’ and Crowd to Truman on second York visit: ‘Give ’em h—, Harry’ and Other presidential visits listed.
Harry S. Truman’s June 1948 appearance was the first by a president in York since Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s train passed through in 1934 and 1938.
Truman’s train stopped at the West Market Street crossing, and he spoke from its platform to a crowd estimated at 5,000.
“Only about a third of you turned out to vote for this Congress,” Truman, candidate for election to the chief executive’s seat he had assumed upon Roosevelt’s death, said.
“And you got exactly what you deserved.” …
Nancy Smith, 11, mounted the train’s steps to give Truman some red roses on behalf of the Girl Scouts of York, and Truman kept her close by after that so she could appear in photos. He had previously received an armful of white roses, symbolic of York.
The Gazette and Daily, supporter of third-party challenger Henry Wallace in that presidential election year, was a bit dismissive of Truman in its coverage, typical of the personal journalism of owner J.W. Gitt.
The newspaper noted that Truman spoke in generalities.
He continued his policy of skpping issues of civil rights, Palestine and Henry Wallace for president, the newspaper reported.
It provided the reserved sub-headline: “Crowd seems friendly, if not enthusiastic.”
For a photo of Truman on the train, click here.
For additional posts on presidential visits to York County, click here.
