Evening star., 1947-06-17
Text of Truman Address at Princeton

IN S AddreSS at
strength to the public service, uni
versities have a particular response
bility. They should develop In their
students the capacity for seeing and
meeting social problems as a whole
and for relating special knowledge
to broad issues. They should study
the needs of government, and en-
courage men and women with ex-
ceptional interests and aptitudes
along the necessary lines to enter
the Government service.
The Woodrow Wilson School of
Public and International Affairs OF
this university was established with
this purpose in mind. 1t seeks to
prepare students for public careers
It Is significant that the school
bears the name of q statesman
whose concept of civic duty con-
tributed SO much to the Nation and
to the world.
OF course, the Government can
not and does not expect to rely
entirely upon our educational in
stitutions for its administrators. 1t
must bring into service from busi-
ness and labor, and the professions,
the best-qualified persons to NIL
posts at all levels.
The Government must take sew
eral steps to make its career service
more attractive to the kind Of men
and women it needs.
Salary limitations prevent the
Government, in many instances,
from securing the kind Of execu-
tives required to manage its vital
activities. Capable administrators
are too frequently drawn away from
Government to private positions
with salaries many times what they
could earn in Government service.
This situation can be remedied only
by laws to bring salaries more nearly
into line with the heavy respon-
sibilities that executives carry at the
higher levels in the public service.
- Career Aides Needed.
The complexities of the tasks now
facing our top officials force them
to spend most of their time In
studying matters OF policy. These
officials should be supported by
career group of administrators
skilled in the various aspects Of
management. II capable men and
women can look forward to holding
such posts as a reward for able
service, they will be more eager to
accept Government employment.
Because of the 6ff1cult tasks of
Government today, we should plan
program for the systematic train
ing of civilian employees once they
have entered the public service. 1t
is not generally possible at the
present time for the Federal Gov
ernment to send Its employees to
universities for special short-term
training programs. Nor is 1t per-
missible under existing law to spend
Federal funds for Government
schools to develop the knowledge
and techniques required by officials
in their work.
This is q problem that can be
solved only by the joint efforts Of
the Government and the universe
ties. Training programs can be
formulated, both on the job and on
the campus. The Government must
make provision for its employees to
participate. The universities will
need to provide courses well adapted
to increasing the effectiveness Of
the employe in his job. Such plan
is certain to pay substantial diyi-
dends.
I have been speaking about the
contribution which edu-
cational institutions can make in the
service Of the Nation through pre-
pairing men and women to administer
our far-flung public enterprises.
Another contribution which I re-
gard as important at this time Is
support for q program Of universal
training. I consider such q program
vital to the national welfare. Since
universal training necessarily al
fects young men OF college age, I
believe that our educational 1nsti-
tutions should be particularly aware
of the need for such q program and
what it can accomplish.
War Leaves Many Tasks.
The recent war left in its wake a
tremendous task of repair and recon-
struction. of building new and
orderly world out of the economic
and social chaos of the old. It is q
task too great for us, or for any other
nation, to undertake alone. Even
though we are contributing gener-
ously and Fundamentally, no single
nation has the means to set the
world Alright. 1t is job for all ma
tions to do together. Unfortunately,
however, generosity of impulse and
abundant good will are not enough
to insure the political stability es-
sential to social and economic recon-
struction. Peace-loving nations can
make only slow progress toward the
attainment of a stable world-in
which all peoples are free to work
out their own destinies in their own
way-unless their moral leadership
is supported by strength.
Weakness on our part would stir
fear among small or weakened ma
fioraS that ua vyera GIVING 11r, o,,r