Group lot of four TLSs from President Harry S. Truman, each signed with his initials, “H.S.T.,” each one page, 6.25 x 9.25 and 6.75 x 8.75, White House letterhead, dated between 1947 and 1949. Each letter addressed to Budget Director and Under Secretary of State James E. Webb.
The earliest letter, dated October 4, 1947, in full: “I had a conversation yesterday about the AAA appropriation with the Secretary of Agriculture. I believe it would be a good plan for you to talk with him because I think he has a political approach to this matter which will be in the interest of the Federal Government. It will be exceedingly important next year.”
The second, March 6, 1948, in full: “I am enclosing copy of a report of the Committee for Economic development on Taxes and the Budget. I’ll appreciate it if you will have this report analyzed for me.”
The third, March 12, 1948, in full: “Attached is a document left with me by Senator Murray of Montana. His argument is the Republican Congressman from Eastern Montana is expecting to present the Yellowtail Dam to the House Appropriations Committee. I doubt very much whether he will get anywhere with it. I’ll appreciate your looking into the matter and finding out what can be done about it, if anything—always bearing in mind that we do not want to take the bars down for a dozen other projects of a similar nature.”
The final letter, dated September 7, 1949, in full: “Enclosed is copy of a letter and enclosures from Bennett Clark in regard to a Mr. Max Perrott who is interested in the World Health Organization. He is a son-in-law of a good old Doctor at Chillicothe, Missouri but apparently he is not an American citizen. If you decide that there is a way to put in a word for him I’ll appreciate it.”
Also included by a TLS from Bess Truman to Webb, one page, 6 x 8.25, April 25, 1979, in full: “I was delighted to hear from you and to know that you and Mrs. Webb are coming to Kansas City. If you will call me after you get in on May 1st, we can more easily agree on a time for the next day. I am completely free in the afternoon.” In overall fine condition.
Accompanied by the following: a copy of a typed letter from Truman to Webb, dated July 13, 1948, in part: "It seems to me that the proper thing for you to do is get the Army, Navy and Air people together and establish a program within the budget limits which have been allowed"; a handwritten letter from Webb to Truman, with salutation reading, "To the Best Boss I ever had"; the original mailing envelope for the Bess Truman letter; a Western Union Telegram for Webb concerning a January 1953 dinner date for Truman; two letters to Webb from Presidential Secretary Rose Conway; a copy of a "Statement by the President to the Secretary of Defense, the Secretaries of the Three Departments, and the Three Chiefs of Staff," dated May 13, 1948; and a hand-edited "Statement of James E. Webb, Director of the Bureau of the Budget, Before the Senate Finance Committee, March 1, 1948."
In the summer of 1946, Truman appointed North Carolina’s Webb as Director of the Bureau of the Budget on the recommendation of Treasury Secretary John Snyder. The position called for Webb to prepare the president’s proposed budget each year for presentation to Congress to meet Truman’s goal of balancing the budget after the large expenditures of World War II. In January 1949, Truman appointed Webb as Under Secretary of State, serving under Dean Acheson, who tasked him with reorganizing the department.
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