110.15 MC/4–2450

President Truman to the President of Liberia (Tubman)1

My Dear Mr. President: I am sending you this letter by Mr. George C. McGhee, Assistant Secretary of State in charge of African Affairs, who is making a visit to your country as a representative of this Government.

I want to take this occasion to tell you how pleased I am at the continued close and cordial relations between our two countries, and to reaffirm our wholehearted desire further to strengthen these ties. The preservation of the ideals of peace so firmly embodied in the democratic way of life of our two peoples is today, more than ever, worthy of our strongest efforts. We are particularly pleased that Liberia is able to provide such an excellent example of the practical application of these ideals on the African continent.

Recently I had occasion to observe very favorable reports on Liberia’s economic progress. I am particularly gratified with the strides that have been made in our joint endeavor to combine Liberia’s material resources with our own technical resources for the restoration of a sound world economy. It is my fervent hope that we may be able to expand our mutual efforts in this direction.

I avail myself of this opportunity to wish you much continued success and good health.

Faithfully yours,

Harry S. Truman
  1. The text of this letter in draft was transmitted to President Truman by Secretary of State Acheson on February 14 under cover a brief memorandum whose operative paragraphs read as follows:

    “There is attached a suggested draft of a letter from you to President William V. S. Tubman of Liberia. Our relations with Liberia are excellent, and the purpose of this letter is merely to express our recognition of the favored position which we enjoy with respect to Liberia.

    “If the letter meets your approval, it will be handed to President Tubman by Assistant Secretary McGhee when the latter visits Liberia this month.” (776.11/2–1450)

    A marginal notation on the Secretary’s memorandum of February 14 indicates that the proposed letter was signed by the President, dated February 15.