Dear Bess: June 17, 1935
Transcript
Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for June 17, 2022, brought to you by Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.
The letter we’d like to share with you today was written on this date in 1935. Senator Harry S Truman wrote this short letter to his wife, Mrs. Bess Wallace Truman, who was back home in Independence, Missouri. Even after Harry Truman sought elective office, he continued the correspondence he started with Bess Wallace Truman in 1910. This letter, a short one, communicates the loneliness that the relatively new Senator from Missouri was feeling in Washington, DC. At that time, Congress was only in session for about half a year. Mrs. Truman had taken their daughter Margaret home to Independence. Possibly compounding the situation for Senator Truman is the fact that many of his Senate colleagues avoided or ridiculed Truman because of Truman’s association with Tom Pendergast and his political machine back home in Jackson County, Missouri. But day by day, person by person, Truman was able to establish himself as his own man in the Senate, and would accomplish some great things while in that body.
Here's the letter.
June 17, 1935
Dear Bess:
Your card was a lifesaver this morning. I have never in my life spent such a lonesome night. I went "home" at nine-thirty after I'd talked to you and when I opened the apartment door I thought I heard Margaret say, "Hello Dad"-and I asked, well where is mother, as usual, and then I walked all around to make sure I wasn't dreaming, read the Congressional Record, put a sheet on your bed, and turned in. Every time I'd hear that young lady in the next apartment I would be sure my family were coming in. We'll never do it again.
Gates Wells and Mr. Pulliam from Henry Dillingham's office were in the hall when I came to the office at seven o'clock this morning. Saw Murray at 7:30. They are all three staying at the apartment with me tonight, so I won't hear any more ghosts. My mail is in fine shape, only a few unanswered letters and they had to wait for me.
Met with Interstate Commerce Committee a few minutes and told them I had to leave, came down here and locked the door so I could write. I sort of need a phone but I guess I can make out. I've gotten so I can hardly write. You see what lack of practice does. Kiss my baby, tell your mother and mine hello, and say I want to be remembered to all the family.
I miss you terribly,
Harry
In this brief letter, it is clear that Senator Harry S Truman, separated from his family while in Washington, DC, is missing them terribly. This letter drips sadness and loneliness. In a way, he was still courting Bess Wallace Truman, 16 years after their wedding, with these letters.
https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-truman-1921-1959/june-17-1935?documentid=NA&pagenumber=4