Truman, Harry S., thirty-third President

An outstanding collection of letters, photographs, inscribed books, and other materials collected by John W. Snyder, who served in President Harry S. Truman's cabinet as Secretary of the Treasury; most of the items are from, and signed by, Truman, but other significant figures from the period of Truman's administration are also represented, including Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley.

In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

John Wesley Snyder was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and studied at Vanderbilt University's engineering school for one year before joining in the Army during World War I, where he first met Harry Truman. Snyder came to Washington in the early 1930s with a broad background in banking and business. He held several public and private offices including National Bank Receiver in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Loan Administrator, and Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion. In the last office he played a leading part in the transition of the nation's economy from wartime to a peacetime basis. Truman appointed his friend to be Secretary of the Treasury in 1946 with the task of stabilizing the postwar economy. Snyder initiated programs to maintain confidence in the credit of the government, reduce the federal debt, and encourage public thrift through investment in U.S. Savings Bonds. When Truman left the White House at the end of his second term, Snyder retired from public service. 

The archive includes more than a score of autograph notes, typed letters, memoranda, press releases, photographs, and books signed by Truman. An inventory of the archive is available on request and online.