A better way to remember Harry

One of our delivery vans needs a new license plate. Since Gallatin no longer offers the convenience of a license office, getting a new metal vehicle plate means a special trip elsewhere. There are some things you still can’t easily do over the internet.

So, we planned our day to drive the necessary miles over the lunch hour. But when we rolled up to the license bureau, we immediately suspected something was wrong. There were no cars in the parking spots, no line of customers pushing the errand past lunch and into the afternoon. There was a paper sign taped to the front door. That’s when I realized Monday was Harry S. Truman’s birthday.

Yes, the problem is that I’m out of step. Today’s workers angle for 4-day work weeks and look to pad the paid holiday list. But daily printing deadlines here underscore a preference to keep things simple.

We observe the “Big 6” traditional holidays — New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. For the past several years, we’ve splurged to give all GPC employees the Friday after Thanksgiving — but only after convincing some of our printing customers to do likewise.

Holiday schedules around here just get crazy and the added stress hardly helps you relax to enjoy a day off. If you don’t believe me, just ask the boys working in our stress room …er, press room.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t grudge the holidays others enjoy. I have nothing against Harry Truman. In fact, one of my favorite photos is a black-n-white reprint I bought at a farm sale, that famous one with President Truman smiling brightly as he holds up a copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune with the front page headline screaming “Dewey Defeats Truman!”

Harry Truman deserves to be honored for many reasons. After all, he is the only person born in Missouri to ever become President of the United States.

But I don’t think we have to mark a paid holiday on the state calendar for Missouri’s favorite son. I’m not alone. As recently as 2008-10, due to the financial crisis at that time, there were unsuccessful moves in state government to abolish this state holiday. I just think there may be other ways, maybe even better ways, to honor Harry — like in 1985 when NE Missouri State was renamed Truman State University.

Why not rename Union Station in Washington, D.C., to honor President Truman?

Union Station was home to the Presidential rail car, U.S. Car No. 1, which was used extensively by Truman during his time in the White House.

When Truman left Washington, D.C., aboard the train car to embark on his famous “whistle-stop campaign” tour, his journey began and ended at Union Station. The day after his reelection, Truman returned to Washington, via Union Station. As he made his way from Union Station to the White House, more than 750,000 people welcomed him back to the city.

Following the inauguration of President Eisenhower in 1953, Truman departed from Union Station by train one last time with his wife, Bess. More than 5,000 people squeezed on the platform to see them off.

Thus, honoring Truman while associating his Presidency with an important era of the railroads as public transportation seems just right. It’s far more logical than naming a professional sports complex after him. Harry Truman didn’t play sports as a youngster due to poor eyesight. He had a passion for the piano … not professional football or baseball.

Both of our U.S. Senators now serving Missouri — Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt — are renewing legislation to rename D.C.’s Union State in honor of President Truman.

Union Station is owned by the federal government, giving Congress the authority to rename the station. I hope this happens. Surely Harry would be pleased.

I would think President Truman would like to be remembered by an iconic train station much more than a piece of paper taped onto public service offices across the state, telling the public to go away for a day.