Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Harry S Truman on 1952-07-07, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Delegating Certain Authority of the President to the Small Defense Plants Administrator." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.
Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C.
▪Seq.), hereinafter referred to as the Act, and as President of the United States it is ordered as follows: SECTION 1.
▪The delegation of authority made by section 1 of this order shall be subject to the following conditions: (a) the Small Defense Plants Administrator shall consult with the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission not less than ten days before making any request or finding under section 708 (b) of the Act.
Exec. Order No. 10370, Harry S Truman (Jul 7, 1952). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-10370-delegating-certain-authority-the-president-the-small-defense-plants.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2061 et. seq.), hereinafter referred to as the Act, and as President of the United States it is ordered as follows: SECTION 1. The authority vested in the President by section 708 of the Act relating to voluntary agreements and programs to further the objectives of the Act is hereby delegated to the Small Defense Plants Administrator to the extent that it may be exercised with respect to approval of small-business production pools, including the conduct of consultation and encouragement, and the making or requests and finding, necessary in connection with such pools: Provided, that such delegation shall not be construed as limiting any other delegation of such authority heretofore made. SEC. 2. The delegation of authority made by section 1 of this order shall be subject to the following conditions: (a) the Small Defense Plants Administrator shall consult with the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission not less than ten days before making any request or finding under section 708 (b) of the Act. (b) (b) The Small Defense Plants Administrator shall obtain the approval of the Attorney General of any request under the said section 708 (b) before making the request. SEC. 3. Subject to the limitations and conditions contained in the said section 708 of the Act, the Small Defense Plants Administrator may redelegate the authority delegated to him by section 1 of this order, and may authorize successive redelegations thereof, to any officer or agency of the Government. HARRY S. TRUMAN THE WHITE HOUSE, July 7, 1952
