[Ads-l] Restricted access to "Stars and Stripes" and "The buck stops here"

[Dan Goncharoff]

Just a question: is the phrase "The Buck Stops Here" derived from the bus
stop signs reading "The bus stops here"?

DanG

On Tue, Feb 10, 2015 at 11:57 AM, ADSGarson O'Toole <
adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Restricted access to "Stars and Stripes" and "The buck
> stops
>               here"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> It is conceivable that some company was making signs with the motto in
> the 1930s, but I have not seen any advertisements in that early time
> period.
>
> Ralph Keyes in "The Quote Verifier" (Page 18) indicated that the sign
> on Truman's desk was not purchased; instead, it was custom made and
> based on another sign.
>
>  [Begin excerpt]
> "The BUCK stops here." This comment is so associated with Harry Truman
> that it's easy to conclude the words came straight from his mouth.
> They didn't. Early in Truman's presidency, a friend of his saw a sign
> on the desk of an Oklahoma prison warden that read, THE BUCK STOPS
> HERE. This friend had a replica made for the president and gave it to
> him in October 1945. Truman displayed this sign on his desk off and on
> for most of his presidency, and sometimes referred to it in speeches.
> . .
> [End excerpt]
>
> I think A. B. Warfield was in a position in the military supply chain
> where he could request the construction of a custom inscribed sign,
> but I am not sure.
>
> If you find any evidence of signs of this type for sale in the 1930s
> please let me know.
>
> Best wishes,
> Garson
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 10, 2015 at 11:34 AM, Jonathan Lighter
> <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: Restricted access to "Stars and Stripes" and "The buck
> stops
> >               here"
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >> perhaps office supply or novelty shops came up with these signs.
> >
> > That has long been my conjecture - based on my possibly erroneous
> > interpretation of the sign mentioned in the magazine, but I haven't found
> > any evidence to support it.
> >
> > Was Truman's sign custom-made?
> >
> > JL
> >
> > On Tue, Feb 10, 2015 at 10:45 AM, Baker, John <JBAKER at stradley.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >> -----------------------
> >> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >> Poster:       "Baker, John" <JBAKER at STRADLEY.COM>
> >> Subject:      Re: Restricted access to "Stars and Stripes" and "The buck
> >> stops
> >>               here"
> >>
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >> Garson, all of the early uses of "The buck stops here" are to desk signs
> >> th=
> >> at say that.  The earliest references say that Brigadier General A. B.
> >> Warf=
> >> ield had such a sign, and you suggest that he is the leading candidate
> for
> >> =
> >> crafter of the expression.  Do you think the signs were all custom-made?
> >> I=
> >> 'm wondering if perhaps office supply or novelty shops came up with
> these
> >> s=
> >> igns. =20
> >>
> >>
> >> John Baker
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On
> Behalf
> >> Of=
> >>  ADSGarson O'Toole
> >> Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2015 12:49 AM
> >> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >> Subject: Restricted access to "Stars and Stripes" and "The buck stops
> here"
> >>
> >> While preparing a website entry about the saying "The buck stops here"
> >> I noticed a match in the "Stars and Stripes" in the NewspaperArchive
> >> database. Unfortunately, additional detailed information about the
> >> match was blocked, and the following message was displayed:
> >>
> >> [Begin message]
> >> This content has restricted access at the request of a rights holder
> >> [End message]
> >>
> >> Below is the partial information that subscribers to the
> >> NewspaperArchive database are shown:
> >>
> >> Newspaper: Washington Stars and Stripes
> >> Date: Sat, May 23, 1942
> >> Location: Washington, District Of Columbia
> >> Database: NewspaperArchive
> >>
> >> [Begin raw OCR match text]
> >> they get around to awarding a Sympathy Medal, 1st Lt. Joseph A.
> >> Dooley. Quartermaster Corps, should lead the parade for citations. On
> >> his desk a sign reads: . The Buck Stops Here." ^ Aid ' Measure s |
> >> Awaits Vote Biggest Convoy of War Arrives as Troops Pour into Ireland
> >> Tank Units WASHINGTO
> >> [End raw OCR match text]
> >>
> >> Does someone have access to the full newspaper page image for this
> >> citation=
> >> ?
> >>
> >> There is now an entry on the Quote Investigator website on this "The
> >> Buck Stops Here". At this time, the citation from the "Stars and
> >> Stripes" has been omitted:
> >> http://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/02/07/buck-stops/
> >>
> >> Thanks for any help you can provide,
> >> Garson
> >>
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
> >
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> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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