Executive Order No 9103 of March 18, 1942, providing for uniform control over the publication and use of Federal statistical information which would give aid and comfort to the enemy, be, and it is hereby, revoked.
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
Signed by President Harry S Truman on September 20, 1945, this order concerns Revocation of Executive Order 9103 of March 18, 1942, Providing Uniform Control Over the Publication and Use of Federal Statistical Information Which Would Give Aid and Comfort to the Enemy. Executive Order No 9103 of March 18, 1942, providing for uniform control over the publication and use of Federal statistical information which would give aid and comfort to the enemy, be, and it is hereby, revoked.
Executive Order No 9103 of March 18, 1942, providing for uniform control over the publication and use of Federal statistical information which would give aid and comfort to the enemy, be, and it is hereby, revoked.
Evaluating this order against the constitutional debates of 1787 and the limits of Article II executive power.
"When the President acts in absence of either a congressional grant or denial of authority, he can only rely upon his own independent powers, but there is a zone of twilight in which he and Congress may have concurrent authority."
Separation of Powers & Legislative Primacy
"Power is of an encroaching nature, and it ought to be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it." — Federalist No. 48 (1788)
Madison would view this order with watchful scrutiny. Operating in the 'Zone of Twilight' where Congress is silent, each such directive establishes an administrative precedent that steadily expands the executive perimeter at the expense of legislative primacy.
The Energetic Executive & Unified Command
"A feeble Executive implies a feeble execution of the government; and a government ill executed, whatever it may be in theory, must be, in practice, a bad government." — Federalist No. 70 (1788)
Hamilton would view this directive as the natural and indispensable functioning of administrative leadership. Without the power to coordinate agencies, manage personnel, and resolve operational ambiguities, the modern presidency would be reduced to an impotent figurehead.
Bill of Rights, Due Process & 10th Amendment
"The president will be surrounded by flatterers and sycophants... and the great powers of the executive will gradually absorb the liberties of the people." — Cato IV (Anti-Federalist, 1787)
The Anti-Federalist prism advises continuous democratic vigilance. Even routine administrative directives aggregate centralized federal power away from town halls and state assemblies toward a distant executive apparatus.
An objective audit measuring potential separation-of-powers tension against the United States Constitution and established Supreme Court doctrine.
Operates within delegated statutory execution without modifying legislative appropriations or taxing powers.
Exercises standard supervisory executive authority to faithfully execute existing statutes.
Engages state and local partners in cooperative federalism programs.
Focuses on internal governmental operations with no direct impairment of private rights or property.
The order relies on inherent Article II executive discretion, civil service management, or foreign diplomacy where Congress has neither expressly approved nor prohibited action.
This order operates within Justice Jackson’s Zone of Twilight, resting upon concurrent presidential authority or congressional silence.
By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, it is ordered that Executive Order No 9103 of March 18, 1942, providing for uniform control over the publication and use of Federal statistical information which would give aid and comfort to the enemy, be, and it is hereby, revoked. HARRY S. TRUMAN
September 20, 1945
1 order cited directly in this text, plus related actions from this administration.
The Director of the Bureau of the Budget shall maintain a continuous surveillance of governmental publication of statistical data and shall determine in any instance whether the publication of statistical data by any Government agency would be in accordance with governmental…
Franklin D. Roosevelt (this executive order was not published)
Harry S Truman (this executive order was not published)
Harry S Truman There are transferred to and consolidated in an Interim Research and Intelligence Service, which is hereby established in the Department of State, (a) the functions of the Research and Analysis Branch and of the Presentation Branch of the Office of Strategic Services (provided…
Harry S Truman The Office of Economic Stabilization, established by Executive Order No. 9250 of October 3, 1942, and the office of Economic Stabilization Director, are abolished.
Harry S Truman Executive Order 9294 of January 4, 1943, further defining the functions and duties of the Office of Defense Transportation, be, and it is hereby, revoked.
Harry S Truman Exec. Order No. 9622 (Sept. 20, 1945), https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-9622-revocation-executive-order-9103-march-18-1942-providing-uniform.
