United States Property! The Secretary of the Interior: Order for Taking Possession
Government notice with a full-width American flag over the heading 'United States Property!' and the text of an order taking possession of coal mines where a strike or stoppage 'has occurred or is threatened', signed by the Secretary of the Interior. Mostly plain legal text; the technique is faint, with the flag and eagle seal lending state authority to the order.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Department of the Interior, Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Labor, Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Department of the Interior. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1552 (NAID 515217).
Text on the object
United States Property! THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR Order for Taking Possession: By virtue of the authority vested in me by the President of the United States, I hereby find from the available information that a strike or stoppage has occurred or is threatened in each of the coal mines operated by the companies specified in Appendix A attached hereto, and therefore take possession of each such mine including any and all real and personal property, franchises, rights, facilities, funds, and other assets used in connection with the operation of such mine and the distribution and sale of its products, for operation by the United States in furtherance of the prosecution of the war. The president of each company (or its chief executive officer) specified in Appendix A attached hereto, is hereby and until further notice designated Operating Manager for the United States for such mine and is authorized and directed, subject to such supervision as I may prescribe, and in accordance with regulations to be promulgated by me, to operate such mine and to do all things necessary and appropriate for the operation of the mine, and for the distribution and sale of the product thereof. All of the officers and employees of the company are serving the Government of the United States and shall proceed forthwith to perform their usual functions and duties in connection with the operation of the mine and the distribution and sale of the product thereof, and shall conduct themselves with full regard for their obligation to the Government of the United States. No person shall interfere with the operation of the mine by the United States Government, or the sale or distribution of the product thereof, in accordance with this order. The Operating Manager for the United States shall forthwith fly the flag of the United States upon the mining premises, post in a conspicuous place upon the premises on which such mine is located a notice of taking possession of the mine by the Secretary of the Interior, and furnish a copy of such notice to all persons in possession of funds and properties due and owing to the company. Possession and operation of any mine may be terminated by the Secretary of the Interior at such time as he should find that such possession and operation are no longer required for the successful prosecution of the war. Harold L. Ickes, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943 O - [number illegible]
