The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

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SYRACUSE, N.Y., Thursday—On Wednesday morning I worked for a little while in preparation for a program on the War Bond Drive in which I will take part next week if all goes well. Then I visited the Red Cross Prisoners of War Packaging Center at 39 Chambers St. at the invitation of Mrs. T.H. Roulston, captain of the chapter. The wives and relatives of prisoners of war work here very faithfully and through their efforts many things go overseas to our men who would otherwise suffer even more than they do.

At five o'clock, Mrs. Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Mrs. Gladys Tillett. Mrs. Trude Pratt, Miss Josephine Schain, Miss Betty Goodwin and I took the train for Syracuse where Miss Doris Byrne, vice chairman of the Democratic State Committee, invited us to attend a meeting of the Democratic Women of New York State, today. It is a long time since I have been to a meeting of this kind in New York State. And it is a great pleasure to see some old friends and meet the new people who carry on the work of the Democratic Party in the state.

Being here has also given me the opportunity of seeing Mr. Leo Casey, an old friend, who always manages to come and meet me when I am in this area. I also have been able to visit the USO, the bond-selling booth at the Merchants Bank, and the Women's Victory Center. After the meeting of Democratic women was over, we had a delightful social hour and indulged in conversation—which many gentlemen think is our only occupation, but which truly takes up a small part of our time. The Girl Scouts have been on hand and I have had an opportunity to greet them.

I have before me a letter from Mr. James Gerrard, president of the Servicemen's Breakfast Club of San Bernardino, California. He enclosed a story from the newspapers but sadly says that they need a little more publicity to get people to make regular contributions so that the club may continue bringing in servicemen and giving them a really good Sunday morning breakfast, consisting of "eggs, ham or bacon, coffee, jams and jelly and homemade hot biscuits." He says that all the work is voluntary and the only expense is food, but people just don't seem to remember that food has to be bought every time there is a breakfast, and when the breakfast is over—particularly where servicemen are concerned—there is no food left.

Mr. Gerrard adds that occasionally the boys are broke, and they have to provide them with a little financial help. Every mother and father will smile at this. The whole idea seems to me a very praiseworthy Sunday morning occupation and I am sure that more men go out to church after having been fed than would otherwise have done so. This seems to be a purely local affair, but I wish wherever there are a good many camps in a neighborhood, similar things could be done by the people of a nearby town. I am sure they would be much appreciated.

E.R.

(COPYRIGHT 1944 BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.)


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  • Syracuse (N.Y., United States) [ index ]


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, June 23, 1944

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
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Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

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MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

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Transcription created from a photocopy of a UFS wire copy of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
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