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

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HYDE PARK—In one of the evening newspapers over the weekend I read an article that said that at United Nations headquarters there is a good deal of anxiety about Israel-Arab relations. At the same time, it said, there is considerable optimism about the rest of the world.

I have a feeling that any optimism is only partially justified, for in the long run it might well prove to be a hope built on a sand foundation. There is a long way to go before the two Chinas actually settle their differences, and until they do settle them there is a great uncertainty for the United States, which has supported Formosa and Chiang Kai-shek as representing China as a whole over a long period of time. Also, Communist troops are still in Korea and Indo-China, which is another source of anxiety.

The Soviet Union attitude is encouraging, but there are many things not spelled out that may mean difficulties for the future. I know very well that Soviet objectives have not changed. The Russians, may, however, have decided that atomic war is no answer for any country. Their present moves toward disarmament, toward neutralized states in Europe, and even toward more peaceful attitudes on the part of the Communist Chinese may be only the result of the realization that a way must be found to live together with the free world. This could be their feeling if they are going to be able in the long run to gain their objectives without wholesale destruction through atomic war.

That means that in spite of all their moves we must be watching very carefully how we make our plans for the future.

I would be glad to accept the peaceful world with the understanding that each of us is going to demonstrate how we could best help the rest of the world to a saner, better existence. But I would want to do it openly and not with the knowledge that there was constant Communist infiltration and that tricks were being played on up at every move.

A neutral belt in Europe might be good for us in the Western world, but every move must be weighed with care and nothing must be left to chance. I sometimes think our great difficulty is that we do not face the issues that may arise far enough ahead, so that they come upon us unawares.

I came up here last Thursday to get ready for my first longtime summer visitors—my cousin, Mrs. Forbes Morgan and her two children. They will be with me for the month of June.

I felt sure there were still things not ready in my house because I have been away so much this spring. I find that in any house there are always things to be done. I had a very pleasant 24 hours by myself, however, and a beautiful day to help me get through the many chores.

Among other things I found in my mail was a bank with a large picture of my husband on it. This was promptly taken over by one of the children, and I am sure it will give him a great deal of pleasure although I think it will take a long while to fill it with dimes.

E.R.

(Copyright, 1955, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)


Names and Terms Mentioned or Referenced

Persons
  • Chiang, Kai-shek, 1887-1975 [ index ]
         Chinese military leader and revolutionary; leader of the Republic of China intermittently from 1926 until 1975
         [ LC | ISNI | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC | FAST | US Nat. Archives | Brittanica ]
  • Morgan, Barbara Livingston, 1941-2010 [ index ]
         Daughter of ER cousin William Forbes Morgan, III
  • Morgan, Forbes, 1945- [ index ]
         Son of ER cousin William Forbes Morgan, III
  • Morgan, Marie Newsom, 1908-1998 [ index ]
         Spouse of ER cousin William Forbes Morgan, III
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 [ index ]
         American politician; 32nd President of the United States
         [ ERPP bio | LC | ISNI | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC | FAST | US Nat. Archives | ANB ]
Geographic
  • Hyde Park (Dutchess County, N.Y., United States) [ index ]


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, June 7, 1955

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
[ ERPP bio | LC | VIAF | WorldCat | DPLA | Wikidata | SNAC ]

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

  • Brick, Christopher (Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]
  • Regenhardt, Christy (Associate Editor)
    [ ISNI ]
  • Black, Allida M. (Editor)
    [ VIAF | ISNI ]
  • Binker, Mary Jo (Associate Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]
  • Alhambra, Christopher C. (Electronic Text Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]

Digital edition published 2008, 2017 by
The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project

Available under licence from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

Published with permission from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

TEI-P5 edition published on April 28, 2017.

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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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