Description:

Ronald Reagan
n.p., ca. February 1981
As President, Reagan Mentions 'The Treaty Trap' to the Author Laurence Beilenson
ALS

Autograph letter as President signed "Ron", penned at the conclusion of a note letter from noted author Laurence W. Beilenson on the latter's letterhead. N.p., n.d. but ca. February 1981. 1p. 8.5" x 11". Staple holes at top left corner, else, very good. Impeccable provenance: this item comes from the files of Helene von Damm (b. 1938), Reagan's longtime personal secretary and later Ambassador to Austria, gifted to our consignor, her White House assistant.

Beilenson writes to Reagan, in part: "…The enclosed Xerox of a handwritten letter you wrote me Nov. 8, 1980 concerning Survival and Peace in the Nuclear Age (Regnery-Gateway) speaks for itself. You always keep your promises. Almost three months have elapsed during which you have been busy with the rush of events. I guess, therefore, you must have forgotten, and knowing you, I further guess you would like me to remind you. So I am…".

Reagan replies beneath, in full: "Dear Larry, I haven't forgotten but so far haven't found an opportunity outside of our own circle where incidentally I've been plugging 'The Treaty Trap' in the 'striped pants' set.

I'll continue to look for an opportunity where my words will get some attention.

Nancy sends her best. Warm Regards, Ron."

Laurence Beilenson (1936-1988) was a noted lawyer who founded the Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, thereafter serving as legal counsel. He and Reagan were friends, and communicated 'every few months or so,' according to an interview with Beilenson in 1981. Reagan publicly praised 1980 Beilenson's book, "Survival and Peace in the Nuclear Age," calling it "thought-provoking."

As evidenced in this letter, Reagan also called attention to Beilenson's earlier work, "The Treaty Trap: A History of the Performance of Political Treaties by the United States and European Nations (1969), in which Beilenson cautions about the risks in relying upon treaties as means of security, and describes the process of treaty-making as "…the occupational disease of statesmen…" (p. 58).

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: ALS

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