Description:

Eleanor Roosevelt TLS on Communism and Why It is Guaranteed to Fail

A 1p typed letter signed by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) as "Eleanor Roosevelt" at lower right. Written in New York City on April 12, 1959 on a single sheet of stationery with "Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt / 202 Fifty-Sixth Street West / New York 19, N.Y." letterhead. Expected light paper folds and double hole punched along the left margin, else near fine. 5.625" x 6.5."

Eleanor Roosevelt wrote to an unidentified correspondent named Mr. Chen in part: "You are no more objective in your way than Mr. Dulles might be in his. Communism may improve material conditions for a time but it takes away individual freedom so cannot succeed…"

"Mr. Dulles" referred to John Foster Dulles (1888-1959), U.S. Secretary of State during the Eisenhower administration, 1953-1959. Dulles held hawkish foreign policy views towards Communism and Communist countries. His aggressive stance against the "Red Menace" contrasted with the containment policies advocated by Democrats. Dulles's book "War or Peace" (New York: Macmillan Company, 1950), outlined his offensive position towards Communism. Under Dulles's guidance, the United States engaged in brinkmanship, a dangerous art Dulles described as "The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war…" Dulles would resign his post just ten days after Eleanor Roosevelt wrote this letter, due to ill health; he would die six weeks later.

Eleanor Roosevelt's correspondent's identity is unknown, but his name could suggest Asian heritage. Was "Mr. Chen" a Chinese or Korean national sympathetic to Communism? Mr. Chen could have been a reader of Eleanor Roosevelt's syndicated newspaper column "My Day," which she wrote six days a week between 1935-1962. Eleanor Roosevelt discussed serious topics in the newspaper column, including Communism and McCarthyism. The political spectrum was complicated; while the former First Lady maintained that Communism was doomed to fail, so was America's extreme response to it, McCarthyism. Eleanor Roosevelt remained very politically engaged up until her death in 1962.

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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