Description:

Rare ALS as President! FDR changes his plans to celebrate his Uncle Fred's 75th birthday to rush to his son's bedside at the Mayo Clinic — five days later he quickly returns to Washington after Hitler demanded self-determination for 3.5 million Germans living in the Sudetenland in northwest Czechoslovakia and threatened to rescue them

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (1882-1945) Autograph Letter Signed " FDR" as President, one page, 7" x 9". On White House stationery. [Hyde Park, N.Y.], Friday [Sept. 9, 1938]. To Frederic Delano, his mother’s brother. With original White House envelope addressed by FDR "Hon. F.A. Delano." Hand-delivered. Fine condition.

In full, "Friday. Dear Uncle Fred. All my nice plans for going to Algonac tomorrow for your Birthday are off – for I go to Rochester to night & Jimmy’s operation is Monday. Meanwhile ever so many Happy Returns – You are the grandest person I know – in every way. Affectionately FDR."

Frederic Delano’s sister was Sara Delano, FDR’s mother. The Delano family estate was Algonac, about 25 miles south of Hyde Park. Frederic Delano celebrated his 75th birthday at Algonac on Sat., Sept. 10, 1938.

James Roosevelt, accompanied by his mother, entered the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., on Tues., Sept. 6. He had been at the Mayo Clinic twice earlier in the year for treatment of a small gastric ulcer. On Wednesday, the Clinic announced that "the results of treatment were rather disappointing" and that Roosevelt would have an emergency operation on Mon., Sept. 12. FDR left Hyde Park by rail on Friday evening. As soon as the President arrived at the hospital on Sunday morning, his son’s operation was moved ahead by 24 hours. On Wed., Sept. 14, after receiving assurances from the doctors that his son was "making satisfactory progress," the President announced that he was returning to Washington because "having read the papers, the condition of affairs in other parts of the world is extremely serious…"

On Sept. 12, Hitler demanded self-determination for Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia, threatening to "rescue" Sudentens. The Czechs invoked military law in the Sudeten and on Sept. 13, announced they would never "voluntarily sacrifice any part" of her territory.

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June 21, 2016 10:30 AM EDT
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