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

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WASHINGTON, Tuesday—I have been reading "Tito" by Vladimir Dedijer, somewhat belatedly since I have had it since January but only now have I found some time to look at it.

It is a delightfully written book and even after only the first few pages you find yourself putting it down reluctantly. The author is frank. He tells you at the beginning that he loves his country and he loves Tito, so you know what to expect. He tells Tito's story as Tito apparently told it to his comrades in moments of rest and relaxation even though the world about them often must have seemed an almost hopeless one.

Through Tito's story you get an understanding of his development as a leader and of the development of Yugoslavia as a country. The pattern of communism grew out of the misery of the people and the fact that what communism promised seemed to be the only hope to them for a better life.

I have not yet reached the last part of the book, which I am sure is the most interesting part and which tells of the break between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, since I have been so long in finding time to read this book, I want to tell my readers that they will find it most interesting reading, absorbing and revealing.

There is much to be learned from "Tito" which should interest not only the United States in the development of democratic processes here at home, but also those who want to understand why people become Communists in many parts of the world. And that is something we need to understand. Someone asked me only a day or two ago why do citizens of the United States turn Communist? Some, but not all, of the answers can be found in this book.

We need to remember that democracy is and will be strong only as long as it meets the needs of the people. When the people have hope and they see themselves marching forward to a better and better life, then democracy is secure.

The American Association for the United Nations is sponsoring a conference here, which has been attended by delegations from 112 organizations.

This has been a very satisfying attendance since this represents a cross-section of American people who are really interested in international affairs, in bringing about world unity, in strengthening the U.N. and in using this organization to the limit of its capacity for improving understanding and goodwill throughout the world.

It is good for like-minded people to get together occasionally. It fills them with new strength and inspiration. Here in Washington they can see and hear the new Administration leaders and members of the Congress, and they can gain a better understanding of what the nation's leaders are striving to achieve.

I think it is important, however, that we realize that as essential as a conference such as this one is, the work that grows out of it must be largely done with the people that are not of like mind.

I have traveled considerably since January in a small area of our country. And I am convinced that the majority of our people believe in the U.N. and have hope for the success of its objectives in the future.

But there is a powerful and vocal minority that preaches defeat and despair, isolationism and selfishness, and it is that minority with which the work of the AAUN must be concerned.

E. R.

(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1953, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART PROHIBITED.)


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About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, March 4, 1953

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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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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