If You Ask Me
by Eleanor Roosevelt

It is a little difficult to explain the pronunciation of my name without being able to say it. However, if you think of the flower, rose, and continue as I am spelling it here—Rose-e-velt—you will have it right. The emphasis should be on the first syllable, and the e in the middle pronounced as "uh," a separate syllable but slurred.

To answer this question I had to consult the State Department. They say they have never heard of any case of this kind, that all values have been gone over by proper people in the Government, and they think stories of this nature are pure fiction.

I think drafting boys and drafting money have very little connection. They should be considered as separate things. Any citizen of proper age has an obligation to defend his country, and this has to be recognized in a democracy. When we consider the question of whether we should draft money, I think we have to consider the various ways in which that can be done. We, in this country, are doing it in a number of ways. Taxation is the first and obvious one.

I think the real answer is that in a period of emergency everybody should be required to serve the country in every way that is possible. There is no way, however, of balancing the service rendered by money and the service rendered by people. No amount of money can pay for human life.

It seems to me that if your husband wants a divorce life would be pretty unbearable for all of you unless you granted his wish. A marriage without love is intolerable, and a home without love is a poor place for a child to grow up. Every child needs a home and security, but it is impossible to have any security or any real home when love does not exist between the father and the mother.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration did give courses to girls, which were terminated in March, 1941; because of the national emergency they are concentrating on the training of young men.

To ferry bombers, or to be employed for ferrying purposes, required an ability to fly all kinds of planes. This is true in England at the present time. This would require a great deal of training, and few women have had that amount of training. It will take some time for them to acquire it, but I think there is no reason why they should not be given the opportunity, however.

It all depends on the girl. If a girl is able to behave herself and is a good judge of people, I think there is no danger in speaking to any soldier or sailor who she thinks needs a gesture of friendship or courtesy which she is able to extend.

I do not know whether a new League of Nations should be created, but I do know that we must have machinery through which we can attempt to build a world where situations like the present do not recur. I am quite sure we are capable of doing this if we approach the problem in a realistic manner and recognize that policing is part of all orderly government.

I think I would like to have written the Book of Ruth because it is such a charming story and so beautifully written.

I am not conscious of meeting any envious or jealous women in the work which I do. I am fully aware of the fact that almost everyone with whom I come in contact has equal capacities and, in some cases, far greater ability than I have. I am always most grateful for criticism and suggestions.

No, this is not true. I keep a certain amount of money which I earn by writing and lecturing for certain personal expenses, such as traveling, for instance. The rest of this money I give to organizations, and in some cases to individuals who need help. The wife of the President, as well as the President himself, receives many requests for contributions and assistance.

All that I make on the radio, after I deduct a certain percentage for my income tax, goes direct to charitable organizations.

I think this story has arisen from the fact that I used to assign the whole of my radio money to charity without having it paid to me. Congressman Hamilton Fish publicly questioned my right to do this, and said that it could be done only when a single benefit performance was given, and not when one earned a regular sum every week, as I did. Since that time I have accepted this money, reported these earnings in my income-tax return, made the necessary deductions and given the rest to charity.

No, I certainly think it is right and proper that Jewish people should join together in their own organizations and should work to combat anti-Semitic movements.

I think, however, that it is unnecessary to separate on racial or religious lines. As far as is possible, I should like to see people work together. By "aggressive" I mean that at times you will meet people who push a particular interest of their own rather more aggressively than do other elements in the community. This is not always peculiar to one particular religious or racial group. I think all of us should watch ourselves for the habit of pushing our own interests until other people are wearied or annoyed by our apparent neglect of their interests.

Because they are not in the employment of the Government and because they haven't taken the same oath. They are civilians who are preserving for themselves and for the men in our military services the rights of civilians. Many soldiers will be returning one day to the enjoyment of these rights, and they will be glad to find them still in existence.

No, I do not approve of using cosmetics to appear grown-up. I should think it would be simpler to wait until leaving high school before trying to enhance your good looks.