If You Ask Me
by Eleanor Roosevelt

I imagine that there are many voters who are in the same predicament. Most of us believe in a two-party system. We also believe that changes should come when the majority of the people feel, for some important reason or reasons, that a change should take place. The old saying, “a new broom sweeps clean,” has, of course, something in it, but as long as one feels that there are overriding reasons for keeping any party in power I think one has to vote for that party even if other, less important, reasons may make a change seem desirable.

No, I never heard my husband express an opinion on this subject, but once he mentioned that being a successful Army officer, like General Grant, did not always mean you would be a successful President.

That we are imperialist and trying to conquer the world through control of the economies of countries; that we are not interested in humanitarian services but only make believe that we are; that they are anxious for peace and we want war.

Your wife may not want death mentioned because she is afraid it will make those around her sad, but I think death should be treated as naturally as one treats birth or any other great experience. The seasons merge into each other, the flowers die and are born again. We may not ever make up our minds as to exactly how the promise of immortality is carried out, but all of us have an instinctive belief in immortality. I have never understood why people worry about exactly what form immortality takes. We have to accept what is in store for us, so why worry about it? The incentive for us to live to the best of our ability every minute of our lives lies in this fact of immortality.

I have been asked to do so, but I think it is a little early to undertake another volume. A few years from now my active life may be over, and that would be a good time to write this rather personal history.

I think you will find that at twelve your boy will make his own adjustments. If he must wear braces he will learn to get about and do it far better than you now think is possible. I do not, of course, know what his illness is, but it is possible that exercises might eventually strengthen some of his muscles. There are doctors who make a specialty of this type of treatment. If you will let me know your address I will try to let you know if there is someone in your vicinity.

This statement could not possibly be true. The most elementary thing in human nature is the desire to protect one's children. Mr. Jones had no children who would inevitably have to go to war. My husband knew full well that if war came our four sons not only would go to war but would ask to have waived many of the physical defects which kept others out of the war, so that they might go into more dangerous places.

The fact that as a rule an only child has been accustomed to being the center of the stage and may find it difficult to enter into a dual relationship where each partner is equal. Also the parents of an only child are apt to expect more consideration, since their whole interest has been centered in this child, and the adjustments to the new relationship are sometimes difficult.