If You Ask Me
by Eleanor Roosevelt

I don't think the President or the government would decide to spend more money on the project unless they felt it had either psychological importance or military value. I confess that, not being a scientist, I am more interested in what we can do to make our own earth a better place to live. But I realize that science cannot stand still. It may be part of the moving forward on earth for our scientists to move forward in the knowledge of the whole universe. Nothing our government does today is a purely propaganda measure, and everything it does is shockingly expensive. But progress is necessary in every field, so there is no use in our being critical unless we really understand what we are critical about.

I did not hear Mr. Lippmann's statement, but I entirely agree that the President cannot possibly explain his program adequately to the people through his press conferences. In answering members of the press, the President is never able to explain fully any one program. On the other hand, I felt that his statement on his return from the European trip was a masterpiece. It was clear; it did not try to exaggerate the importance of what had been done; it told the people the truth. I think it was very valuable. I believe that periodic speeches of this kind, like my husband's fireside chats, are essential. In this way, the people can learn in more detail about each problem the President feels is important. I hope he will take individual subjects, from time to time, and explain them thoroughly.

I have never heard Mr. Khrushchev define what a Communist really is. I don't know Doctor Castro. If Khrushchev meant Castro is not well versed in Marxism, he might be right; but I cannot assess a man to whom I have never even spoken.

The mayor of New York has a tremendous administrative job. There are some 150,000 city employees. Choosing the people who are going to help administer this enormously complicated business would be quite difficult even if one were free to do it without any pressures. But this is not the case. A mayor is under pressure on every possible political front. He has inherited a system, in both the Republican and Democratic Parties, that was built to benefit the bosses and uses corruption to achieve its ends. It is not surprising that it is difficult to get anyone to run for this office.

I am afraid I don't know whether a neighborhood has ever been saved. However, I think if the inhabitants went to the housing authorities and agreed to any necessary improvements, the authorities might try to preserve the character of the area.

I think it is a good idea to try to reduce what is called expense-account living. But perhaps $30 a day is a rather drastic figure. It is often impossible to get a decent room and three meals for that amount of money.

We did start a small furniture factory at Hyde Park, with the idea that we could teach farm boys how to do fine cabinetmaking, to give them a way to make money during the slack season on the farms. We never made back the capital we put into the business, though we kept afloat during the Depression and paid the carrying expenses and wages. I know nothing of toy manufacturing, and so I have no firsthand advice to offer. I think, however, you might get information from the Small Business Committee in Congress.