The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
AUGUST 1, 1952
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HYDE PARK, Thursday—All who had the pleasure of knowing Senator Brien McMahon through his public work in the past few years had an admiration not only for his vision but for his willingness to work. He came to know as much about atomic energy and its possibilities as probably anyone in the country. And, knowing all he did, he felt that it was more important for us to stress our economic aid to the nations of the world than it was to bury our heads in the sand and think that by building our military strength alone we could insure ourselves against war.
He knew we must develop atomic energy as a weapon for our defense and he did his utmost to see that this was done; and well done. But he also realized that without building friendships throughout the world, and giving nations a stake in survival, we could never be secure.
In his death the nation has suffered a great loss, and together with all the other people who have felt this loss I want to pay this small tribute to his accomplishments and to send my deep sympathy to his family. They must feel that a useful life has been cut off all too soon, but they must be grateful, too, that he was able to accomplish so much during the years that he lived.
If you have not seen the report of the first National Conference on International Economic and Social Development, which was held in Washington last April, I am sure you will be interested in getting it and studying the findings. Many Americans, representing many phases of our national life, went over in detail how the economic and social development of underdeveloped nations could be aided by our country and how we could cooperate with plans being made by these countries themselves and by other countries who were also able to do something which would be of assistance.
Many people attending the conference were surprised to find how many American citizens really were ready to help other nations of the world by organizing in their local communities and by getting in touch with other organizations doing work on a state and national level so that they might be more effective in the international scene.
If you want a source book of timely and challenging thinking about America's responsibility toward the underdeveloped areas of the world, write for "World Neighbors." This is the title given to the report and it costs one dollar. It is well worth all of that because of the ideas you will find therein, which will help you in your own community planning.
There are always a variety of projects under way that are intended to bring about unity and better understanding in the world and in this connection I have just been sent a folder describing the Children's Art Exhibition in New York City. The suggestion is that these original paintings, all done by children of so many different countries, should be sent for exhibition throughout the world because art does not need words. It speaks straight from the heart and it creates better international understanding.
E. R.
(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1952, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART PROHIBITED.)
About this document
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, August 1, 1952
Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007
Digital edition published 2008, 2017 by
The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project
Available under licence from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.
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