The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
APRIL 8, 1953
NEW YORK, Tuesday—Day by day the picture becomes more interesting in regard to our relationship and that of the United Nations to the Soviet moves toward peace.
Obviously, there is only one really basic move that can reassure the world: an agreement on international inspection and a decision to turn over to the U.N. control of atomic energy under a full inspection agreement. This would really open the way to meaningful disarmament discussions.
It shall be interesting to see whether all the satellite countries will follow the Soviets in discovering that they have in jail certain people who have been wrongly imprisoned. The discovery about the doctors in Russia was certainly a startling admission.
We are all well aware of the facts that have now been "discovered," but the acknowledgement of those facts by the Soviets was certainly a surprise. Day by day it looks as though Premier Malenkov has decided to follow a policy of his own, and not to adhere strictly to Stalin's policies.
We may find ourselves dealing with a man who is entirely different from what Stalin was. Malenkov may not have changed any of his basic convictions to work for the ultimate control of the Russian people and those of the satellite countries and he may not be moved from a determination to communize the world, but still he may feel that these things can wait until better trade and more trust is established among nations throughout the world.
There is one very important thing for the people of the United States to realize even if we do have a letup in our fear of attack by the Soviet Union either here or in the European community. We must not feel that this means we can cut down taxes and cease preparations for defense.
The emphasis on where defense is organized may change. We may concentrate on different plans in Europe. Here at home we should concentrate on improving our air defense by better patrols and better radar equipment, no matter how expensive, and more constant and better disciplined and experienced watchers. All these things should be developed without any letup.
In addition, we should build our friendships more strongly with our allies throughout the world.
The current visit of West Germany's Chancellor Konrad Adenauer is very significant because we need to tie Germany strongly to our mutual interests. He says he is here primarily on a goodwill tour. If that is so, we should make sure that he meets with many groups and sees many people who can help develop goodwill and we should get some assurance from him that there is goodwill in Germany toward the free world and especially toward the U.S.
I want to tell you about a suggestion that was sent to me the other day concerning one of the ways in which we all may join together to help in promoting peace. The writer, a woman, says that there should be one moment of the day chosen and when the hands of the clock point to that moment, in every factory, home, institution, business house or place of amusement, people should pause and give a moment to prayer. If this could be done all over the world, there would be a spiritual coming together and a prayer for peace that she feels would be irresistible.
E. R.
(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1953, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART PROHIBITED.)
About this document
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, April 8, 1953
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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