The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
DECEMBER 7, 1955
[This column has emendations. View original version]
NEW YORK—I think President Eisenhower is very wise in not making any promises as to his own candidacy. He will have much more latitude in dealing with Congress as long as they are uncertain as to what his plans are for the future. Certainly, it can be no surprise to anyone that he has pledged his "utmost aid" in the 1956 campaign to his party. The Republicans will certainly need it, and are entitled to expect all the aid he can give.
As far as the Democrats are concerned, I hope they will plan their strategy as though they were going to find themselves opposed by the strongest possible Republican ticket.
It is important for the Democrats to think primarily of how they would handle the problems that will have to be met regardless of which party wins in 1956. It is a question of how you do things.
The problems of the world will not be changed by an election in the United States. The methods of approaching the problems, however, can be changed, and that is where the Democrats should be putting their thought at the present time.
I would like to state again what I have said so often in the past. The time has come, I think, for all political parties to give more thought to including women on the policy-making level. It may well be that we have reached the stage when separate divisions for the work of men and women in political machinery may not be necessary.
But there is no doubt in my mind that women work differently from men, and they will put a different emphasis on certain issues. The temptation to use them exclusively on the uninteresting chores that have to be done, and very often are done by volunteers, in any political organization is very great because women have more time in their localities. They can address envelopes and stuff them with literature. They can undertake ringing door bells, and plenty of them will be content to do it.
But there must be women included in the upper strata so that all women will know that their voices are being heard.
If women really understand the issues they will probably talk more effectively to their neighbors than any of the men, especially if the issues are such that they affect their daily lives. For instance, I think we are going to hear from the women before long on the school question. More and more women find their children going at different hours because of the overcrowded schools and most of them do not like it.
I am sure, also, that in the South if women find that because of the state policy against integration they cannot send their children to schools that are free, there will be a reaction in a very short time. They may not like desegregation but they are certainly going to dislike having the white children as well as the colored without opportunity for education.
E.R.
(Copyright, 1955, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)
About this document
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, December 7, 1955
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