Presidential Papers, Doc#126 To William H. Burnham, 2 April 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower
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Doc #127

Document #126; April 2, 1953
To William H. Burnham
Series: EM, AWF, Name Series
The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIV - The Presidency: The Middle Way
Part I: Charting a New Course; January 1953 to April 1953
Chapter 2: "A number of misunderstandings": Party and International Struggles

 

Dear Bill: This is a combination Easter-birthday letter.1 Mamie is sending you a couple of new pictures, one for yourself and one for Steve.2 I hope you will like them.

At the moment the White House staff is girding itself for the Easter Roll on Monday.3 Fences have been erected (resembling snow fences you find in New England) in an effort to confine the activities to the circle of lawn on the south side of the White House. Everyone is a little apprehensive and fearful that some of the children may be injured--and positive that complete havoc will be wrought on the lawn. However, the grandchildren are all for the idea and looking forward eagerly to the great day.4

As you probably know, Al Gruenther has been in this country for a couple of weeks.5 We have had a couple of intense bridge games, and have another one scheduled for tonight. He came back all decked out with a spectacular camels hair coat. He is so proud of it that he exhibits it on all occasions and has furnished me with a number of photographs, one of which is enclosed. His only complaint since his return to the states has been that the weather is much too warm for such resplendence.

This letter grows much too long, but it brings you Mamie's and Min's and my very best wishes for a Happy Easter and a good birthday. I hope the nurses provide you with the biggest and best birthday cake in all of Boston.6 As ever

1 For background on Burnham see no. 97.

2 On Steve Hart see no. 57.

3 Mrs. Eisenhower had revived the Easter-egg rolling at the White House. The pre-Civil War custom, stemming from an old Scottish ritual of rolling oatcakes down a hill at Easter, had been suspended since World War II.

4 On the afternoon of April 6 the Eisenhower grandchildren joined several thousand children and their parents on the White House lawn. For details see New York Times, April 7, 1953.

5 For Gruenther's visit see ibid., March 17, April 5, 1953.

6 In Burnham's reply of April 14 (AWF/N) he said that he expected to leave the hospital in a few weeks.

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. To William H. Burnham, 2 April 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 126. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/126.cfm

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