<--PREV Doc #2078  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #2080 Document #2079; November 8, 1956 To Lessing Julius Rosenwald Series: EM, AWF, Name Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVII - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part XI: The free world's "sad mess"; October 1956 to January 1957 Chapter 22: On Suez "we do not see eye to eye"   Dear Mr. Rosenwald: I have just had the privilege of reading the thoughts you so eloquently express on the explosive and deplorable situation in the Mid East.1 As I am sure you know, I firmly believe that the only way to "win" the war that sometimes seems so threateningly close is to prevent it. I pledge again every resource at my command to that end, and I share your prayer that we in the family of nations can prove ourselves spiritually and intellectually strong enough to find the true way to peace. I rather hate to intrude upon this letter another subject, but Sidney Weinberg has told me of the contribution you and Mrs. Rosenwald made to the recent political campaign.2 I assure you that I am more than grateful for your confidence and support. With warm regard, Sincerely P.S. Your presentation of the case for decency versus extinction is so moving that I should not be surprised if you find portions of it quoted or paraphrased in a forthcoming Inauguration Address.3 1 For background on Rosenwald, former chairman of the board of Sears, Roebuck and Company, see Galambos, Columbia University, no. 98. Rosenwald feared that the world was on a course leading to suicide and questioned whether the "awesome factors of atomic self-destruction" could be controlled. "Partisanship has no place when such a vital question confronts us," he said. "Mothers in Israel and Egypt, sons in England and France, Fathers and husbands in the United States and in Russia are all potential victims and sufferers." He called for men of courage who were "willing to immolate themselves to prevent this Armageddon." Rosenwald had written these thoughts to his wife, who sent them to Ann Whitman for Eisenhower (Rosenwald to Whitman, Nov. 5, 1956, AWF/N, Rosenwald Corr.). 2 Weinberg, an investment banker and a partner in the firm of Goldman, Sachs and Company, had been very active in Eisenhower's campaign for reelection (see Eisenhower to Weinberg, Nov. 11, 1956; and Weinberg to Eisenhower, Nov. 14, 1956, AWF/N). 3 Eisenhower would refer to the unity of all nations in the search for peace in his second inaugural address (Public Papers of the Presidents: Eisenhower, 1957, pp. 60-65; see also Eisenhower, Waging Peace, p. 103). Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Lessing Julius Rosenwald, 8 November 1956. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 2079. 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/2079.cfm <--PREV Doc #2078  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #2080

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