Presidential Papers, Doc#68 To Milton Stover Eisenhower, 11 March 1957. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower

Document #68; March 11, 1957
To Milton Stover Eisenhower
Series: EM, AWF, Name Series

The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVIII - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace
Part I: A New Beginning, Old Problems; January 1957 to May 1957
Chapter 1: The Mideast and the Eisenhower Doctrine

 

Dear Milton: I had a chance to read the talk you made before the Grand Masters.1 I think it is very fine indeed and I have one suggestion only.

You speak of the "Judiac-Christian heritage."2 I would suggest that you use a term on the order of "religious heritage" -- this is for the reason that we should find some way of including the vast numbers of people who hold to the Islamic and Buddhist religions when we compare the religious world against the Communist world.

I think you could still point out the debt we all owe to the ancients of Judea and Greece for the introduction of new ideas. As ever

1 Eisenhower's brother, Milton, had addressed the Conference of Grand Masters of the Masons on February 20, 1957 in Washington, D.C. (see Congressional Record, 85th Cong., 1st sess., 1957, Appendix: A1723 - 25, 103). Milton had written Ann Whitman on March 7 (AWF/N) saying that the President had suggested he "make a talk or talks before certain groups. Knowing of his interest, I think he might like to read the enclosed." An accompanying handwritten note explained, "Since my brother is the best critic I know, I'd like to have him see the enclosed when he has a free moment" (AWF/N).

2 Milton's speech had addressed the "fundamental moral and intellectual differences" between freedom and communism. Eisenhower's comment regarding the "Judaic-Christian heritage" referred to Milton's statement that "Communism poses not only a military, economic and political challenge to the free nations; it strikes at the very heart of the ideology of freedom--the Judaic-Christian heritage which forms the basis of Western civilization."

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Milton Stover Eisenhower, 11 March 1957. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 68. 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/second-term/documents/68.cfm

 


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