<--PREV Doc #994  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #996 Document #995; January 6, 1959 To Willard Stewart Paul Series: EM, AWF, DDE Diaries Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIX - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace Part VI: Setbacks; November 1958 to February 1959 Chapter 15: "Debate is the breath of life"   Dear Stewart: The first part of your letter assumes a more unequivocal acceptance than I actually intended of your invitation for April 4, 1959. You will recall that after we talked about dates, we began to discuss the actual purpose of the Convocation and specifically the stage of development of your proposal for establishing an "Institute of Peace."1 Since this proposal has apparently gone no further than the expression of a hope or eventual purpose, I tried to convey the thought that the timing of an appearance of my part was not good. I am quite clear in my own mind that the proposal you make must have a unique, as well as a very practical character, if it is to receive any great support. What I have in mind is this. When I was in New York I was one of the Trustees of the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace.2 Likewise, I established a Chair in the Historical Division of Columbia University to look into the results and causes of war and, in addition, the question of how a democracy can organize itself to wage war successfully.3 At Duke University there is a new Institute for the promotion of the "Rule of Law."4 There are other organisms that have been established with purposes relating to that of preventing war and maintaining a just peace. By no means do I want to discourage you from doing something worthwhile in this field. However, I pointed out that since you do not have the time yourself to develop the idea beyond the statement of purpose, I believe you must find some man who can do this for you, before there is any possibility of my helping to promote the plan. I readily concurred with the idea and I was quite ready, as President, to give such support as I could, but it is quite evident that until the matter has been developed further than merely a statement of purpose, any effort on my part would be futile. As I recall, we left the matter on the basis that you and one of your friends would come to my office to discuss this subject a bit further. Until we can do so, the matter of my participation in any ceremony should be left in abeyance.5 It was indeed nice to have a talk with you and particularly to meet your charming bride. As ever 1 General Paul had thanked the President for accepting an invitation to speak at the Gettysburg College Founder's Day Convocation (Jan. 3, 1959, WHCF/PPF 22-C Gettysburg College). At a White House meeting on November 17 Eisenhower had suggested to Paul that they discuss the subject at his Gettysburg farm. General Paul and his wife, the former Louella Musselman Arnold, had visited the Eisenhowers at their farm on December 30 (see Memorandum for the Record, Nov. 17, 1958, AWF/D; and the Chronology). 2 For background on Eisenhower's association with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an organization founded in 1910 to abolish war, see Galambos, Columbia University, no. 63. 3 While president of Columbia University Eisenhower had established the Institute of War and Peace Studies (ibid., no. 1056). 4 On the Rule of Law for Peace Center at Duke University, and on the Administration's efforts to develop a coordinating Presidential Commission on Rule of Law for Peace see nos. 777, 803, and 900. See also Gene M. Lyons and Louis Morton, Schools for Strategy: Education and Research in National Security Affairs (New York, 1965), pp. 91, 170, 272. For developments see no. 1182. 5 Paul would agree that he was not ready to launch a peace center or Civil War institute. Instead he would ask the President to talk about current issues. On January 14 Eisenhower would agree to speak and would ask about the circumstances under which he would address the convocation. He would also say he could not commit to a definite date. Paul would reply that Eisenhower would be the only speaker and that the topic would be the importance of liberal arts in a technically specialized world. Secretary to the President Thomas E. Stephens later would tell Paul that the President would make a short, off-the-cuff speech at the convocation on April 4, but by no means would he be the major speaker (Paul to Eisenhower, Jan. 12, 1959; Eisenhower to Paul, Jan. 14, 1959; Stephens to Paul, Jan. 26, 1959, all in WHCF/PPF 22-C Gettysburg College). In his talk, entitled "The Importance of Understanding," Eisenhower would urge Americans to recognize the significance of foreign aid to U.S. security (Public Papers of the Presidents: Eisenhower, 1959, pp. 309 - 17; New York Times, Apr. 5, 1959; and Ann Whitman memorandum, Apr. 2, 3, 4, 1959, AWF/AWD). Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Willard Stewart Paul, 6 January 1959. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 995. 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/995.cfm <--PREV Doc #994  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #996

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