Letter from Eleanor Roosevelt to Harry S. Truman

VAL-KILL COTTAGES HYDE PARK, DUTCHESS co. NEW YORK January 29, 1948 & Dear Mr. President: I réad Mr. Reston's article in the New York Times the other day and I feel I want to write you on the question of Palestine and the United Nations. It seems to me that if the UN does not put through and enforce the partition and prro- tection of people in general in Palestine, we are facing a very serious situation in which its position for the future is at stake. Since we led in the acceptance of the UN majority report on Palestine, and since we feel that the existence of the UN is essential to the preservation of peace, I think we should support a move on their part nations, force, to perhaps create We should an from international among stand ready the smaller police the at request of the UN to remove our embargo on arms and to provide such things as are ressential to the control of the Arabs, namely, modern implements of war such as tanks, airplanes, etc. If we do not take some stand to strengthen the UN organization at the present time, I shall not be surprised if Russia does, which will put us in a difficult position to say the least. Great Britain's role, of course, is not only to placate the Arabs, but probably to arm them because she knows very well that only the United States and Great Britain are going to buy Arab oil and she wants to be sure to hold her full share. If the UN is going to be the instrument for peace, now is the crucial time to strengthen it. With the deepest concern, I au, Very sincerely yours, thera Thouseneth