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Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Park Sheraton Hotel
202 Fifty Sixth Street West
New York 19, N. Y.
Hotel Crillon, Paris
January 29, 1952
U.S. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL SERVICE" GOVERNMENT RECORDS TRUMAN AND TIBRARY
Dear Mr. President:
I have not written you anything before but I
am afraid I must now break my silence about the
appointment of an ambassador to the Vatican. I
am getting letters on every side as I am sure you
are too and I feel that perhaps I should tell you it
seems to me since we are a Protestant country, we
should heed the very evident feeling so many Pro-
testants have against having an ambassador at the
Vatican. I understand that an ambassador can be
appointed only when you have signed the Concordat,
but it is not possible for a state which is not a
Catholic state to sign. Automatically, if the
Vatican has an ambassador in a Catholic state he
takes precedence over the entire diplomatic corps.
This, in a non-Catholic state would make a very
embarrassing situation. In the case of Great Britain,
they have a minister at the Vatican for this very
reason because then a minister sent by the Vatican
has the same standing as the papal delegate and
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Park Sheraton Hotel
202 Fifty Sixth Street West
New York 19, N. Y.
-2-
it does not bring the confliction that having an
ambassador does. For the purpose of the U.S, I
have always felt that a special representative of
the President gave all the advantages and avoided
the pitfalls which the appointment of an ambassador
or minister brings about.
It is easy to understand this present objection.
The recognition of any church as a temporal power
puts that church in a different position from any
of the other churches and while we are now only hear-
ing from the Protestant groups, the Moslems may one
day wake up to this and make an equal howl. For us
who take a firm stand on the separation of church and
state, the recognition of a temporal power seems
inconsistent.
I write these random thoughts because I am sure
someday someone is going to ask my opinion and I do
not want to say that I think it is not a good idea
without having expressed myself to you beforehand.
I will write you a report on this session before
I leave on the 8th if all is well and finished here.
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Park Sheraton Hotel
202 Fifty Sixth Street West
New York 19, N.Y.
-3-
Please give my good wishes to Mrs. Truman
and Margaret and believe me always
MARIT s. ARCHIVES NATIONAL RECORDS TRUMAN AND LIBRARY
Cordially yours,
SERVICE"
U.S. GOVERNMENT
Then Roadwall
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"ocrText": "Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt\nThe Park Sheraton Hotel\n202 Fifty Sixth Street West\nNew York 19, N. Y.\nHotel Crillon, Paris\nJanuary 29, 1952\nU.S. ARCHIVES \"NATIONAL SERVICE\" GOVERNMENT RECORDS TRUMAN AND TIBRARY\nDear Mr. President:\nI have not written you anything before but I\nam afraid I must now break my silence about the\nappointment of an ambassador to the Vatican. I\nam getting letters on every side as I am sure you\nare too and I feel that perhaps I should tell you it\nseems to me since we are a Protestant country, we\nshould heed the very evident feeling so many Pro-\ntestants have against having an ambassador at the\nVatican. I understand that an ambassador can be\nappointed only when you have signed the Concordat,\nbut it is not possible for a state which is not a\nCatholic state to sign. Automatically, if the\nVatican has an ambassador in a Catholic state he\ntakes precedence over the entire diplomatic corps.\nThis, in a non-Catholic state would make a very\nembarrassing situation. In the case of Great Britain,\nthey have a minister at the Vatican for this very\nreason because then a minister sent by the Vatican\nhas the same standing as the papal delegate and\nMrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt\nThe Park Sheraton Hotel\n202 Fifty Sixth Street West\nNew York 19, N. Y.\n-2-\nit does not bring the confliction that having an\nambassador does. For the purpose of the U.S, I\nhave always felt that a special representative of\nthe President gave all the advantages and avoided\nthe pitfalls which the appointment of an ambassador\nor minister brings about.\nIt is easy to understand this present objection.\nThe recognition of any church as a temporal power\nputs that church in a different position from any\nof the other churches and while we are now only hear-\ning from the Protestant groups, the Moslems may one\nday wake up to this and make an equal howl. For us\nwho take a firm stand on the separation of church and\nstate, the recognition of a temporal power seems\ninconsistent.\nI write these random thoughts because I am sure\nsomeday someone is going to ask my opinion and I do\nnot want to say that I think it is not a good idea\nwithout having expressed myself to you beforehand.\nI will write you a report on this session before\nI leave on the 8th if all is well and finished here.\nMrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt\nThe Park Sheraton Hotel\n202 Fifty Sixth Street West\nNew York 19, N.Y.\n-3-\nPlease give my good wishes to Mrs. Truman\nand Margaret and believe me always\nMARIT s. ARCHIVES NATIONAL RECORDS TRUMAN AND LIBRARY\nCordially yours,\nSERVICE\"\nU.S. GOVERNMENT\nThen Roadwall"
}