Letter from Harry S. Truman to Eleanor Roosevelt

THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON June 4, 1946 Dear Mrs. Roosevelt: I appreciated very much your good letter of the first and nobody was more surprised than I when I received the letter from Mr. Stettinius that he wanted to quit as representative of the United Nations Security Council. I urged him to stay but he was very anxious to quit, say- ing that he felt his job with the United Nations had been completed. I don't think it has but there is no way I can force a man to stay on the job if he doesn't want to stay. I am truly sorry that you are not pleased with the attitude of the United States toward Spain, Argentine, and Germany. Certainly we are trying to be consistent in these matters and are making every effort possible to get the United Nations on its feet as an active or- ganization. I think that is the most important thing we have ahead of us. Naturally we expected to have difficulty with the Russians, French and British but none of the difficulties are insurmountable and I have every reason to believe that most of them will work out in a satisfactory manner. The conditions with which we are faced are not new as the result of the conflict - they are only greater in magnitude than they have been in the past because they are world-wide. I do appreciate most sincerely your interest and your kindness in writing me. I'11 be glad to hear from you on any subject at any time. Sincerely yours, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt Val-Kill Cottages Hyde Park, Dutchess County New York