Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "12004814",
    "label": "Letter From Howard McCrum Snyder to Eli Ginzberg",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12004814"
}

{
    "id": "12004814",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12004814",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Letter From Howard McCrum Snyder to Eli Ginzberg",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12004814",
    "collections": [
        "Eli Ginzberg Papers",
        "Personal Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/619897/619897_001_Page_1.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/619897/619897_001_Page_1.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/619897/619897_001_Page_1.jpg",
    "imageCount": 4,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12004814",
    "naId": 12004814,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 4,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/619897/619897_001.pdf",
    "mediaId": "db2b951ddf0a3676",
    "ocrText": "SUPREME HEADQUARTERS\nALLIED POWERS EUROPE\nAPO 55 c/o P.M.\nNEW YORK, NEW YORK\n21 December 1951\nDear Eli,\nI am embarrassed to comment upon problems of homosexuality to a\nstaff which incorporates the knowledge that Sol alone among you repre-\nsents on this subject. I will not enter upon a long-winded discussion\nof the subject but will confine my remarks almost exclusively to a re-\nply to your questions.\nI have always taken the position, which I feel you share with me,\nthat none but overt homosexuals should be rejected for the military ser-\nvice. It is questionable whether some of these would not make \"good\"\nin the Service. We are acquainted with the anecdotes that are presented\noccasionally in the press, more often in novels, of volence and death as\na result of activities of these individuals, but we also know that these\ninstances are exceedingly rare. As a matter of fact, we can read in the\npress and novels about violence and death resulting from \"pure love\".\nYet, we must accept the fact that many consider homosexuality a morale\ndestroyer in any and all circumstances.\nI think that many homosexuals were prematurely separated from the\nService who had not even a \"nuisance value\" because of this characteris-\ntic. I do not consider an individual a homosexual based upon the atti-\ntudes represented by many of those included under that heading in Kinsey's\nwork. I am sure that many adolescent instances of occasional homosexual\ncontact represent no material deviation from normal conduct, though these\nindividuals may be statistically classified as homosexuals because they\nhave at some time indulged in homosexual \"experimentation.\"\nI cannot believe that there were many \"active\" seducers among the\nhomosexuals in the military service, at least in the Army, during the\nlast war. I was close enough to the \"soil\" to have had any glaring ex-\namples of such conduct brought to my attention. It was only rarely that\nI learned of a situation in which homosexuality created an administrative\nproblem of any seriousness. To all intents and purposes, I think we can\nform the conclusion that those who were interested in this form of sex\nexpression used discretion in their practices. Some few cases were made\nthe subject of investigation by the Inspector General's Office.\nLISTRI\nIt is my opinion that a broad-gauged policy, representative\nof the Personnel Department in the Army, should not be governed by\nthe mores of our society regarding this problem. As is true in the\nNegro problem, we may have to point the way. No policy should be\nadopted which would reflect an attitude that might justifiably be\nused by Congress or the \"Church\" for castigating the Services. You\nknow that we have always had considerable difficulty with the Catho-\nlic Church and with such individuals as Perrin Long with reference\nto a common sense attitude regarding venereal disease in the Army.\nThe same holds true in anything connected with so-called \"failure\non the part of the Army\" to take stern measures regarding homosex-\nuality in the Army. These individuals and groups place homosexuality\nin the same category as venereal disease, or worse.\nI must admit that I am tolerant in this respect as I am in my\nattitude with reference to policies and practices regarding vagaries\nin conduct or ineffectiveness for any reason. I believe that each\ncase should be judged upon its merits. I do not subscribe to general-\nized prohibitions. I feel that the saving in manpower which would\nresult from intelligent consideration of these problems in the Ser-\nvices and in society would pay for itself many times.\nYou may think that my attitude in these matters is not sound\nin the light of some experiences I have had during my many years of\nmilitary service. The following is illustrative:- I was summoned\nto attend a soldier in Battery \"C\" in the Artillery which was en-\ncamped in the Philippines. This soldier was dying from crushing\nblows inflicted upon his skull. It developed that the Battery had\nlearned that he was a homosexual and had set up a stool pigeon so\nthat this soldier could be caught \"red handed\". The end result was\nthat a number of fellow Battery soldiers at the proper moment entered\nthe tent and with pick handles blasted this fellow's head to a pulp.\nThis gives an indication of the indignation and repugnance that many\nrough soldiers in that Battery of mule artilleryment harbored in this\nconnection.\nI have forwarded to Medical Officers in the British and French\nMedical Service a questionnaire (copy inclosed) which amplifies the\nrequest made in your letter. The answers will be forwarded to you\nwhen received. I have been unable as yet to locate a satisfactory\nsource of information in the Italian Army Medical Service. I am sure\nto do so within a few days and will forward you the information, which\nmay be delayed, when I receive it.\nOROMO\nBUL\nLIBITY\nI am looking forward with a great interest to receiving the\ntranscripts of the early paragraphs on \"The Uneducated\". It is a\ncause of no little joy to me to learn that you are getting along\nwith the \"ineffectives\".\nWith good cheer to all, I am\nCordially,\nD. The Eisenhower\nHOWARD Major General, McC SNYDER USA\n(MC)\nDr. Eli Ginzberg\nGraduate School of Business\nColumbia University\nNew York, New York"
}