Letter from Harry S. Truman to Eleanor Roosevelt

NST-117 Truman, H. by THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON August 22, 1950 Dear Mrs. Roosevelt: I share all of the apprehension expressed in your recent letter about Korea and particularly the bad effect of much of the news during the earlier weeks on the morale of nothers and wives in this country. I read very carefully Homer Bigart's story in the NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE to which you called attention. I checked the Bigart story with no less an authority than General Bradley himself. He told me Bigart's assertion that our men were called upon to fight with old and defective equipment was untrue. That had been my understanding and I was glad to have General Bradley's confirmation. That is more reassuring is that adequate forces and supplies are now being built up which will enable the situation to be stabilized in Korea. This should prevent serious re- currences of other events as reported by Mr. Bigart and other correspondents and I know the news from Korea will be increas- ingly acceptable from now onwards. Nevertheless I fervently wish that some of ny top men would learn the old, old lesson about the golden quality of silence. I share wholeheartedly your view that we must open the United Nations Assembly with a strong pronouncement on our plans for peace. We must not leave the initiative to Moscow. I an grateful to you for writing as you did. I hope you will profit from your stay in Campobello. Faithfully yours Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Val-Kill Cottage, Hyde Park, New York.