Eleanor Roosevelt – My Day (Dec. 1941)

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December 24, 1941

Washington, Tuesday –
I was late arriving at the Office of Civilian Defense yesterday morning because, the President who has been very mysterious as to what was going to happen over these holidays, finally decided to tell me that the British Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill, and his party were arriving sometime in the late afternoon or evening. It had not occurred to him that this might require certain moving of furniture to adapt rooms to the purposes for which the Prime Minister wished to use them.

Before all the orders were finally given, it was 10:00 and I was late at my office, and half an hour late in getting back to the White House for my press conference. I caught up after that and was only five minutes late in reaching the Salvation Army Headquarters at 2:00. We had the usual Christmas celebration there.

From there I went to the meeting of the American Committee for British Catholic Relief. Justice Murphy presided and Father D’Arcy read some interesting excerpts from letters, which showed great appreciation and gratitude for the efforts of the American Catholics to help their friends overseas.

Back to the office from that meeting, I talked with a series of people until it was time to go to one of the alley Christmas trees. These parties are sponsored by the Washington Federation of Churches, and every evening this week, there will be a gathering singing carols around a little lighted Christmas tree in an alley.

I returned to the White House at 6:15 and waited to greet our distinguished guest. The President had gone to the airport to meet him and they did not come back till 7:00. After a few minutes conversation and a very belated cup of tea, we all went to our rooms to get ready for dinner. The only other people at dinner were Secretary of State and Mrs. Hull, Under Secretary of State and Mrs. Welles, and Lord and Lady Halifax.

The gentlemen all gathered together in the President’s study after dinner. The ladies were left to talk a little while, and then to go home. They sent their cars back to wait for their husbands. I did a couple of hours work on the mail before finishing the day.

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December 25, 1941

Washington –
There are few homes in this country or probably anywhere in the world where this will be a merry Christmas. Germany, from whence once came so many of the most delightful Christmas customs, which we all observe, can hardly observe them this year with much merriment. For years the German nation has been sacrificing for what at best could be but a very empty victory. The control of other peoples through fear and force, can never bring any real satisfaction.

And now the sacrifices are likely to be not only greater than ever before, but to have less meaning, because instead of victory, there are the rumblings of a slow but sure defeat.

I am more concerned at this time with the hope that we in this country may preserve the spirit which lies back of Christmas and remember above everything else that when wars cease goodwill to men must be paramount in our minds and in our actions. Without the ability on our part to keep free of bitterness towards the peoples of the world, we cannot hope to build a new order which shall give to peoples an opportunity to live together in peace and justice, and yet control the aspirations which men may have for power when they are at the heads of governments, and are not too responsive to the voice of their people.

In the Christmas story, there is much food for thought for all of us, and in the whole New Testament, which tells the story of a perfect life, I think there are to be found some principles of conduct which may perhaps be wise guides for our own conduct in these coming years. Because we expect to come out of this struggle still a strong nation and able to help other nations to build up their resources again, we will have to watch ourselves and remain willing to serve, but not to control. This is no easy role to play, and it seems to me that much of our ability to carry it through rests with the younger generation and their understanding of the value placed by Christ on the individual. He never asked the race, the creed or the color of any individual when He could ameliorate their lot in any way.

If at this Christmas season we can think of this whole story as a guide to our own future conduct as individuals and as a nation, we may be able to bring about a world in which there is:

Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.

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December 26, 1941

Washington, Thursday –
Yesterday, I started the morning at 9:00, by saying a word at the Capitol Theatre, where the Central Union Mission always holds a children’s Christmas party. The children seemed very jolly and happy. I am always surprised at their patience, for one would expect little children to clamor for their presents.

Instead, they sat quietly in their seats and listened to the speeches and joined in singing the carols before anyone suggested that they come up to get their Christmas gifts. I suppose it is long habit with them, but it never seems quite natural to me, even now.

Afterwards, I went over to Arlington, Va., where the Kiwanis Club held their children’s party. Then I spent an hour and a half at the Office of Civilian Defense to clean up the most essential work. I left there at 11:30 and hoped that the office staff could get through what was left to do and have a little time for their own Christmas preparations.

At 1:30, I went to the Volunteers of America, where they give out big and generous baskets of food every Christmas. General Maud Ballington Booth was present and made a very eloquent short speech.

Back at the White House to work until 4:00, when the party is held in the East Room, for all those who are around us in the house. This is the one occasion when we have an opportunity to see the children. I am always much interested, for even a year will bring about great changes in the young members of a family.

Some youngsters who took no interest in shaking hands with the President a year ago, seem suddenly to have acquired a realization that seeing him is an event. They stand wide-eyed and look at him, whereas a year ago their eyes were riveted on the Christmas tree. Carrying out his promise, the President had the ceremony surrounding the lighting of the municipal Christmas tree held on the White House lawn, and spoke from the South Portico.

This morning we all went to the church service, held under the auspices of the Federation of Churches.

The Prime Minister of England said to me that Christmas, or any other holiday, must give way to the necessities of work in the world as it is today, and I can well realize that this is so. These necessities are certainly bound to make a difference in any household where responsibilities for the world situation are centered. For that reason, I think this has been a very unusual day. In the White House we were conscious of the need to stress the spiritual side of this celebration. There can be no merriment or joy, but we can pray to grow in the spirit of goodwill to men.

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December 27, 1941

Washington, Friday –
Last night we had a rather large gathering of various family groups at Christmas dinner. The number of cousins was really quite amusing. I think the complications of family relationships, as regards my husband and myself, became completely baffling to our English guests. I tried to explain to Lord Beaverbrook, what relation my husband is to Mrs. Theodore Douglas Robinson, and I think at the end he was as mystified as if I had never attempted an explanation!

When you tell someone, that the lovely lady sitting opposite him is your husband’s half-niece, that she married your first cousin, and that he was her sixth cousin, whereas you are married to your fifth cousin once removed, and are also her sixth cousin and that her children, in order to simplify life, say “Uncle Franklin and Auntie Eleanor,” when the relationship is really only that of a half great-uncle; you may well imagine that you have led anyone, no matter how great his interest in genealogy, through a maze from which there is no emerging!

Field Marshal Sir John Dill, celebrated his birthday as well as Christmas here last night. I wish I had known sooner, for I would certainly have provided him with a birthday cake.

A few old friends were here with us as usual, and we drank the usual toasts to absent family and friends, adding one toast in tribute to our British guests. After dinner, we had newsreels, featuring both the Prime Minister and the President, and then sang some Christmas carols together before saying goodnight and letting the President, the Prime Minister and Lord Beaverbrook go back to work again.

I was a little late at the office this morning on purpose. My office force, however, was all there ahead of me. So many people left Washington for the weekend, that there was comparatively little to do.

After clearing up the mail and seeing one or two members of the staff, I listened on the radio to the Prime Minister’s speech in the Senate, and then came home to a late luncheon. I am planning to devote the afternoon to telling some of the kind people who sent me Christmas gifts how much I am enjoying them.

It will be quite impossible for me, of course, to thank the many people who have sent the President and me Christmas cards and telegrams, but I want to say here how grateful we are for their thoughts & the confidence and affection which so many of them expressed.

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December 29, 1941

Washington, Sunday –
A few people came in to tea on Friday afternoon. The President worked right through with the Prime Minister and others, so we were late for an 8:00 dinner. The President made up his mind that they had all worked enough and needed relaxation, so we had a movie, which apparently was just the right thing for the occasion. It was called The Maltese Falcon, and as far as I could discover was a mixture between an old-fashioned melodrama and a detective story.

I had to work and wasn’t quite sure that I was up to anything so exciting as this movie promised to be. I joined the party at the end of the picture and found everybody completely restored to working capacity. They had really been engrossed in the picture and were then able to turn back and to go to work for another hour or so.

I have promised Diana Hopkins every day that I would go swimming with her, but guests and baskets of mail have kept me from fulfilling my promise. Before breakfast Saturday morning, we went down to the pool and I discovered that she has learned to dive and do all kinds of tricks in the water, which is a great improvement in the past year.

I spent nearly two hours yesterday morning with some of the officials of the Bureau of the Budget over the estimates for the coming three months for the Office of Civilian Defense. Then a number of people came to lunch, among them Dr. John Studebaker, Commissioner of Education.

He has such an extended program for forums all over the country, that I wanted to discuss with him the possibilities which lie ahead in education through forum groups in matters relating to civilian defense.

It is evident that a great many people do not yet grasp the fact that civilian defense can not really be accomplished by adding auxiliary police and firemen to our existing forces, or even by appointing air raid wardens. There are some things which we can learn from England, different as our setup must, of necessity, be.

If we should ever be unfortunate enough, for instance, to have a bombing, the protection side of civilian defense will be very quickly swamped by the need for community services of every kind. The Red Cross will provide many of these services, but it meets the first emergency and then the community service must step in to meet the continuous needs of the people.

As the months go on, we shall understand increasingly that the strength of our communities under the impact of war is only at its maximum when every individual has a part to play, and every need is met whether it is material, psychological or spiritual.

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December 30, 1941

Minneapolis, Minn., Monday –
I left Washington early yesterday morning and went straight to Philadelphia to see our new little grandson, who was just a week old yesterday. He is a little bit darker as to hair and complexion than Franklin III was at his age. But changes are rapid in these first few weeks. I suppose I may be forgiven for thinking him a very charming baby.

I was happy to see my daughter-in-law and this baby, who is to remain nameless until his father gets home to see him and to share in choosing his name. I have a suspicion that both of them would have welcomed a little daughter. But that old superstition that boys predominate in wartime has held good in this case. And, of course, I think when a baby arrives, everyone is always happy with whatever sex the good Lord sends.

I returned to New York City in time for lunch and I am planning to spend a little while thinking out problems of organization. We have, in my department in the Office of Civilian Defense a number of divisions reaching out through the regional bureaus down to the community level. I am convinced, however, that we need one overall planning group, and two other groups to meet those needs by the use of every available agency, public and private. This overall planning group will tie in all the other divisions and use them to the best advantage, besides working closely with the civilian protection organization. The whole picture will be able to meet new needs and unexpected demands as well as those situations which already exist.

I have always held that a good organization should function in whatever way you planned it to function. In this particular case, I think it important for the heads of the Office of Civilian Defense to keep in close touch with the regional offices and to see as much of different localities as possible.

The day when I shall be satisfied that my small part of the Civilian Defense Office will go on, whether I am on hand or not, has not yet come. I feel sure that it will soon be accomplished, particularly with the able leadership heading up the various divisions, and all the people who have been my close assistants working with Mrs. Henry Morgenthau Jr.

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December 31, 1941

Washington, Tuesday –
On Sunday evening I left New York City for Minneapolis, Minn., for I had promised some time ago to spend a little while at the convention held there by the National Student Federation. This organization is composed of the elected heads of student government bodies and can be of great value in directing the thought and activities of these young college people, many of whom are going to be leaders of their generation.

I read an editorial written by Dr. Alvin Johnson, the Director of the New School for Social Research, in New York City, in their bi-weekly bulletin, and I could not help thinking how valuable a stimulus to young people this type of short article might be. I hope that many of the publications reaching them will reprint this editorial.

The outstanding thought in it is, that in the past, at the end of periods of great crisis, we have tried to reconstitute the past and we have never been successful. Two short sentences point the way to the future:

The physicists have discovered the possibility of penetrating the black fog of London with infra-red rays. Reason is, after all, a kind of infra-red ray.

We should use our reason to understand the meaning of the past and to shape our action in the future. We have learned what not to do. Have we the courage and foresight to begin to build a new order when this crisis is over?

Since mentioning Mr. Louis Adamic’s Two-Way Passage, I have finished the book. I thought it showed keen insight into the various strains which make up the United States. Whether his plan for a two-way passage is possible, just as he describes it, or not, only time will show. One thing is sure, this two-way passage must serve to interpret what we have accomplished in this nation by way of goodwill and better understanding.

This puts upon us in this country, a tremendous responsibility to live up to our theories of democracy and make them a reality in every part of our own country. We must live down our prejudices whatever they may be, and be sure that we make every act of ours conform to our Bill of Rights, and to the highest ideals of a democratic nation.