The Pittsburgh Press (September 5, 1944)
GOP protests letter given to soldiers
President’s message called political
By Charles T. Lucey, Scripps-Howard staff writer
Washington –
All members of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps serving overseas have been given a letter from President Roosevelt either on shipboard or after arriving on foreign soil, it was disclosed today.
A White House spokesman acknowledged that political capital may be made of the letter, but he insisted it was wholly without political intent. A large percentage of the more than four million troops overseas is expected to vote in the November election.
Asked for letter
The White House explained that the War Department in February 1942 had asked for a letter from Mr. Roosevelt to be given overseas troops, and the spokesman commented that at such an early date in the war Mr. Roosevelt certainly did not know he would be in a presidential campaign in 1944.
The letter is on White House stationery, and bears a facsimile of Mr. Roosevelt’s signature. It emphasizes the importance of the fight Americans are making and concludes with the statement that, “You bear with you the hope, the confidence, the gratitude and the prayers of your family, your fellow citizens and your President.”
Message in 1917
When it was suggested that proponents of Governor Thomas E. Dewey’s candidacy might think that, as a presidential candidate opposing the President, he should also have the right of a personal message to overseas troops, the White House official commented that Mr. Dewey would be able to if he had been elected President a couple years ago. The President, it was pointed out, is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Belief was expressed that President Wilson had written a similar letter to U.S. troops in 1917. But the message, carried by Governor R. L. Beekman of Rhoda Island was delivered on Nov. 13, 1917, after the off-year elections here.
The White House spokesman acknowledged that the letter “and a lot of other things” may be seen as having political intent between now and the election.
Text of letter
Addressed “to members of the United States Army Expeditionary Forces,” the text of the letter follows:
You are a soldier of the United States Army.
You have embarked for distant places where the war is being fought.
Upon the outcome depends the freedom of your lives; the freedom of the lives of those you love – your fellow citizens – your people.
Never were the enemies of freedom more tyrannical, more arrogant, more brutal.
Yours is a God-fearing, proud, courageous people, which, throughout its history, has put its freedom under God before all other purposes.
We who stay at home have our duties to perform – duties owed in many parts to you. You will be supported by the whole force and power of this nation. The victory you win will be a victory of all the people – common to them all.
You bear with you the hope, the confidence, the gratitude and the prayers of your family, your fellow citizens and your President.
The letter recalled the fact that distributions of material alleged to be of political nature to U.S. troops has been the subject of one of Washington’s most heated controversies in recent weeks. Well-known books and magazines were barred by the Army until the law covering this matter was liberalized.