“NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I SEEN THINGS MOVING IN THE WORLD WITH MORE CROSS CURRENTS OR WITH GREATER VELOCITY.   UP TO THE LAST SUMMER I WAS WILLING TO MAKE MENTAL BETS THAT SUCH AND SUCH A THING WOULD HAPPEN AND SUCH AND SUCH A THING WOULD NOT HAPPEN.   TODAY, HOWEVER, I HAVE STOPPED BEING A MENTAL BOOKMAKER BECAUSE SO MANY HORSES ARE SCRATCHED AND SO MANY OTHER HORSES BECOME ADDED STARTERS EACH TWENTY-FOUR HOURS THAT WE ARE NOT EVEN CERTAIN THAT THE TRAINERS, JOCKEYS AND SPECTATORS MAY NOT END UP IN A ‘FREE-FOR-ALL’ FIGHT IN WHICH THE GRANDSTAND WILL BE BURNED DOWN AND MOST OF THE SPECTATORS, HORSES, TRAINERS AND JOCKEYS GO TO THE HOSPITAL OR THE CEMETERY!  WHAT A DAY WE HAVE TO LIVE IN!

ROOSEVELT, FRANKLIN DELANO.  (1882 – 1945).  Thirty-second President of the United States (1933-45).  Simply stunning, and highly revealing, Typed Letter Signed, “Franklin D. Roosevelt”, as President, on imprinted The White House stationery.  One full page, quarto.  Washington, D.C.,  March 25, 1939.  Excellent condition.  To “Miss Gertrude Ely, Wyndham Barn, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.” Ely (1876–1970) a remarkable woman in her own right, was an American philanthropist, who was decorated for her bravery during World War I;  she was active in many feminist and cultural organizations; her associates included President William H. Taft, Jane Addams, journalist Dorothy Thompson, Albert Einstein, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt., and her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Written just 10 days after the Nazi Anschluss of Austria, and 3 days before Dictator Francisco Franco captures Madrid (thus ending the Spanish Civil War), and 5 months before Germany was to invade Poland thereby starting WWII, Roosevelt writes candidly of his observations and the perplexity of the world situation that was laid before him.   Headed ‘Personal’, F.D.R. writes:

 

“Dear Gertrude:-  Many thanks for the note. Never in my life have I seen things moving in the world with more cross currents or with greater velocity. Up to the last summer I was willing to make mental bets that such and such a thing would happen and such and such a thing would not happen. Today, however, I have stopped being a mental bookmaker because so many horses are scratched and so many other horses become added starters each twenty-four hours that we are not even certain that the trainers, jockeys and spectators may not end up in a “free-for-all” fight in which the grandstand will be burned down and most of the spectators, horses, trainers and jockeys go to the hospital or the cemetery! What a day we have to live in! Always sincerely, Franklin D. Roosevelt”.

 

Simply stunning and highly revealing content.  Over the last 45+ years, we have had the privilege of offering some of the finest American Presidential autographs and letters.  This letter, certainly ranks among them!  One of our “Best of the Best” ™                                     

 

$24,000.00