ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. Typed letter signed ("Franklin D. Roosevelt"), as President, to J. David Stern Washington, 29 October 1943. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, with original envelope and carbon of 26 October 1943 letter from Stern to FDR .
ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. Typed letter signed ("Franklin D. Roosevelt"), as President, to J. David Stern Washington, 29 October 1943. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, with original envelope and carbon of 26 October 1943 letter from Stern to FDR . "THAT PAMPHLET ABOUT BILL BULLITT IS A MASS OF FALSEHOODS," Roosevelt tells Stern, the editor of the Phialdelphia Record . Stern wrote FDR on 26 October asking "Did Bill Bullitt surrender Paris to the Germans?" Bullitt was running for mayor of Philadelphia and his GOP opponents issued a pamphlet accusing him of helping "the Nazi troops occupy" Paris when Bullitt was American ambassador there. The pamphlet showed photos of Bullitt--also from his Paris days--meeting with Herman Goering (at the funeral of Marshal Pilsudski) and Marshal Pétain. Stern asks FDR for "a prompt confirmation or refutation" and Roosevelt defends Bullitt, saying: "He attended the funeral of Marshal Pilsudski as representative of the United States." As for supposedly surrendering Paris, FDR lauds Bullitt's decision to stay in the city in June 1940, rather than follow the fleeing government to Bordeaux. He did so "to save Paris and its civilian population from destruction and death." FDR calls the GOP smear tactic "rather unintelligent" and urges Stern to attack and expose it. This letter adds an intriguing wrinkle to the story--put forth most forcefully by Benjamin Welles in his biography of Sumner Welles (1997)--that Roosevelt detested Bullitt for exposing Welles's homosexuality and thereby forcing the President to dismiss a key foreign policy aid. FDR supposedly urged Bullitt to run for mayor of Philadelphia but, according to Welles's book, secretly urged Democratic party officials to "cut his throat" and insure his defeat.
ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. Typed letter signed ("Franklin D. Roosevelt"), as President, to J. David Stern Washington, 29 October 1943. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, with original envelope and carbon of 26 October 1943 letter from Stern to FDR .
ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. Typed letter signed ("Franklin D. Roosevelt"), as President, to J. David Stern Washington, 29 October 1943. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, with original envelope and carbon of 26 October 1943 letter from Stern to FDR . "THAT PAMPHLET ABOUT BILL BULLITT IS A MASS OF FALSEHOODS," Roosevelt tells Stern, the editor of the Phialdelphia Record . Stern wrote FDR on 26 October asking "Did Bill Bullitt surrender Paris to the Germans?" Bullitt was running for mayor of Philadelphia and his GOP opponents issued a pamphlet accusing him of helping "the Nazi troops occupy" Paris when Bullitt was American ambassador there. The pamphlet showed photos of Bullitt--also from his Paris days--meeting with Herman Goering (at the funeral of Marshal Pilsudski) and Marshal Pétain. Stern asks FDR for "a prompt confirmation or refutation" and Roosevelt defends Bullitt, saying: "He attended the funeral of Marshal Pilsudski as representative of the United States." As for supposedly surrendering Paris, FDR lauds Bullitt's decision to stay in the city in June 1940, rather than follow the fleeing government to Bordeaux. He did so "to save Paris and its civilian population from destruction and death." FDR calls the GOP smear tactic "rather unintelligent" and urges Stern to attack and expose it. This letter adds an intriguing wrinkle to the story--put forth most forcefully by Benjamin Welles in his biography of Sumner Welles (1997)--that Roosevelt detested Bullitt for exposing Welles's homosexuality and thereby forcing the President to dismiss a key foreign policy aid. FDR supposedly urged Bullitt to run for mayor of Philadelphia but, according to Welles's book, secretly urged Democratic party officials to "cut his throat" and insure his defeat.
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
