Bred into us was a prejudice for liberalism. My father is a great idealist, with such a magnificent faith in human goodness that he is continually being duped. He is vitally interested in social and economic problems and has a radical individualistic philosophy while being fervently pro-Roosevelt.
Mother is more realistic, but less concerned with liberty and the fate of mankind.
Father has supported himself since he was ten, with negligible financial success. He was a brilliant mathematics student when he attended Cooper Union at night, while working in a pocketbook factory ,and his dearest hope was to become a math teacher. In order to make a living, however, he has tried real estate, engineering and numerous schemes always trying to become his own boss, but never succeeding. He has no interests outside of his family work and politics. Be wants terribly to have his children the opportunities he missed and has always discouraged me from job-hunting.