Evening star., 1941-08-01
An American Mother
Writes the President
Hopes for Peace, but Pledges
Loyalty Of Self and Five
Sons If War Comes
To the Editor OF The Star:

Sons if War Comes
To the Editor Of The Star:
am submitting for your considera-
ton the text of letter to the President
which is published in the July-August
issue of the Democratic Digest, publica-
ton of the women's division Of the
Democratic National Committee. 1t
seems to me that the letter. which
follows, is worthy of reprinting.
MY dear Mr.. President:
The other day a friend OF mine,
knowing that I am the mother OF Is
children, of whom are boys, asked me,
Mrs. Berry, how do you feel about your
sons going to war In case our country
becomes involved?'
Now, Mr.. President, I would like to
answer that question for you as I did
for that friend, and in answering / feel
that speak for the majority of Ameri-
can mothers.
Mr.. President, no mother could pos
sibly be in favor of war, especially one
who has five sons of war age, all OF
them, of course, the tallest, handsomest
boys that a mother ever had. War
means killing and no mother either
wants her sons to kill or be killed. War
means suffering and death and war Is
by nature opposed to motherhood. be-
cause motherhood means life.
But. Mr.. President, no mother,
especially no American mother, could be
blind to the fact that war may be nee
essary; necessary to preserve the in
tegrity of these United States of ours;
to defend our liberties under the Con-
stitution, to safeguard our institutions OF
law and religion. We know that there
are forces of tyranny and destruction at
large in Europe and in Asia, the triumph
of which might make even death itself
preferable to life. We know, sir, that
these forces menace and threaten our
ways of life even now, at least indirectly.
As to how real these dangers to our
country actually are and as to how far
we should go in meeting them, l am
not in a position to judge. You and
YOUR advisors in Washington and in
the far-f1ung outposts Of the world
know much better than I. and are,
therefore, in a much better position to
judge.
Mr.. President. you are already the
commander in chief of three of my boys
1t. James F. Berry. 1910 West Point
graduate, who received his wings at
Montgomery Field, Ala, and who is now
stationed at Orlando Air Base, Orlando,
Fla; Joseph L. Berry, midshipman at
Annapolis, that beautiful place in Mary
land where the Severn runs into the
bay, and Francis X. Berry, young doc
tor now in his final year of medicine
at Georgetown Medical School, Wash
ington, who has already joined the
Naval Reserves and expects to be called
into service just as soon as his course
is completed.
IT have two other sons of war age
Jack, who is a key man in our coal ana
heating business. who has not been
called vet, since he will be 80 years of
age this month, and William N. Berry,
ir.. a student for the priesthood at st.
Michaels Monastery, Union City. N. j.,
who is preparing himself to serve both
his God and his country.
MIR. President, if these boys are called
to defend their country, l want all OF
them to be brave and courageous soldiers
You need have no fear as to their loyalty
to you as their mmander-ln-Chlel
I am Justly proud of my sons who love
their country and who are both ready
and able to do their part In defending
it, should it be necessary.
"Mr. President. I pray daily for peace,
for some miraculous peace that will re-
store liberty and security to troubled
world. I am sure all mothers do. I
prav daily for you, that your policies Will
be guided by divine Providence and
bring this great land which We all love
safely through these perilous times. !
am sure all mothers do. I pray that
your advisors will lay always the correct
facts before you and that your con-
fidence in their trustworthiness and
abilities will not be misplaced. I am
sure all mothers do.
so, Mr.. President, we mothers stand
with you, fearfully, at the cross roads
of destiny. Shall 1t be war or peace?
We certainly hope that it won't be war
At the same time. we hope 1t won't
be the vast solitude which has fallen
over Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Hol-
land. Poland, France and all the other
little nations of Europe, a solitude which
the dictators call peace.
"Mr. President, feel that you will
not call upon my sons to fight an unjust
war or to become Don Quixotes, fight
ing windmills for vain, unimportant
things. I know you will ponder care
fully before adopting course that will
lead us into war. However, if, in your
opinion, such a course becomes nee
essary for the safety and security o1
this land and our future welfare, free
dom and independence, remember that
patriotism is not dead in the hearts oi
American mothers, nor in the hearts Of
their sons who are strong and brave
and free. ELIZABETH v. BERRY"
Greensboro, N. c.