Evening star., 1944-07-11
Roosevelt, Honnegon Letters
President Soys He Will Serve If Elected,
But Would Prefer to Retire to Private Life

IiSSioSHt SoyS '<
| But Would Prefer |
The tert OF President Roose-
Delt'S letter to Democratic Na-
tiondl Chairman Robert E. Han
| negan announcing he Dould &C
cept a fourth term il nominated:
Dear Mr.. Hannegan:
You have written me that in ac-
cordance with the records a ma
jority of the delegates have been
directed to vote for my renomina-
ton for the Office of President, and
l feel that I owe to you. in candor.
a simple statement of my position
If the convention should carry
this out, and nominate me for the
presidency, I shall accept. If the
people elect me. I will serve.
Every one of our sons serving in
this war has officers from whom he
takes his orders. Such officers have
superior officers. The President is
the Commander in Chief and he.
too, has his superior officer-the
people of the United States.
l would accept and serve, but I
would not run, in the usual partisan.
political sense. But if the people
command me to continue in this
office and in this war, I have as
little right to withdraw as the SOL
dier has to leave his post in the line.
At the same time, I think I have
a right to say to you and to the dele
gates to the coming convention
something which is personal-purely
personal.
For myself. I do not want to run.
By nAxtx spring, I shall have been
Presfdef1t and comma nder in chief
of the armed forces for IL years
three times elected by the people Of
this country under the American
constitutional system.
From the personal point of view,
I believe that our economic system
is on a sounder. more human basis
than it was at the time of my first
Inauguration.
1t is perhaps unnecessary to say
that have thought only of the good
of the American people Ny princi-
pal objective, as you know, has been
the protection of the rights and
privileges and fortunes of what has
been 50 we'll called the average Of
American citizens. =
After many years of public serv-
ice, therefore. my personal thoughts
have turned to the day when 1 could
return to civil life. All that is with
in me cries out to 60 back to my
home on the Hudson River. to avoid
public responsibilities, and to avoid
also the publicity which in our de-
mocracy follows every step Of. the
Nations Chief Executive.
Such would be my choice. But
we of this generation chance to live
in day and hour when our Nation
has been attacked. and when its
future existence and the future ex-
istence of our chosen method of
government are at stake.
To win this war Fundamentally, un-
equivocally and as quickly as we can
is our task of the first Importance.
To win this war in such way that
there be no further world wars in
the foreseeable future is our second
objective. To provide occupati tions,
and to provide a decent standard of
living for our men in the armed
forces after the war. and for all
Americans, are the final objectives.
Therefore, reluctantly. but as a
good soldier, I repeat that I will
accept and serve in this office, if
am so ordered by the commander
in chief of us all-the sovereign
people of the United States.
Very sincerely yours,
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
The tert OF the letter Uritten
to Mr.. Roosevelt by Mr.. Hanne-
gan, dated July 10:
Dear Mr.. President:
| As chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, it is my duty on
behalf OF the committee to present
for its consideration a temporary
roll of the delegates for the national
convention. which will convene in
Chicago on July 10, 1914
/ The national committee has re-
ceived from the State officials of the
Democratic party certification of the
action of the State conventions and
the primaries in those States which
select delegates in that manner.
Based upon these official certifi-
cations to the national committee
1 desire to report to you that more
than clear majority of the dele
gates to the national convention are
legally bound by the action of their
constituents to cast their ballots for
your nomination as President OF
the United States. This action in
the several States is a reflection OF
the wishes of the vast majority OF
the American people that you con-
tinue as President in this critical
period in the Nations history.
I feel, therefore, Mr.. President
that it is my duty as chairman OF
the Democratic National Committee
to report to you the fact that the
national convention will during its
deliberations in Chicago tender tt
you the nomination of the party az
it Is the solemn belief of the rank
and file of Democrats, as well a.
many other Americans, that the
Nation and the world need the con.
tinuation Of your leadership.
In view of the foregoing, I woulc
respectfully request that you senc
RESORTS.
ATLANTIC CITY. N. J.