First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt Writes About Relief Efforts For The Greek Famine During World War Ii

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT (1884-1962). The wife of FDR, Roosevelt was First Lady of the United States from 1933-1945, as well as a noted humanitarian throughout her life. TLS. 1pg. January 6, 1944. The White House. A typed letter signed “Eleanor Roosevelt” as First Lady, dated during World War Two. On White House letterhead, Roosevelt wrote to about the problem of providing relief to Greeks who were starving due to a war-related famine. “Dear Mrs. Butler: I have your letter and a copy of Senate Resolution 100. Such a resolution would have no value. Everyone would like to be able to feed the people of Europe. The State Department and Governor Lehman’s committee are doing everything they can. The pattern for Greece cannot be followed because Greece has nothing the Germans could take out. The difficulties of transportation add greatly to the problem. It is heartbreking [sic] to think of starving children and I know every effort is being made to work out some plan which will not prolong the war. Very sincerely yours, Eleanor Roosevelt”. Lehman refers to former Governor of New York Herbert Lehman, who was working with the State Department and United Nations on such relief efforts. The letter is in very good condition, with some folds.