July 2014 Auction Ends Thursday, July 31st, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/31/2014
Lot of 10 Dwight D. Eisenhower typed letters signed, half of them as President on White House stationery. Letters are signed ''Ike'', ''D.E.'' or ''Dwight'', ranging from 1942 through 1967, representing several stages of his career from Republican nominee to President-Elect and President. Each candid correspondence is addressed to the President's older brother Edgar. The earliest letter is dated 1 May 1942, on ''War Department'' letterhead. Letter was written just before Eisenhower's departure to London as Commanding General of the European Theater of Operations. Letter reads in part: ''...I will continue to send my monthly check to Roy in the assurance that it will get to Mother at normal intervals. Mamie is extremely well, for her; and Johnny seems to be pursuing a normal course at West Point...'' As Republican Presidential nominee, he discusses his political reservations as the November election looms, ''...This whole political business is very confusing. It is scarcely possible to propose a question or problem that does not instantly receive a dozen different answers -- each colored by the thinking in the area in which a particular individual lives, or by the group in which he earns his livelihood...'' Once in the White House as President, he writes, ''...I am not, however, quite as jaundiced about the American people as you seem to imply you are; on the contrary my faith in them is one of my greatest strengths...'' One revealing letter is labeled ''Personal and Confidential'', reading in part: ''...I assure you that I simply cannot act as the final referee in every case where there arise differences of opinion between groups of people and responsible heads of governmental departments. Every day there is a flood of controversial questions coming in to Washington. They involved dams, roads, post offices, ports, harbors, every conceivable kind of appointment, individuals already in government, and a thousand other instances of differences of opinion...'' Another notable letter as President reads, ''...Tradition, politics, and a great deal of ignorance in critical quarters combine to prevent a truly efficient organization of the President's office. I assure you, to compare with what was here eight months ago, we are now a model of smooth operation...'' After leaving office he writes in 1965, ''...we believe that trends to socialism and communism will be halted better by positive thinking and by an alert citizenry...'' Two years later he writes of his famous regret over his appointment of Chief Justice Earl Warren, ''...I would have no objection at all if you tell exactly how you felt about the appointment of Governor Warren. You might point out that this is one of the cases when you were completely correct...'' Eisenhower once famously remarked that his appointment of Warren was ''the biggest damned-fool mistake I ever made.'' Most letters are a single page with two running two pages. Creasing from folding and filing holes to the top edges of some. Near fine overall.
Lot of 10 Dwight Eisenhower Letters Signed -- 5 as President -- ''...Every day there is a flood of controversial questions coming in to Washington...instances of differences of opinion...''
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