Roosevelt Papers Opened To Public

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23207, 20 March 1950, Page 5

Roosevelt Papers Opened To Public

NEW YORK, March 17.

Personal and political papers of the late President Franklin Roosevelt revealed today that two days before the attack on Pearl Harbour he invited the late Mr. Wendell Willkie to go to New Zealand and Australia as his personal representative. President Roosevelt warned Mr. Willkie that the Japanese situation was “definitely serious” and the next four or five days would decide whether an' armed clash might develop. President Roosevelt dictated a letter on December 5, 1941, but it was not sent to Mr. Willkie until December 8. President Roosevelt had added a postscript saying: “This was dictated on Friday morning—-long ' before this vile attack started.” In the letter President Roosevelt told Mr. • Willkie it would give him very great pleasure if Mr. Willkie would care to make a short trip to New Zealand and Australia. President Roosevelt said he would give Mr. Willkie, as the special representative of the President, letters to the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia. President Roosevelt said: “It would be of real value to cement our relations with New Zealand and Australia and would be useful not only now but in the future.” The invitation to Mr. Willkie came nine months after Mr. Willkie had completed a wartime visit to Britain, Russia and other countries from which emerged his “one world” policy. President Roosevelt's private papers at Hyde Park were opened today for public research. They included letters to kings, world statesmen and men in every walk of life, in one of the vital eras of history. About 85 per cent of all the letters and other personal papers ho wrote were released. The rest were withheld for another 25 years because they might embarrass persons still alive or affect United States relations with other nations.