home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
TIME: Almanac of the 20th Century
/
TIME, Almanac of the 20th Century.ISO
/
1940
/
40eroose.003
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-02-27
|
2KB
|
57 lines
<text>
<title>
(1940s) My Day in the South Pacific
</title>
<history>Time-The Weekly Magazine-1940s Highlights</history>
<article>
<source>Time Magazine</source>
<hdr>
TIME Magazine
September 13, 1943
My Day in the South Pacific
</hdr>
<body>
<p> Until last week Australians and New Zealanders could
truthfully say that they had a good idea of what the U.S.
citizen was like: they had met him, in good season and bad, in
all his types--from Admiral William Halsey Jr. and General
Douglas MacArthur to the G.I.s in the bars. But last week they
met another U.S. citizen as different and astonishing to them
as the koala, platypus, kiwi, wombat and dingo had been to their
forbears.
</p>
<p> She was a forthright, energetic, middle-aged lady and she
was more exciting than anything the antipodes had seen in many
a down-under moon. Eleanor Roosevelt, the first lady of the
U.S., leaving New Zealand breathless and charmed by her
energetic gusto, flew on to Australia.
</p>
<p> Eight thousand miles from Washington, she told of a
conversation between herself and her husband one night in the
White House elevator:
</p>
<p> Said Franklin Roosevelt: "I think it would be well for you
to go to the islands and Australia."
</p>
<p> Said Eleanor Roosevelt: "When?"
</p>
<p> Said the President: "I haven't decided yet."
</p>
<p> If Franklin Roosevelt was looking for an ambassador of good
will, he could have made no better selection. Indefatigable
Eleanor Roosevelt attended receptions, teas, dinners, visited
U.S. servicemen in hospitals and clubs, saw noted Pohutu Geyser
at Rotorua, N.Z., autographed a wounded marine's leg bandage,
got christened "Queen of the Great Democracy" by Maori
chieftains, won friends and influenced people everywhere by her
untiring kindness.
</p>
<p> Unofficial or not, overactive (as many U.S. citizens
believe) or not, Eleanor Roosevelt proved herself top-flight in
the business of making the U.S. liked by the world.
</p>
</body>
</article>
</text>