Transcription
AIR MAIL December 16, 1947
Mrs Milton W Harrison
56 Highland Circle
Bronxville, New York
Dearest Irene:
I am so glad that I talked with you over the phone when I was in New York and particularly glad that it was possible for Milt and me to get together for a few hours up in my room.
Your ears must have burned around seven o’clock last Friday night because the tribute paid to you by your husband in the course of our conversation was one of the most sincere, spontaneous and moving tributes to a wife that I have ever heard. Whether you know it or not, you are a great sustaining force in Milton’s life, as I suspect also he is in yours - a fact, no doubt, fully appreciated by each of you in the times of stress and strain thru which you have gone in the past and are going now.
Milt is a great soul – truly great – because of his great capacity for faith, hope, courage and love, and all I can hope and pray for the two of you is that in the end these qualities will bring you thru these trying times and into calmer, more care-free, brighter and happier days, which certainly the two of you justly deserve if any two do.
Milt told me at some length about how his plans were shaping up. The idea that he is endeavoring to promote is a big, worth-while and important one and he is going about its promotion carefully, thoughtfully and thoroly [sic]. If the promotion succeeds and the idea takes hold, there is no doubt in my mind but that it will grow and prosper and be of inestimable benefit not only to millions of people but, what is more important, to the well-being of the American way of life itself.
Also, if the promotion succeeds, so long as Milton lives your daily living problems will be amply provided for, so everything depends on whether Milton is successful in the promotion of the idea. If he finds it impossible to promote the idea, then of course it will be necessary for him to seek another solution to the problem of providing for the living expenses of his family. What I am trying to say is that the idea is good; the sole question is whether he can sell it so as to obtain the financial support needed to develop and make it increasingly effective.
With regard to this latter point, there at least is one noteworthy element and that is that it should not take him long after the first of the year to find out whether it is possible to obtain the financial support necessary to develop the idea, so that at least that matter can be resolved in the not far distant future and the course decided from there on.
I discussed with Milton the matter of his accounting with Father and ascertained from him his opinion that the accounting was considerably inaccurate. He stated, however, that as far as he was concerned it was a closed book and that he wanted to assure me that he would never file or assert any claims with the brothers and sisters with regard to it, as he had no regrets for what he had done in the past to be of help, irrespective of how it affected him financially, and was devoid of any feeling of animosity or resentment toward anyone because of the inaccurate accounting had. He stated that if any fault existed the fault was his in not conducting his business relationships on a more precise basis, but that in any event the net result was good for Father and the family, and that was all that mattered now.
I told Milton that I had discussed the subject with the brothers in conjunction with establishing a sound basis of accounting for the liquidation and distribution of the family’s properties, and they were of like mind in that they all felt that no satisfactory final distribution could be made until a fair accounting had been completed with Milt, as otherwise they would feel inescapably that some of the distribution received by them did not in fact belong to them but belonged to him, and that under such circumstances they would not feel right about it.
I told Milt that in order to get this matter straightened out it would obviously be necessary first to effect a re-audit of all the principal transactions that transpired between him and Father, and that obviously such re-audit could not be properly accomplished without full and complete assistance from Milt, as such assistance would be necessary to round out and complete Father’s records. I asked him, therefore, if he would be willing to lend such assistance in order to effect a sound reconciliation and a basis for proceeding with an equitable liquidation and distribution of all the assets involved, and he told me that he would be glad to lend his assistance just as soon as he was able to, but that obviously at the present time it was out of the question as his first and most important task was to reestablish his earning power thru the promotion of the idea on which he is working.
As I am certain that the success or failure of the original promotion of his idea will be determined within the next 60 days, I agreed with Milt that the thing to do was to wait a while before asking him to help us get started on the accounting matter, to which he assented; hence we will have to let that ride thru January and probably February before we can again revive it and proceed to get down to business with regard to it.
I then told Milton that I was much concerned with regard to the pressing day-to-day problems that you and he must have, and asked him to please not hesitate to tell me what the situation was and what his requirements were. This he refrained from doing, avoiding my probing by saying that he was borrowing no money; that you and he have been able to effect drastic economies and reduction of living expenses; and that for the time being at least you were getting by all right.
I told Milt that I hoped if the worse came to worst he would realize that your brothers would want to help you in every way possible in the same way that he had stepped into the breach in the past, and that he would not hesitate to inform us of his extremities and situation should the need arise, which he assured me he would do, but expressed confidence in his ability to work out the problem without calling upon us for additional help.
As previously stated, I could not help but have tremendous admiration for his spirit, which remains strong and intact in spite of all the severe blows, disappointments and disillusionments to which it has been subjected. I still say that your husband is a great soul, whether others agree with me or not, and all I can wish for him and for all of you is the best of good fortune in the years that lie ahead.
Just one other matter and then I must stop. I spoke to Harriet about your suggestion that we make the window presentation to Father Christmas Eve and that I had told you that I felt that Christmas Eve was out but that it could be effected earlier at 5:00 P M before supper, but when it was dark enough for the candles and carolers to make the scene effective. When I told this to Harriet she roundly took me to task for being so forgetful, reminding me that at five o’clock her mother, Bob and Mardie, Margy, John, the Bud Saalfields, the Bob Saalfield Juniors, and respective offspring, plus the Humphreys, were all arriving at our home for a Christmas celebration and Christmas Eve dinner, so that any such activity as you suggested was completely out of consideration for us. She agreed that Father would probably have enough excitement over Christmas to make it advisable to present him with the window on Christmas Eve, and suggested you leave us out of the presentation, utilizing your, Willard’s, Franklin’s, and Frederick’s families for that occasion – which struck me as sensible, although I would dearly love to be there to see Father’s reaction to this most unusual Christmas present, as well as to participate in the festivities on that occasion.
If this does not seem advisable to you, then she suggests that the matter be put off until Christmas afternoon when the same procedure can be followed, only with the entire family present – cousins and all. Certainly as the last event following Santa Claus’s departure, it would be a real surprise indeed. At all events it is certain that we are out of any celebration or presentation on the afternoon or evening before Christmas, so you make such plans as best suit all, and it will be agreeable with us, however it works out.
With much love –
Devotedly
Pen
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