Margaret Woodrow Wilson to Francis B. Sayre Jr.
Title
Margaret Woodrow Wilson to Francis B. Sayre Jr.
Creator
Wilson, Margaret Woodrow, 1886-1944
Identifier
WWP19640
Date
1939-1942
Description
Margaret A. Wilson writes Francis B. Sayre with a request to have her passport extended for her upcoming trip to India.
Source
Eleanor Wilson McAdoo Papers, University of California, Santa Barbara
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Sayre family
Language
English
Text
Dearest Frank-
It was unalloyed joy to hear from you, as ever. And I appreciate with all my heart your seeing about my pass-port and so promptly. You and Father illustrate so beautifully the truth that real people are never too busy to do kind and thoughtful persons, especially the very busy and important ones. It is we people with leisure who are neglectful.
First so you will not wonder too long why I am returning the pass port. It is because the French visa therein is for one year only and the British visa for only six months, dated from this July. As I am going for an indefinite stay I should like the pass port and the visa to be made out for as long a time as they ever make them and renewable within that time. I have no idea how long I shall be in India but I would not be surprised if I stayed two years. If I do not stay there all that time it is not out of the question that I go to France or elsewhere in Europe to stay for a time. So dear Frank would it be a lot of trouble to have the pass port extended for as long a period as possible- I should say the visas as I suppose that the pass port is good as far as this country is concerned, the state department for two years, is it not? The British visa would be half expired by the time I take ship from Marseilles on the fifteenth of September! or at least by the time I get to India.
Now as to your dear invitation to come to Washington to talk over my trip. I would like nothing better than to drive to Washington with Betty and thus make my first acquaintance with her, but as I am staying here to do some work to the end of this week at least, that will not be possible. I am working with a friend here on a manuscript that a Hindu friend of ours has translated from the Bengali and she and I are correcting the English, and doing a little editing of it. It is fascinating work and I want to finish all I can on it before I leave for India on the sixth of September. The sailing date is settled for I have my reservations now. Is there a chance that you and Betty will stop in New York on your way to Martha's Vineyard in August? If there is will you let me know and both of you lunch or dine with me there? I shall be there off and on during August, and if you can let me know ahead of your coming I shall arrange to be there. I am really homesick for a sight of you and at least a short talk and it would be such fun to have a little time with you both together.
As to the Indian part of my trip these are the facts. As I am going to India with just one purpose to come in contact with those who have the kind of knowledge I want, my travelling will be limited and conditioned to that objective. Also I shall not be able to travel extensively there or elsewhere on account of my limited means. I have a general idea to where I can find the people or kind of people I want to meet in India so dear Frank I dont need much of a plan of travel. It touches me deeply that you should be so interested in helping me make plans and I shall call on Mr Higginbottom in India if I find that I need his advice. Thank you dearest Brother for you sympathetic interest. I am so glad that the British and Canadian agreements are near completion. What a valuable work you are doing. But I do hope that Betty
It was unalloyed joy to hear from you, as ever. And I appreciate with all my heart your seeing about my pass-port and so promptly. You and Father illustrate so beautifully the truth that real people are never too busy to do kind and thoughtful persons, especially the very busy and important ones. It is we people with leisure who are neglectful.
First so you will not wonder too long why I am returning the pass port. It is because the French visa therein is for one year only and the British visa for only six months, dated from this July. As I am going for an indefinite stay I should like the pass port and the visa to be made out for as long a time as they ever make them and renewable within that time. I have no idea how long I shall be in India but I would not be surprised if I stayed two years. If I do not stay there all that time it is not out of the question that I go to France or elsewhere in Europe to stay for a time. So dear Frank would it be a lot of trouble to have the pass port extended for as long a period as possible- I should say the visas as I suppose that the pass port is good as far as this country is concerned, the state department for two years, is it not? The British visa would be half expired by the time I take ship from Marseilles on the fifteenth of September! or at least by the time I get to India.
Now as to your dear invitation to come to Washington to talk over my trip. I would like nothing better than to drive to Washington with Betty and thus make my first acquaintance with her, but as I am staying here to do some work to the end of this week at least, that will not be possible. I am working with a friend here on a manuscript that a Hindu friend of ours has translated from the Bengali and she and I are correcting the English, and doing a little editing of it. It is fascinating work and I want to finish all I can on it before I leave for India on the sixth of September. The sailing date is settled for I have my reservations now. Is there a chance that you and Betty will stop in New York on your way to Martha's Vineyard in August? If there is will you let me know and both of you lunch or dine with me there? I shall be there off and on during August, and if you can let me know ahead of your coming I shall arrange to be there. I am really homesick for a sight of you and at least a short talk and it would be such fun to have a little time with you both together.
As to the Indian part of my trip these are the facts. As I am going to India with just one purpose to come in contact with those who have the kind of knowledge I want, my travelling will be limited and conditioned to that objective. Also I shall not be able to travel extensively there or elsewhere on account of my limited means. I have a general idea to where I can find the people or kind of people I want to meet in India so dear Frank I dont need much of a plan of travel. It touches me deeply that you should be so interested in helping me make plans and I shall call on Mr Higginbottom in India if I find that I need his advice. Thank you dearest Brother for you sympathetic interest. I am so glad that the British and Canadian agreements are near completion. What a valuable work you are doing. But I do hope that Betty
Original Format
Letter
To
Sayre, Francis Bowes, 1915-2008
Files
Citation
Wilson, Margaret Woodrow, 1886-1944, “Margaret Woodrow Wilson to Francis B. Sayre Jr.,” 1939-1942, WWP19640, Eleanor Wilson McAdoo Collection at the University of California-Santa Barbara, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.