In Society and the Associations — Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt's Visit

Among the most important events of the month in Lebanon was the visit of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the President of the United States and formerly chairman of the Commission on Human Rights.

She came as a guest of the Lebanese government, which arranged for her an organized program filled with things to see. She inspected the tents of the Palestinian refugees in the company of the head of the Relief and Works organization, and showed a readiness to understand the true state of affairs among the refugees.

The various women's circles in Lebanon showed great enthusiasm to make the acquaintance of this world-famous woman. The Young Muslim Women's Association invited her to tea, and invited with her a large company of men of letters, journalists, and personalities of every sort.

The president of the association, Mrs. Habiba Shaaban Yakan, delivered a gracious address and acquainted her with the works of the institution, and presented her with a piece of beautiful handwork, being the work of one of the Palestinian refugee women.

The Lebanese Women's Union, jointly with the Young Women's Christian Association, gave a splendid luncheon at the Normandy Hotel in honor of Mrs. Roosevelt.

Some 250 ladies and young ladies of the elite of our awakened womanhood attended the luncheon. The president of the Lebanese Women's Union, Mrs. Eveline Bustros, opened the occasion with a most gracious address in French, welcoming Lebanon's guest and calling her attention to the great importance that the Lebanese woman attaches to this visit of hers. She then gave a historical sketch of this beautiful, peace-loving Lebanese coast, and of the ancient literary history of the Arabs. Finally she wished her a pleasant stay among us.

She was followed by Mrs. Salma Makdisi, who gave in English a sketch of women's activity in Lebanon and of the most important cultural and social institutions and the progress and flourishing they have attained.

Then Miss Ibtihaj Kaddoura, president of the General Arab Women's Union, rose and delivered a splendid speech in English, printed by itself elsewhere in this issue. Miss Ibtihaj Kaddoura was interrupted several times by sharp applause, which made the situation plain to the guest of honor and confirmed to her the reality of public opinion and the intensity of its displeasure at her positions in support of Zionism — positions which were, of course, against the Palestinian cause and the Arab cause in general...

Finally Mrs. Roosevelt rose, and everyone fell silent to listen to what she would say, and to how she might answer these bold charges which Miss Kaddoura had addressed to her!

But Mrs. Roosevelt was politician enough not to allow herself to say what she might not say, and for that reason she resorted to twisting and turning — and this attitude of hers was not lost on the listeners.

Mrs. Roosevelt expressed her deep thanks for the excellent welcome with which Lebanon, government and people, had overwhelmed her — even though, in the eyes of some of them, she might not deserve all this welcome!..

Then she said:

That she feels the tragedy that has befallen Palestine, and that she is acquainted with the history of this country — and it seems that this history is filled with tragedies that have struck these peoples one after another.

The work of the United Nations does not guarantee the attainment of justice and absolute right; it only strives toward them... We strive to secure justice and peace in the world.

But let us not forget that the peoples are still divided among themselves, and the strong among them still covets the weak; and this is what makes our work exceedingly grave. We are human, and human beings are not immune from error; it has become clear that the United Nations often errs, even when it is unanimous upon some opinion.

I sense at close hand the feeling of responsibility that possesses you. Woman has borne in the past, and still bears, great responsibilities and sacrifices... yet her authority is still limited, and leadership is still in the hand of man. For this reason I say: the struggle to obtain political rights does not end with your obtaining these rights; it must go on for a very long time before your rights are made secure. The road of the struggle is long and arduous.

Until she said:

And do not suppose that your situation in this country is unique; in the world there are many other outcomes besides it, which may be graver than your own situation... Even we in the United States passed through similar circumstances, though they did not last long...

I ascertained today, when I visited the refugees' tents, that the results were contrary to what I had imagined..

I have kept company with the great statesmen for a long time, but I am not one of them. What I know from my experience is that those who made the decisions that led to this situation believed that they were dealing with it with the utmost justice and right. And what I see now is that we must try to find sound solutions, and reach better results.

You in this country feel that a great wrong has been done you by the decisions of the United Nations; but you look from your own angle, and do not take the other points of view into consideration. Nevertheless I say to you: do not despair of your condition; demand, and press your demand, for the rights you feel are naturally yours. And I urge you to persevere in this zeal, and in constant work to solve the question by a just solution with which you will be content...

Finally Mrs. Roosevelt wished the Lebanese woman well-being and success, and that she might obtain her rights in full and live in the shadow of peace and justice.