March 3rd, 1952

I have just read your beautiful letter on the death of the King. I believe you under estimate our understanding of loss felt by the British people, and the degree to which
we shared it with you. Fort Worth is not a community stirred by many things beyond the Empire of Texas, but every flag both U.S. and Texas was placed at half mast, and remained so until his funeral.

This act was a spontaneous one by those who flew these flags, and not one of decree, though I understand the president issued such an order for our government flags, a precedent in itself, but when a Texas Flag flies at half-mast it is because a Texan wishes it to be so flown.

We have also discussed the parallels between the two Elizabeths, and hope that the reign of the second one might prove as propitious for you as did the first.

The people of this country are rapidly recognizing the inter-dependence of our two countries, and our common manifest destiny. We did not like the socialistic tendencies of your labor government, but not even Hearst implied the King responsible for its direction.

Our use of the word gentleman is an implication of character rather than a social distinction, and we recognized the King as a very great and perfect gentleman worthy of our respect and emulation in his own right as a man, without references to his kingship.

I think we gave him more faith and trust than we were willing to give to the majority of his subjects. The private lives of our own leaders suffered so by comparison with his and that of his family. If there need be kings (and I am not at all sure that this need does not exist) I think we should like them all as much like George VI of England as possible.

This goodwill and respect we extend to the Queen. If we share the president's inclination to call her "my dear", do not accuse us of less majesty; we hold our women rather closer to our hearts than one is supposed to hold a Queen.

If your people can cling to the optimism engendered by traditional parallels, the courage to fight out of your difficulties will be the easier to rally. If the mass goodwill of the people of this country is an asset, Elizabeth II has come to the throne with more of it than we can give to any single representative of our own people.

If I have been guilty of a bit of gentle ragging about your attitude toward your King, lets put it down to an orphaned sentimentality, which did not find a political concept, an always adequate foster parent.