THE WHITE HOUSE                       
 
                           WASHINGTON                       
 
                   My dear Mr. Prime Minister:              
 
                                                            
 
 
Thank you for your letter of April 20, 1944, concerning Basic 
      English. It is a matter in which I am most interested and I have 
      discussed it with Mr. Hull. I have asked him to sound out opinion 
      in the Congress and to take appropriate steps with a view to 
      looking carefully into both the scientific and the practical 
                      aspects of the matter.                
 
                                                            
 
 
Incidentally, I wonder what the course of history would have 
      been if in May 1940 you had been able to offer the British people 
      only "blood, work, eye water and face water", which 
      I understand is the best that Basic English can do with five 
                          famous words.                     
 
                                                            
 
 
Seriously, however, we are interested and will look into the 
                        matter thoroughly.                  
 
                                                            
 
 
                   Very sincerely yours,                    
 
                       The Right Honorable                  
 
                        Winston Churchill,                  
 
                         Prime Minister,                    
 
      London.