c: Mr. Hackett
 
                                           February 26, 1947
 
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Apartment Six A
29 Washington Square West
New York 11, N. Y.
 
Dear Mrs. Roosevelt:
 
                  I was pleased to receive your letter of February 23
and to learn that you and Elliott are planning to publish a book
of letters written by your late husband. You did not specify,
however, whether you have in mind family letters or letters
written on public matters, nor did you indicate the period in
which you are interested. As you know, there is a great volume
of copies of outgoing letters written by Mr. Roosevelt and these
appear, in many instances, in lengthy files. I do not think you
have these in mind and presume you are interested in family
letters. When I know which papers you wish to see, I will do my
best to make them available to you.
 
                 You are aware that the papers now in the Library fall
into three categories: (1) those owned by the Government and
opened for public inspection; (2) those owned by the Government
and of such confidential nature they are notavailable for public
 inspection or publication; and (3) those which are in the legal 
custody of the executors of Mr. Roosevelt's estate, and are
stored in this Librery awaiting the decision of the Surrogate 
Court as to their ownership. These cannot be opened, copied or
published without the consent of the executors. Until I know which
letters you are interested in. I cannot advise you as to their status.
 
                 It is against the general principles of the Library to
permit manuscripts to be taken out on loan. I think you will agree
with the wisdom of this principle. Every facility would be afforded 
Elliott for using the papers in the Library and if the volume of those
 in which he (MORE)