Monday, Jun. 01, 1959

"Quietly in His Sleep"

The bulletin from Washington--it was morning in the Eastern U.S., afternoon in Western Europe, night in Southeast Asia--came with painfulness that inevitability had not diminished:

MR. JOHN FOSTER DULLES DIED QUIETLY IN HIS SLEEP AT 7:49 E.D.T. THIS MORNING.

For weeks Dulles' friend, the President of the U.S., had been getting daily reports on Dulles' condition from his own physician, Dr. Howard McC. Snyder. At 6:30 a.m. Sunday, the President, at his Gettysburg farm, was called by General Snyder with word that Dulles was sinking fast. An hour and a half later, the President got a second call from Dr. Snyder: John Foster Dulles had died just minutes before.

The President sat down alone on his sun porch at Gettysburg to write in pencil on a yellow pad his tribute to Dulles--a tribute that spoke for free men everywhere. Wrote Dwight Eisenhower:

"John Foster Dulles is dead. A lifetime of labor for world peace has ended. His countrymen and all who believe in justice and the rule of law grieve at the passing from the earthly scene of one of the truly great men of our time.

"Throughout his life, and particularly during his eventful six years as Secretary of State, his courage, his wisdom, and his friendly understanding were devoted to bettering relations among nations. He was a foe only to tyranny.

"Because he believed in the dignity of men and in their brotherhood under God, he was an ardent supporter of their deepest hopes and aspirations. From his life and work humanity will, in the years to come, gain renewed inspiration to work ever harder for the attainment of the goal of peace with justice. In the pursuit of that goal he ignored every personal cost and sacrifice, however great.

"We, who were privileged to work with him, have lost a dear and close friend, as all Americans have lost a champion of freedom. United, we extend to Mrs. Dulles, to her children and to all members of the Dulles family our prayers and deepest sympathies, and the assurance that in our memories will live affection, respect and admiration for John Foster Dulles."

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