Letter Accepting Resignation of George M. Humphrey as Secretary of the Treasury.

Dear George:

Although I have known for more than two years that your retirement from government service could not be indefinitely postponed, the actual receipt of your letter of resignation fills me with profound regret. Yet, because of your personal situation, which I fully understand, I, of course, accept your decision.

It would be idle to attempt expression of my feelings of gratitude for the extraordinary talents that, more than four years ago, you brought to the Treasury Department and for the loyal and tireless way in which you have, ever since, applied them to problems of the greatest import. It has been of real satisfaction to me that in working on these problems we have invariably found our conclusions and convictions to be practically identical.

I thank you further for allowing me to designate the actual date of your separation from the Federal service, with the commitment that such date will be no later than the close of the current Congressional session. There are a number of critical problems to be considered during this session, and, until the bulk of these have been satisfactorily solved, I deeply believe that your experience and the confidence that you enjoy everywhere in government will be great assets in reaching the best answers. Consequently, the date you turn over your duties to your successor will, within the limits indicated, be dictated somewhat by circumstances.

I share your satisfaction that Robert Anderson has been able to accept my nomination as the individual to take over your duties in the Treasury Department. I am sending his name to the Senate today. I agree with you that he will continue to follow the general path that you have so clearly marked out. So long as you must leave the post, I can think of no other to whom I would rather entrust the responsibilities of that office.

Finally, I am grateful to you for your offer of future assistance to the Administration. From time to time I know we shall want to call upon you for advice and counsel, and have no doubt that such occasions will be of considerable frequency.

On the personal side, I cannot tell you what a sense of loss it is to Mamie and to me to know that you and Pam will shortly leave the intimate Cabinet family. But a friendship of the strength and depth of ours cannot suffer merely because of your departure from Washington.

With affectionate regard to you both,

As ever,

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

NOTE.: Secretary Humphrey's letter of May 28, 1957, follows:

Dear Mr. President:

It is with sincere regret that I tender my resignation as Secretary of the Treasury, to be effective at the time which you determine will be best suited to the transfer of this office to my successor. I hope that this date may be no later than the dose of the current Congressional session.

You know of the responsibilities which I left when I assumed this office. Because of the illness and recent retirement from business of one of my former partners, my resignation from your Cabinet is now an absolute necessity.

I want to express my deep appreciation for the warmth of the friendship which you and Mamie have given to Pain and to me and for the opportunity you have given us for the friendships we have made with the members of your official family, which we will cherish always.

I am most grateful for the privilege you have given me to assist you during these past four and a half years in developing financial plans and programs which you and I jointly have deemed to be in the best interests of our country.

I will be glad to assist with Congressional consideration of the various items of the budget, with particular reference to the defense and mutual assistance programs which so vitally affect the security of our country, and with such other matters now pending in which I can be helpful.

As you know, Randolph Burgess, who has served so effectively as Under Secretary, is planning to leave his present post to accept another Government appointment. At our request, he has also agreed to remain with the Treasury for the transition period.

The knowledge that you have asked Robert Anderson to succeed me allows me to leave with assurance that the policies in which we believe will be continued. In our close association during the time of his previous service in your Administration, I learned of his great capacity at first hand and I know that it is his fixed determination to carry forward the plans and policies in our fiscal affairs which have guided us continually during the time that I have been here with you.

It is hard to interrupt our close association, but you well know and will remember, I am sure, that I stand ready to help you and your Administration in the future in any way that I can.

With every good wish, I am

Yours very sincerely,

GEORGE M. HUMPHREY