Excerpt from "If You Ask Me"

Written by Eleanor Roosevelt.

Published in Ladies' Home Journal, August 1943.

"I think all people who are living in the United States today should approach everyday living exactly as though they were soldiers on duty. They should feel in honor bound to live up to the spirit of any rules or regulations or war needs which come before them."

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, wrote a monthly question-and-answer column titled "If You Ask Me" for Ladies' Home Journal from June 1941 until the spring of 1949. The First Lady tackled all sorts of questions, addressing national and international issues and dispensing practical advice on family matters. In this excerpt her responses cover a wide range of topics, including freedom of the press...