Gerald Ford Typed Letter Signed

TLS signed “Jerry Ford,” two pages, 8 x 10.5, Congress of the United States, Office of the Minority Leader letterhead, January 5, 1973. Letter to friend and former New York Congressman Seymour Halpern, in full: "Thank you for your recent letter. You have indeed given me a difficult assignment—that of expressing some deep-rooted thoughts about prospects for peace in the world. Let me say at the outset that I do not despair about our hopes for peace despite continuing warfare in Vietnam and the possibility of a new outbreak of fighting in the Middle East. I firmly believe there will be a peace settlement in Vietnam even though present prospects do not breed optimism. And I believe there will be at least a continuing 'absence of war' in the Middle East, if not a peace agreement.

I am also greatly heartened by recent developments with regard to our relations with the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. I think the steps taken toward normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China constituted a masterstroke of diplomacy. And I feel certain that this maneuver, made at the same time that we were negotiating a nuclear arms accord with the Soviet Union, contributed to our achieving a Salt Agreement. It doubtless will be more difficult to bring about a Salt Agreement No. 2 but there is reason to hope. Now we must also concentrate on bringing about unity in Western Europe and achieving a true partnership between Western Europe and the United States. At the same time we can and should move toward a detente with the Warsaw Pact nation, beginning with at least a token mutual reduction of forces in Europe. Greater mutual reductions in forces could follow.

Trade, I think, is a key to future peace. Removal of trade barriers between the European [sic] Economic Community and the United States and extension of Most Favored Nation treatment to both the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union will in time provide the cement with which to build international peace. Having delivered myself of these comments, I think I will rest on my laurels. Happy New Year to you and the best of everything." In fine condition, with some faint stains in the left margin of the first page. A hopeful, essentially prophetic letter from the future President of the United States; Ford would attain the vice presidency 11 months later with the resignation of Spiro Agnew, and then the presidency eight months after that with the exit of Richard Nixon.