Divine Purposes

"The measures proposed are of human origin and therefore fallible. But the purposes sought are divine." Thus was the New Deal described last week by the Federal Council of Churches in a message addressed to 110,000 pastors of 25 Christian sects.

Meanwhile President Roosevelt, sweltering in the White House Blue Room which lacks the cooling facilities of his regular office, was at work on more measures, fallible in origin but divine in purpose. NRA make-over took much of his time. General Johnson had gone off to Bethany Beach, Del. for a two-week rest and left the President's ear open to Donald Richberg and Madam Secretary Perkins. So significant did newshawks deem the situation that some reported the General's resignation while others telephoned to Bethany Beach to ask him whether he had had a break with his associates.

"No break," roared the General into the telephone. "No further comment."

A second phone call brought a Johnsonian answer: "Please don't call on this wire again on official business. The whole village is listening in."

No wish had the President to appear to turn a cold shoulder to his doughty henchman for industry. In the midst of rumors, General Johnson was recalled to the White House, closeted with the President for an hour. Coming out he met Mr. Richberg going in. He slapped his friend on the back and took him aside for a talk in whispers. Afterward the General bantered with newshawks: "We have had only a slight misunderstanding as to the timing of the new plan. . . . I'm going off for a vacation of two weeks and then I'm going up to Hyde Park and talk over the final reorganization. . . . That's all there's to it! Nothing serious at all."

P: In a single sweep a special train carried President Roosevelt to Carrollton, III for the funeral of Speaker Henry T. Rainey, brought him back to Washington again after 30 minutes in the Rainey parlor. Two days later, the President left the White House again, this time for Hyde Park and his mother's home where he will remain until Washington cools off.

P: When Herbert Hoover, who went home only once in four years, was President, his aids worried much because he could not present himself in the role of a human being. They had to think up many ways of dramatizing the milk of human kindness that flowed in his heart. At great pains they brought Bryan Untiedt, Colorado boy who the Press headlined as having saved 16 children marooned in a snowbound school bus, to Washington to play a mouth organ for the Hoovers. No such dramatization is required by Franklin Roosevelt, but the same machinery still turns. Twelve-year- old Thomas Fitzgerald, of Ocean City, N. J., ill in hospital with lockjaw, received, for no reason that the Press could discover, a letter wishing for his early recovery and signed "Franklin D. Roosevelt." Said Thomas Fitzgerald: "I wouldn't take $5,000 for that letter." Week before a similar letter was addressed to 13-year-old Kevin Reardon of Camden, N. J. whose father is an acquaintance of the President, but it arrived too late. Kevin had been buried the day before.

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