Plague, Dunces, Du Ponts

On two big political questions Franklin Roosevelt, No. 1 politician of the U. S., has never declared his attitude. At a press conference last week he had, however, something at least titillating to say on both questions.

One remark concerned the bitter, prolonged strife of industry and labor. He and Mediator Charles P. Taft, who last week sailed for Europe leaving the steel strike to stew in its own juice, had agreed that the public feeling toward both parties to the dispute could be summed up in one Shakespearean phrase, "A plague o' both your houses." Was this double-damnation his own feeling? The President declined to affirm or deny. It was what he thought the public thought. Since good politicians model their opinions after the public's, it was fair to deduce that Franklin Roosevelt was at least beginning to wish a plague on ''both houses."

The other question concerned his willingness to run for a third term. Fred W. Perkins, oldtime newshawk attached to Scripps-Howard's Pittsburgh Press, brought it up. Robert Post, Harvard '32 and a lodge-brother of the Roosevelts in Harvard's Fly Club, now a newshawklet for the New York Times helped to push the question home.

Mr. Perkins: "Mr. President, would you care to comment on Governor Earle's suggestion that you run for a third term?"

The President: the weather was very hot.*

Mr. Post: "Mr. President, would you tell us now if you would accept a third term?"

The President: Bob Post should put on a dunce cap and stand in the corner.

Mr. Perkins: "Mr. President, did your statement last winter fully cover the third term situation?"

The President: Fred Perkins should don a dunce cap likewise.

Newshawk Perkins did as bidden, and had his picture taken. Fair deduction by the press: that anyone who expects Franklin Roosevelt to be frank about the third term idea is indeed a dunce.

P: There comes a time when every organization needs a shake-up just for the sake of having one--to try out men in new jobs, to break up petty friction. The President started such a shake-up for the State Department when he upped Assistant Secretaries Sumner Welles and R. Walton Moore to Under Secretary and Counselor, respectively. Last week, carrying that all-purpose shake-up farther, he sent to the Senate the nominations of: Hugh S. Gibson (Ambassador to Brazil) to be Ambassador to Belgium, Jefferson Caffery (Ambassador to Cuba) to be Ambassador to Brazil, J. Butler Wright (Minister to Czechoslovakia) to be Ambassador to Cuba, William H. Hornibrook (onetime Minister to Iran) to be Minister to Costa Rica, Ferdinand L. Mayer (Counselor of Embassy in Berlin) to be Minister to Haiti, Leland Harrison (Minister to Rumania) to be Minister to Switzerland, Hugh R. Wilson (Minister to Switzerland) and George S. Messersmith (Minister to Austria) to be Assistant Secretaries of State.

One more nomination really startled Washington: Wilbur J. Carr (Assistant Secretary of State) to be Minister to Czechoslovakia. During his 45 years in the State Department, Wilbur Carr, unlike other diplomats, has always been stationed in Washington where he had particular charge over the young career diplomats sent overseas. For him to accept a ministry in a small country such as Czechoslovakia amounted to a demotion, was first-rate evidence that personal friction had produced some degree of combustion. Secretary Hull, making a special effort to glaze it over, announced: ". . . Mr. Carr desired to take a mission in the field. Prague today is one of our most vital listening posts. . . ."

P: With the first day of the new fiscal year, the President's three personal assistants all drew pay raises by being promoted to the rank of full "Secretary to the President." For Marvin Mclntyre and Stephen Early, formerly Assistant Secretaries, this was a boost from $9,500 to $10,000. For Administrative Assistant James Roosevelt it was a boost from $6,000 to $10,000.

&3182; One complaint of Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt about their wedding 32 years ago was that her uncle, President Theodore, stole the show while they were left standing alone and forgotten. Not very much of the show was stolen by Franklin & Eleanor when their son Franklin Jr. and Ethel (du Pont) were married last week. After the wedding they were driven from the Du Pont church to the reception at the bride's home. "Welcome to Owls Nest," exclaimed the bride's meek father, Eugene du Pont, as the President came to the door. "Thank you, sir," beamed Franklin Roosevelt heartily, "and I'm coming back another time." "The next time, bring some white flannels," said his host who had changed into a white dinner coat that gave him the appearance of an elderly bookkeeper. President Roosevelt stood in the receiving line beside the newest Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who smoked through an ivory cigaret-holder almost as long as his own.

At 9 p. m. after three hours of receiving, the line broke up, the President went into the dining room and an official picture of the houses of Roosevelt and Du Pont was taken. Then while Son Franklin and Daughter Ethel did a solo dance, punctuated with frequent kisses which brought applause from their audience, the President sipped a glass of champagne and ate some sandwiches with a Secret Service man for company.

Just as the bride was about to throw her bouquet, the President decided to leave. "Good night," he called but neither bride nor bridegroom heard. "Good night!" he called again but no one listened. It took a long time to get the bride's white prayer book untied from her bouquet. The President waited. The bouquet was thrown. "Frank! Ethel!" shouted Son John who had his father's arm. Ethel waved but Franklin Jr. didn't see. Unnoticed the President marched out, but Mrs. Du Pont did not forget him. She held up her cheek and the President gave her a warm kiss.

P: Next morning he was in Hyde Park to inspect a new firebreak in his woods, letting newshawks know that his 560-acre tract adjoining his mother's estate is not a gentleman farmer's operation run at a loss which he can deduct on his income tax return (as suggested by his district's Republican Congressman Hamilton Fish), but a timber operation (cordwood, fence posts, Christmas trees) on which he should realize a small profit. With him on this weekend was Author Emil Ludwig, biographer of the great, whose next subject is Franklin Roosevelt.

*The temperature in Washington that afternoon was 80DEG, unusually comfortable for the season.

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