The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-07

BY WALTER ID. HICKMAN
NTHEN history is in the making
w as it now is in Washington
d. c. the reading public is turning
to writer's and political journalists
who are able to record events and
interpret them without getting on
the bandwagon of any particular
individual
A constant closeup view of a ma
tional figure often blinds newspaper
men as it is so easy to become en-
thuSiastic over candidate for
President.
Even during the war and espe-
cially at the close of the conflict
when many writer's turned against
President Wilson, their writings
often appeared to me to be strictly
partisan. 1t will take years and
years before the proper verdict can
be given of President Wilson.
And so right now. many. many
authors, newspaper men used IN
the sense of reporters as we'll as
political journalists are writing
books on President Roosevelt.
The latest to reach my desk is
"On the Trail of the Forgotten
Man a journal of the Roosevelt
presidential campaign, by James H
Guilfoyle, we'll known journalist
and publicist of current political de-
Velopments.
This book is made more important
because it has an introduction by
Prof. Robert E. Rogers of the
Massachusetts Institute of Tech
nology. 1t is published by the Pea
body Master Printers. Boston, and
sells for So.
This survey of recent political his
tory really has two heroes. One is
President Roosevelt and the other
is James M. Curley, mayor oil
Boston. who went against his OWL
political party to tell the voting
public about the man who would
defend the forgotten man"
Prof. Rogers in his introduction
states, There is nothing more no.
table-and more rare-than courage
This book is a story of courage II
has two heroes.
I sincerely feel that the author of
"On the Trail of the Forgotten
Man has honestly, intelligently
and with no partisan feeling au-
chemically recorded all the major
steps in convention and out of con-
vention which resulted in Franklin
D. RooSevelt'S nomination
The space devoted to the Demo-
cratic national convention. reveal
tionS of personal ambitions. the in
fiuence of the Hearst newspapers
over the possible choice and the re-
ported activities of Mayor Curley in
"softening" the attitude of the
Hearst newspa perS toward a RooSe-
welt and Garner combination.
The pages devoted to the secret
hotel room conference in Chicago,
where James A. Farley and Louis
McHenry Howe battleo possible de-
feat and later made victory possible
as far as the nominations we're
concerned. are filled with what I
thinks are facts set in good rep
ortorial "theater.'
But more amazing is the way the
author has recorded the unusual
campaign of President Roosevelt
and the work of Mayor Curley. 1t
seems to me that everything re-
corded in these campaign journeys
are true.
The last chapter of the book is
devoted to the action that President
Roosevelt has put into his job since
he took the oath of Office.
Here is one deduction of the
author which is very Illuminating
This return of beer in less than a
month after the new administration
took Office did more than anything
else TO inspire the people with con-
fidence in the President. For years
the beer loving public had listened
to vague promises that beer was
coming back until it had become
disguised"
And probably it will take years
and years for us to accurately place
the value of what Huilfoyle has re-
corded but at the present time am
satisfied with the record as we'll as
the interpretations.
Read it and be your own judge
In answer to question-"Please
give me the name of a dependable
literary agent" I suggest Mathilde
Well, literary agent at The Writers
Workshop. Inc, $40 Lexington ave-
nue.. New York City. This agency
criticises books. stories, articles and
verse as well as markets them.