Evening star., 1933-03-10
SIMPLICITY marks
HISTORIC SIGNING
President ~Sm0oths Hair and
Uses $1.5O Pen for
Bank Bill.
BY. J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

It was with a 81 so fountain pen, and
only after he had paused q second or
two to smooth down his ruffied hair at
the request Of Mrs Roosevelt, who stood
behind his chair, that Franklin D.
Roosevelt last night signed the bill,
rushed through Congress, making him
the financial dictator Of the Nation.
The President was in the happieSt
sort Of . mood on this dramatic and
historic occasion, and laughed and
talked with those about him as he was
afixing his signature and for few
minutes afterward.
Owned by Miss Cook.
The pen made famous on this oc-
casion belonged to Miss Nancy Cook OF
New York. an old friend Of Mrs. Roose-
welt. who Is a house guest at the White
House. As 1t was being handed back
to her by the President after the sign
ing. Miss Cook assured him that she
would always keep 1t as one Of her
most treasured possessions He smil-
ingly replied. "At Albany I always
charged 10 cents for using q special
pen"
One of President Roosevelts char
acteristics when he IS absorbed in an
important matter, Is to run his fingures
at his thinning forelocks Last night.
when all was set and ready for the sign
ing. and just as the semicircle OF
cameramen at one side OF the room
were awaiting the word to bang away"
Mrs. Roosevelt who had been looking
on up to this moment with proud and
happy smile. happened to glance at her
husbands mussed-up hair. and her face
changed from one Of jubilation to woe.
Quickly she rushed to her husbands
side. Holding up one arm at the time
as q signal 70 rthe photographers to
wait, she called out loudly: Franklin,
please flx your hair!"
Roosevelt Laughs.
The President laughed. but endeavored
to comply. His efforts at arranging the
locks was noticeably indifferent, and
Mrs Roosevelt not being satisfied called
to Secretary Of the Treasury Woodin
who had just entered the room: Come
quick, Mr.. Secretary, and help him
smooth his hair"
The slightly built cabinet member.
who hasn't had much sleep since he
took over the Treasury portfolio and
who is commencing to show 1t, was most
obedient and went through the mo-
tions Of helping with the Presidents
locks. chuckling all the while.
Then followed the flashing of lights
and the clicking Of the cameras After
about the second flash fuse blew out
but this did not effect the illumination
Of the room. 1t was merely the wire
upon which the camera lights were at
tached, but this was quickly fixed, and
the photographing continued.
The President actually signed the
bill at 8:37 pm. Once again he selected
the oval room, which opens up into his
own sleeping quarters. and which he
has been using as a combination work
room, library, sitting room and loung-
ing room, for history making incident
1t was in this room that he SO hurriedly
had his cabinet sworn in on Inaugural
ton day, in which he has since held
his most important conferences, and
in which he has written his several
proclamations and his message yeSter-
day to Congress. This room was used
by the Hoovers as an informal sitting
room, and it had not been put in shape
in the matter Of furnishings when Mr..