Evening star., 1933-06-11

Calvin Coolidge of MaSsa-
chusetts to the vice presidency
unique and highly personal campaign organi-
zation went on furlough
1t was that set up by Franklin Delano
Roosevelt defeated Democratic vice presiden-
tial candidate. 1t was a small group, utterly
distinct from the party national campaign or
ganizatior. It was the forerurner, in way
OF that widespread and loosely knit grouping
of The Friends of .F~ank,.n Roosevelt" that
was to have so dramatic a part in the great
cents Of dozen years later, when Mr.. Roose-
velts friends swarmed to the polls by the mil
lions to make him President of the United
States
For the now widely recognized genius of Mr.
Roosevelt for political organization entered into
the makeup of that first little corps of close
friends whom he drew about him to compose
his personal campaign group IN 1920 To those
OF US who were privileged to be a part of 1t,
an affectjonate regard for cur candidate, rather
than political partisanship, was the binding tie
And TO us was revealed promptly his keen un-
derstanding Of our greatest national pastime-
politics.
\k/E travelled thousands of miles with him.
w We saw at first hand the impact Of his
glowing. happy personality on men and women
everywhere. We witnessed then, IL years ahead
the very inception of the amazing campaign of
1882 that was to make him Presifieiat-a Presi-
dent backed by such overwhelming popular sup
port that ancient political shihboleths which
have blocked the road to great accomplishments
Tor many another man in the White House
vanished for him like morning mists under the
genial ardor OF the SUM-
For the victory of 1s32-not the election to
the presidency alone but the extraordinary cir
cunstances which led up to his nomination at
that tumultuous Chicago eonvention-actually
was born Of what happened in 1920. None of
us then, so far as know, expected any other
result than defeat in the 1920 battle That was
written for any political observer to see. We
Joined battle then for the Joy of political war
fare itseif-and for what lay beyond-for the
man who was our friend and leader.
I think the best illustration I can give of
the spirit that prevailed in Franklin Roesevelt's
own personal campaign staff during those
strenuous days Of 1920 lies in the final scene
have said that when the election was over and
defeat written in that imposing ma jority rolled
up for the Harding Coolidge ticket against the
Cox-Roosevelt opposition we of the Roosevelt
staff did not disband. We merely went on fur
Tough, each to his own place, but subject to
future recall for active duty on the political
front.
That Mr. Roosevelt himself felt that is in
dicated by the gift he made to each of US at
the close of the campaign. Look today among
the souvenirs of each of the White House sec
bear the initials of the man himself on one side
and that symbolic IF. D. r." on the other
Through the dozen years that tie has never
beef broken. We were linked together in 1920
and are still linked by the thing that makes
Franklin Roosevelt great-his own loyal, in
domitable, happy spirit-his utter confidence
in himself his friends and the destiny of the
Naticn
like to wander back among the memories
OF 1920. I do not know of any similar group
that has SO completely kept its contacts as that
which made up "the staff" on the Roosevelt
trains during the campaign that year.
TO all of us except THE Boss" himself and
his political alter ego, Louis Howe the
vice presidential nomination came as surprise
We had come to know Mr.. Roosevelt during his
years as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Mar
vim Mcintyre and were newspapermen, haunt
ing the corridors Of the department in the days
Of the Mexican crisis of 1914. Charles Nc
Carthy. like Howe, was in the Office staff at
Washington. We heard often the name of Tom
Lynch. Roosevelt friend of earlier Albany
legislative days. Most of us knew Stan Prenosil
Of the Associated Press staff in New York, whom
the chance of news assignment would add to
Our company. We were all including Mr.
Roosevelt, young together then, a dozen years
ago The zest for political adventure was on
us-that and the Roosevelt SPELL