Evening star., 1935-08-18
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.

b1 hObEh1 SnAVFonD.
There is in the library at Harvard
University an invaluable and curious
copy of critical book once the prop
erty of President Washington and
written by James Monroe. later the
fifth President of the United States.
The title, View of the Executive in
the Conduct of the Foreign Affairs of
the United States" is frank exposi-
ton of Mr. Monroes opinion of Wash
ington. And it was a poor opinion,
indeed.
President Washington. however,
came back at him in the most de-
lightful marginal notes or annota-
tions in this volume. "The fluctu-
ating state of the executive mind"
wrote Monroe. THE Executives mind
never fluctuated a moment" replied
Washington. in the f1ourishing strokes
of his quill pen. Extraordinary" OBJ
served Monroe. mo one else will
think it extraordinary, retorted
Washington. Further on the first
President wrote of Monroe: 'Impu
dent. weak and vain, curious and
laughable, extraordinary, indeed" and
more spicy comments on the argu-
ment. which turned largely on diplo
macy. Although Monroe was warned
against entangling foreign alliances,
he embraced the French as brothers
when Minister to France and gained
the ill-will of the English, besides
causing misunderstanding with
France, and by the time he was
called home the United States was
engaged in an undeclared war with
the French Republic. All this goes
to show that in assuming the great
Office of President of the United
States the bitter outweighs the sweet,
and while Washington and Lincoln
are continually extolled now. during
their terms of Office they were sub
jected to the bittereSt and cruelest
criticism.
Mr.. Ralph D. Blumenfeld's second
book of "reminiscences is, if it were
possible to be, more delightfully."- and
cleverly chatty than the first. and
that wes one of those rare volumes
one liked to take snatcheS of when
he wished to be refreshed. A sort of
appetizer
In his latest. which he calls "R. D.
BIS Procession" no band is needed,
no waving of flags, for it marks its
own time, and thee is an elan to the
way Mr.. Blumenfeld has of taking
one into his confidence, and then
bringing his story about some we'll
known person up to its climax.
This one about the late President
Coolidge: It's a fine morning." he
said. Let's be photographer; then
Mr.. Blumenfeld: They tell me that
you never show smile I wonder if
you can" Mr. Coolidge whispered to
me out of one side of his mouth:
That's a libel. I'll show you that
can smile as well as any one else.
Let's both smile as though we had a
joke between U.s." The author adds,
THE resultant photograph astonished
everybody"
He wrote all over the world in his
4lId4Id1l, 4CFCdllIIS way. ne IcIlo IIuS
story of Clemenceau and Gordon
Bennett, who, by the way, was the
first to recognize in substantial
manner Mr.. Blumenfeld's charm as
a descriptive writer. Mr.. Bennett had
told Clemenceau when in New York
that he was better fitted to teach
young ladies French in seminary
than, to work on a newspaper; that
he was too sensitive. Clemenceau ex-
claimed: Said this to me-to me,
Georges Clemenceau, me the queru-
lous, the vindictive, whom my enc
mics call the Tiger!' said that to mel"
Editor of Lord Beaverbrook's daily,
the Express of London, Mr.. Blumen-
fields life has been rich in experience
s.nd fulhllment.
The rumor that Mr. John Mase-
field, poet laureate of England, is to
visit Hollywood is too good to be true.
Some one had the idea that he was
coming to adapt Romeo and Juliet"
to the films. He says NO"
Members of the National Geo.
graphic Society always look forward
to the lectures of Mr.. Lincoln Ellis
worth, the explorer of icy regions and