The Washington times., 1936-03-03
ON
JOB ; YEARS
TOMORROW
BY EARL GOODWIN

years tomorrow. He is the only
President to serve the bobtailed
term under the lame duck"
amendment, as the next inaugu-
raj date is January 20, 1887.
In the minds of Washingtonians,
the date of the Inauguration al
ways brings up a picture of the
weather, as WashingtonianS have
been fighting for a date for the
Inauguration on which there
would be as fine weather as pos
sible. The constitutional fixture
January 20-is likely to see some
stormy days for future Presidents
to take the oath.
With his term more than three
fourths behind him, President
Roosevelt today is reported to be
in fine physical condition; but
there can be no doubt that the
strain of the three years has
been heavy and has told some
what on his face and is apparent
in the graying hairs. However.
the NOUS Roosevelt laugh
seems to be longer, louder and
deeper.
Keeps 1t Hidden
If there is any irritation aris-
ing from the many administra-
tive and political problems. the
President manages to hide it
from those who deal with him
daily, particularly from his call
ers and from members of the
press.
He is apparently working with
great smoothness: he attends to
the business of the executive Of
flee for long hours every day and
recently has not been taking any
days off, nor any weekend trips.
His list of callers continues about
the same as usual. He sees his
secretaries before going to h e
executive office, plans his day in
his room, and gets to the execu-
tive office about 10:30 in the
morning and stays there until late
in the day. 1t is later than 6
o'clock, ordinarily when he
knocks off" and takes a swim in
VAAS W. 4AVO 44OSOS HOOAs
Saturday Study
However, President Roosevelt is
inclined to use Saturday morn
ings for study on some national
affair or to do a bit of research.
Many of his m eSSages and
speeches are thought out in the
Lincoln study in the earlier hours
Of Saturdays. The President is
"bug" on American history and
adept at the use of libraries; and
Of course has the complete facili-
ties Of the Library Of Congress at
instant command.
This end Of his three-year pc
riod sees him about to hand to
Congress a message outlining the
needs of the Treasury which will
have to pay out the bonus now
instead of in 1945, and which also
has to pay the six million or so
farmers the sums due them under
the AAA contracts.
The Supreme Court made it il.
legal to raise this money by spe-
clt1c processing taxes on certain
industrial units-but the con-
tracts are still o. K. and must be
paid. Congress is in no humor
to pass heavy tax bill-and then
go home and ask for reelection.
Times Flies Fast
The President sees the political
aspect Of the country much diff.
terent from that which greeted
him March 4, 1888 after he had
been elected by one of the great.
est landslides in American history.
For nearly two years Mr.. Roose-
velt enjoyed a political honey.
moon; he had introduced new
things to the country; had
adopted a very free and easy
method of approach to the public;
and had inaugurated the great.
est reform and spending program
this country had ever seen.
In midterm, the President saw
his party sweep the Congressional
elections and seat an overwhelm-
ing Democratic majority. The
party was well bulwarked, but it
was not always a Roosevelt ma
jor1ty, except under compulsion.
It bucked on the President dur
ing the passage of the holding
company act with it's death
sentence; and it rushed the
bonus to payment over the Pres
ident's strongest objections and a
veto.
Hammering Starts
But the honeymoon period gave
way eventually to the strongest
sort Of a political attack; the op-
position is now in full swing and
is hammering the Roosevelt Ad.
m1niStration with everything it
has. Chief opponents are of
course, the Republican Party and
the American Liberty League.
President Roosevelt'S political
chances for reelection are ire
mendous, according to his cam.
paign manager, Postmaster Gen
eral Farley; but this optimistic
view tapers off among the op.
ponents of the Administration,
and the ultimate expression of
hope that the President will not
be reelected comes from Henry
Mencken, magazine editor. who
says "that a Chinaman can beat
Roosevelt"
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