Evening star., 1937-01-20
By J. Russell Young.

BY J. Russell Young.
- rankin ROOSEVELT has been more
popular with the Washington news
l. paper men than any of his predeces-
sors, at least SO far can be recalled
by the Oldest of the correspond
ents.
Most Of the writers are devoted to him. 1t Is
doubtful II any hate him and the few who may
dislike him do SO, not because Of any personal
reasons but because they dislike so wholesomely
his New Deal policies. or because their editors
newspaper owners disagree with his policies
1t would be no exaggeraton to state that
more than 95 per cent Of working newspaper
men are ardent admirers OF the President Many
virtually worship him. Therefore, 1t Is readily
seen Why he has what is commonly described
as a friendly press. OF course. this Is applied
only to the newspaper men in the National
Capitalize writer's on local papers and cor
respondents Of out-of-town papers.
Consequently, while the vast majority of the
newspapers throughout the country were op-
posing Roosevelt during his recent campaign
for reelection, he was getting a good break
SO 10 speak, from the Capital correspondents
Of those same opposing journals.
The reasons for Mr.. Roosevelts popularity
with newspaper men Is not difficult to explain
In the first place. he is always friendly and
gracious. He Is generally In high spirits.
his spirits are not high, he at least is never
ugly or ill-tempered in his dealings with the
men Of the press. Moreover, he knows how
to talk their language. He knows what Is news
He knows why newspaper men are compelled
to ask certain questions and why they persist
when he tries to avoid discussing a particular
subject.
In addition to all this Mr.. Roosevelt Is pa
tient and tolerant. Unlike some Of his more
recent predecessors he does not abuse de-
nounce some particular writer of an article
displeasing to him. other Presidents have been
known to do this in the presence Of a large
group Of newspaper men attending press con-
ference. And this method Of in11cting punish
ment never helped those Presidents. Newspaper
men resent seeing Chief Executive resort to
discipline that is humiating and they are
virtually unanimous in looking upon such
Establishments as cowardly.
Mr.. Roosevelt's method is vastly different
and far more effective. At least it leaves no
wounds When some critical article without
any foundation for truth has been printed, the
President generally jokes with the correspond
ent about it and through his smile and kid
ding" he accomplishes his purpose. All the
other correspondents join in the laughter and
the culprit himself is probably found laughing
the loudest. The incident is thereby laughed
off and the matter is dropped
VTVEN though Mr.. Roosevelt has friendly
r. press and is greatly admired by news
paper men, he has come in for his share
49, Of critical stories, many of which have
been fully or partly fabrications. In nearly all
of these cases the criticism has not been aimed
directly at the President, but at his policies or
close administration advisers.
When asked about these articles at his press
conferences the President generally dispoSes Of
them by replying, 'Oh, that was just another
hot-weather story" or Just another dream"
Mr.. Roosevelt confers with the press twice
each week-Tuesday afternoon at o'clock and
Friday morning at 1890 o'clock He evidently
enjoys these occasions and looks upon them as
an important part of his work. because he has
seldom missed a conference during his four
years in the White House
When travelling about the country the Presi-
dent always finds time to hold a press con-
ference in his private car. and during frequent
visits to his boyhood home at Hyde Park N Y,
he never passes up his sessions with the fourth