The Washington times., 1938-09-24
EARLY CONDUCTS
PRESS CONCLAVE
FOR PRESIDENT
Roosevelt Is Confined
With Nose Cold
BY EARL GOODWIN


Presidents press conference-th
494th presidential press conferenc
under the New Deal and the onl
one in which anyone but the Pres
dent has presided.
Mr.. Early had 10 minutes motto
in which to prepare to meet 20
newshoundS-with war breakin
Il in Europe. He meets a smalle
group of correspondents daily
and represents himself officially
Yesterday he was speaking for tn
President of the United States
and it is the first time such {
thing has occurred. Reporters
comment is that he did a swell
job of it; gave the current new
and did not get his boss in bad
so EARLY ACTS
DR.. McIntire, the White HOUSE
physician, strongly advised a can
collation. of the press conference
due to the presidential nose cold
Mr.. Early saw the rumor that
might spread around the world il
the President refused to see his
press friends at the moment Of
another world crisis. 1t could be
taken as most serious. So Mr.
Early held the conference and eX
planned the situation.
So without more than 10 min.
utes' preparation, Mr.. Early con.
Quoted the White House confer,
ence in his own office, smaller
than the Presidents. 1t lacked
the jesting touch of RooSeveltian
humor, for Mr.. Early is made of
stern stuff-and there wasn't any
thing funny to him about being on
the spot as Acting President for a
horde of newshounds. He started
by explaining the Presidents cold
was bad enough to warrant his
remaining in the White House
DR.. McIntire, he said, has the sit,
uation in hand and can break up
the cold but does not want to run
the risk of exposing the presiden
tial patient to risk.
TO GO TO HYDE PARK
Mr.. Early explained, too, in an
swer to a question, that he thinks
possibly the President can get
away to Hyde Park when DR.. Nc
Intire and Secretary of State Hull
will both give the President a
clearance. DR.. McIntire's OK will
be based on the state of the nose
cold; Secretary Hull'S OK will de
pend on the state of fever infect
ing the European situation. Mr..
Early thinks both OK's will occur
about Thursday.
Journalists who cover interna
tional affairs thrilled to the toes
If the Secretary of State OK's the
Presidents departure by Thursday
does that mean the President will
be assured that all will be well on
Thursday in Eurore-With the
Hitler Chamberlain conversations
breaking down, and a rumor OF
German armies on the march, this
business of an assured OK from
Cordell Hull by Thursday might
mean something. Mr.. Early was
pressed and pressed for an an
swer; the boys who write the big
European stuff think they hid
Brother Early in a hole-or up a
tree. But when they pressed him
hard enough he said he thought
Secretary of State Hull would give
the President an OK on Thursday
next, because that's the day the
President seems likely to want to
60 to Hyde Park.
Mr.. Early stated that "Jefty'
O'Connor doesn't want to be re
appointed Comptroller of the Cur
rency; he wants to go back to Cali
fornia and practice law. The new
Comptroller of the Currency is
Preston Delano, announced Mr.
Early. Immediate inquiries as tc
whether this new Delano is a rela
tive of the President, or of Uncle
Freddie Delano; Steve says yes
but distant; SO distant that Pres
ton Delano doesn't know exactly
where the family trees intertwine.
Or words to that effect.
TWO CALLERS
Mr.. Early announced that the
President would have a couple oi
callers: Louis Brownlow anC
Charles E. Merriam. This mean.
Reorganization" White Hous,
newShounds pay little attention
to it, because the team of Brown
low and Merriam are deaf anC
dumb when they leave the Whit
House. The President has tolt
them that if they talk to reporter
he will get another committee tt
work up a reorganization plan. 81
Louis and Charles NEVER talk
But the wise reporter knows tn,
President wants a reorganization
bill passed next session.
Frederick William Vile, veteran
asks Steve if it is the first time il
history that a Secretary has hell
presidential press conference
Mr.. Early doesn't know; and tn
president of the White House Col
respondents Association pipes u
to ask Mr.. Vile if he doesn't n
member Joe Tumulty not onl
holding press conferences in lie
of President Wilson-but runnin
the Government as well. "I'r
talking about the present century.
says Mr.. Vile. A loud laugh a
the expense of an old man. The
the 200 reporters file out, gettin
a release for a Sunday mornin
story en- route.
The opinion is that Press Sc