The Omaha guide., 1938-05-14

ing exerted upon the life of
America and the world today is
that Mrs. Roosevelt. 1t is at once
exalted and powerful. She has
brought to the White House some
thirig that blesses a nation, and
although it cannot be described or
defined, it is there. There has
been no coronatiop day nor public
coronation. but in the heart of
these United States Mrs. Roose-
| Welt has been crowned queen. Up
on her head rests nc royal diadem
handed down by ancestors through
long generations; but she carries
upon her brow the invisible dia-
dem of a nations gratitude and
affections. Wherever she goes she
| radiates sunshine and common
sense and above all minds her own
business.
These months she has both
graced the White House she has
not made a single mistake. Just
how she has steered her course
through such critical times with
out one major mistake is one Of
the marvels of the century. She
knows how to deal with person.
alities and issues with e krow-
ledge born of Heaven. Above all
Mrs. Roosevelt rings true on the
color question. 1t is with her even
as It was with Esther of odd, she
seemed destined Of God "for such
a time as this" Mrs. Roosevelt is
not an official of the United
States. because her husband is its
chief executive. She is rot merely
great because she is the wife of
a great man. She is great on her
owl account She has wisdom; She
has ability. She has that unyield-
ing moral courage that is rare
among the sons of men. She IS a
great mother and a great public
mans wife. She is a great mis-
tress of the White House; but she
gives no evidence of being Presi-
dent. She is a blessing to her day
and generation. The errorless
Eleanorl The women of America
could profit from a close study
of the woman and her ways.
It is customary among narrow
guaged statesmen to interrogate
white chambers Of Negroes rights
thus: "Would you let your daugh-
ter marry a Negro?" Mrs. Roose-
welt has answered Gree for all
this irrelevant question. Her
daughters are already married and
when she gave them in marriage,
It was not to a Negro. Mrs.
Roosevelt is giving to the Negro
race along with the nation some
thing more important than her
daughters hand. She is giving
them encouragement and a help
ing hard. She is trying to make
them feel like humans. She is ever
trying 10 extend unto a stricken
race the sympathy ard encourage
ment without which they will sure
die She is trying to have Negroes
know that true tristocracy is more
manifest in helpfulness than in
haughtiness; that the real Nor
dies are humance!
Upon nearly everv question Of
the day Mrs. Roosevelt has been
approached and manv of those in
volve directly or indirectly her
huebard. Not once has she an
swered to the detriment or en-
barrassment of her husband. 1t
takes r genius TO play the part
she is playing than it takes to
play the part of a President.
Playing safe by saving nothing
her norris: but saying plenty ard
still playing safe is marvellous.
At first she was interesting: later
she was delightful: still later she
was marvellous; today she is ma
iestic and indeed is she enshrined
in the heart of this nation as its
uncrowned queen. Her life and
1abors r a moral tonic for our
distressed social order. In spite of
the pressure that the depression
and recession place upon the
Negroes. the Roosevlts have made
us feel mor a part of the nation
than ever we felt before. The
"tip7toe" policy for Nepores
about the White House has been
blasted and Mrs. Roosevelt more
than any other person in the
world is RESPONSIBLE for its blast
ing. Mrs. Roosevelt knows that
mendicants can never be men ana
that sychophants cannot r,ever be
citizens and the way she has driv-
en- this fact home to the hearts
of this ration is reassuring. But
in her exalted stand on race re-
lations she is not clone. She is
surrounded by friends who encour-
age her to do what they them
selves felt like doing but we're
afraid.
This writer is convinced that
ace relations in this country r
improving; that racial understand
ing is far in advance of racial
policy. He has further contended
that the greatest need in race re-
lations moral courage and this is
what Mrs Roosevelt is commend
ing to the nation This nation is
nroud To hail i+s uuc,.ounad o,,aa.