Evening star., 1938-12-21
Opinion Divided Concerninq
Conduct of Roosevelt Family
Women Of Capital Back Mrs. Roosevelt in
Defending Her Fomiy's Activities

A cross = section of opinion in
Washington and other major cities
yesterday revealed sharply divided
views on Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
velt's statement that she felt the
wife and children of the President
ought to be permitted to live their
own lives.
In Washington Mrs. Roosevelt's
defense of her own and her FAM
ilyS activities In private business
received strong and readily voiced
support-at least from Capital wom-
EN-. Men, however, almost univer-
sally refused any comment, and
their reactions ranged from abrupt
refusals to a dissenting explanation
advanced by one prominent business
man, who would not permit use of
his name.
His opinion was that married
woman had enough to do without
entering into business competition "
Both yea" and may" votes came
from residents of other cities polled
by the North American Newspaper
Alliance. High lights of the COM
ment here and elsewhere follow:
Mrs. Evalyn Walsh Mclean, social
leader-"I have the deepest admira-
ton and respect for the way Mrs
Roosevelt has carried on the maze
of work that occupies her daily life
both as public and private figure
I think her children, in attempting
to live normal lives display an ini-
tiative that is lacking in many OF
the children of the younger gen.
Grafton.
Mrs. William Nuckles DOak, widow
of the former Secretary of Labor
Il don't think there should be any
personal restrictions on any one and
Mrs. Roosevelt should be able tc
carry on her private work, even il
she occupies place in public life
Miss Elizabeth Eastman, legis-
lative chairman of the National
Y. w. c. A.-"Mrs. Roosevelt is one
OF the Wisest and most valuable
women in the country"
Capt. RhOda Milliken, head of the
w VIII l OllCC ttOlIldIl D eau
Mrs. Roosevelt is right. AS for
the rest of the family, it's hard
enough to be the children of a
famous man without restrictions
being placed on their business activ-
tiles"
Miss Mary Anderson, chief of the
Woman's Bureau of the Labor De-
partment-"Mrs. Roosevelt never
has submerged her personality to
that of her husband and it is per-
fectly natural that she should not
now"
Mrs. Alice Regan of the National
Council of Catholic Women-'I am
all for Mrs. Roosevelt doing what
she thinks is right, and 1 think she
is credit to womanhood through
out the world"
Representative Hamilton Fish, jr
He said he was not one of those
who believe woman's place is in the
home, but Il think the wife OF
any President should devote her en-.
tire time, energy and ability to full
filling the obligations that 60 with
being the First Lady of the Land
and that requires her to stay in
the White House"
Mrs. Fred T. Murphy of Detroit
the former Mrs Frederick M. Alger
,one-time Republican member of the
Michigan Liquor Control Commits
slon-"No one can forget the official
connection between the members OF
the family and the President"
Dorothy Thompson, political COL
umnist-"I think emphatically that
Mrs. Roosevelt has been fulfilling
her duties as woman and citizen
and First Lady of the Land better
than the wife Of any other President
in history. I do not agree with
everything she does, but she has
helped her husband magnificently
and has made great sacrifices to
further her husbands policies. It's a
curious thing, I've noticed that those
who say that Mrs. Roosevelt ought
to stay home and confine herself to
pouring pink tea are great ad-
mirers of British aristocracy. Well
Mrs. Roosevelt is American aristoc-
racy, and her activities are those
OF a true ariStocrat. Her detractors
are talking pure bunk"