Evening star., 1940-07-19
Democratic Leaders
Hail Roosevelt Speech
As Response 10 Duty
Hope Thot FoIIow-up
On Convention Strife
Will Produce Harmony
BY JOHN G. HENRY,
Star staff Correspondent.

nominating convention will be for
gotten in party harmony before No
vember, today were hailing rPesi-
dent Roosevelt's acceptance speech
Of last night as sincere and states
manlike utterance of his conception
of his duty toward the Nation In a
time Of Overriding public danger"
For it was entirely around the
theme of duty that Mr.. Roosevelt,
speaking by radio from the White
House, told some $4,000 persons in
the great convention stadium here
that he was setting aside AL pri-
vate plans" to heed a call to the
Nations service-just as many 9TH
ers have needed that call when
spoken by him.
Wife Spoke Keynote"
Jaded and scarcely happy after a
long evening of fighting over the
vice presidential nomination, the
delegates and visitors sat intently
quiet as the President solemnly re-
counted the development of his per-
sonal decision to accept part in
this shattering of American tradi-
ton.
Earlier, Mrs. Roosevelt, in a short
but markedly effective address, had
prepared these listeners by remind
ing them that world conditions of
today permitted of no ordinary po-
litical considerations, and had
warned them that upon them will
rest responsibility for this years
campaign-not only to wage it but
to see that it is attuned Ito the
good Of the Nation as a whole"
In fact, the remarks Of the First
Lady, an acceptance speech" in
themselves. might we'll have been
described as q keynote" for what
the President had to say later.
In most carefully chosen words,
the Chief Executive informed the
convention that he was speaking
out of a conflict of his deep per-
sonal desires for retirement on the
one hand and his conscience on
the other.
Upon reelection in 1896, he as
serted, he arrived at the firm in-
tention to complete his presidential
duties in another four years.
This conviction, he continued, re-
manned with him-and was to have
been expressed last fall in an an
nouncement that under no condi-
tions would I accept reelection"
When Europe marched to war,
however, and there arose grave re-
sponsibilities in maintaining Amer
lean neutrality, improving the Ma
tons defenses and exerting the in
fluence of this Government in ef-
forts to prevent the spreading of
conflict, "the normal conditions un-
der which I would have made public
declaration Of my personal desires
were gone"
Thinking solely of the national
good and of the international scene,
I came to the reluctant conclusion
that such declaration should not be
made before the national conven-
tion. It was accordingly made to
you within an hour after the per-
manent organization of the con-
vention.'
Backsrounding his own deter
mination then to serve as the voters
Of the Nation might signify, Mr..
Roosevelt reviewed the steps taken
to provide America with total de-
fense"-and the cooperation given
by men and women drafted by him
frorl important private occupations,
their homes and their businesses.
Describes Revolution.
II, as head of their Government,
have asked them to do this" he
said. Regardless of party, regard
less of personal convenience, they
came-they answered the call. Every
single one of them, with one excep-
ton, has come to Washington to
serve"
Il have asked myself whether
have the right to call on
men and women to serve their coun-
try or to train themselves to serve
and at the same time decline to
serve my country in my own per-
sonal capacity, If I am called upon
to do so ="
Unlike most men OF my age, he
pleaded, I had made plans for
myself, plans for a private life of
my own choice and for my own
satisfaction to begin in January,
1s4l. These plans, like so many
other plans, had been made in a
world which now seems as distant
as another planet. Today all pri-
vate plans, all private lives, have
been repealed by an overriding pub
Hc danger.
I Answers Call to Service.
s"In the face of that public danger,
all those who can must be of service
In these capacities for which they
may be fitted.
Those are the reasons why have
had to admit to myself, and now to
state to you, that my conscience
will not let me turn my back upon
q call to service
THE right to make that call rests
with the people through the Ameri-
can method of free election. Only
the people themselves can draft a
President. If such a draft should
be made upon me, I say, in the
utmost simplicity. I will, with Gods
help, continue to serve with the best
Of my ability and with the fullness
Of my strength
Cautioned not to applaud during
the Presidents address, the delegates
broke into one sharp explosion Of
hand-clapping when Mr.. Roosevelt
spoke tribute to my old friend, Jim
Farley" and extended his thanks for
"the help that he has given and
for the help which I know he will
continue to give"
Seated directly back of the presid-
ing ofncer's rostrum. Mr.. Farley lis
tened to most of the speech with
his eyes shaded by a fan and his
head slightly bowed. As he left the
hall in the early morning hours he
described Mr.. Roosevelt's utterances
as "a very fine address-an excep-
tionally f1r1e address"