The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1941-07-24
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CHANGES IN PRESIDENT
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OF war in Europe have made some
significant changes in the habits and
the outlook Of the President. He is
more serious. more worried. Also
he Is more circumscribed. The lat
ter is important, because it means
that he sees fewer people, loses
some Of his old contacts.
During his first eight years in
office, probably nc President in his
tory was in closer touch with the
country as a whole than Franklin
Roosevelt. Not only did he see a
great number Of congressman, la
Dor leaders, business men and poll
ticians during his daily routine, but
he Travelled more than n other
President. Several times a year he
took turns round the country, kept
his ear to the ground, met all sorts
of people.
, Ever since the international emer-
gency, he has stuck close to Wash.
ington. Not once has he got out
into the Middle West, even during
the 1910 campaign. Seldom has he
gone farther away than New York
or down the Potomac. Thus he has
missed the relaxation, the rest, and
the obvious joy he used to get from
his rowing junkets. Also he has
missed his old personal contacts.
Note-The President boasts that
he rests on a railroad trip, and
this is really true. He seems to
sleep better on a Pullman, and on
occasion orders have been given to
the train engineer to stretch out a
run between towns in order to give
the President extra sleep.
More Gold Braid.
Roosevelt's contacts thus are linn
tied by remaining in Washington,
and in Washington also, he is more
circumscribed than ever. He does
not c nearly as many members Of
congress and men from many walks
of life as formerly. This is because
he is concentrating so much time on
national defense and foreign affairs.
All important decisions in the
state department come across his
desk. The freezing of Axis funds,
the closing of German-Italian consul
lates, the speeches of Secretary
Knox, have to get the Presidents
o. X. Important decisions regard
ing the army and navy come to
him, and a constant stream of ques-
tons regarding OPM and aid to
Britain confronts him daily.
So the President sees far less of
the men who helped to build up the
New Deal. far more of army-navy
officials, One Dollar Men and dip
lomats. Much of this is unavoid-
able, though part of it could be
eliminated by more diversifcation
of control.
However, this change in the Pres
ident's mode of operation is not as
important as the change which; grad
ually has crept over his general out
look. On the surface, and in press
conference, he is the same old
wise-cracking, fun-loving Roosevelt.
But underneath he is not.
No longer does he have the same
zest for what he is doing. In the
old days when he was building PWA
bridges and WPA schoolhouses,
writing labor laws, %crusading for So
cial security. fighting the big utili-
ties, he loved every minute of it.
He was building up, orusading for
human needs and human rights.
And his enthusiasm was boundless.
No War Enthusiasm.
Now, however. he knows that ev-
cry step he takes in foreign policy,
every dollar he spends for the navy,
every man he inducts into the army,
may be a step toward tearing down
rather than building up. He believes
the steps he is taking are absolutely
necessary. But he has no enthusi.
asm for them. In other words, he
has no enthusiasm for war.
Most of the men around Roose-
welt believe that war is inevitable,
and it may be that he does, too
though he has not admitted that
publicly. But judging by his hang
ing back in opposition to his more
vigorous military-foreign policy ad-
visers, the President hates and
breads the idea of this nation going
into war.
He hates the reactions and after.
maths Of war, and he hates the idea
of having history record him as a
War President.
At the same time he believes that
this country will have to move fast,
and if it does not move now it may
be too late. For the best definition
Of an isolationist. Roosevelt firmly
believes. is one who by procrastina-
ton wants to see his women and
children in the thick of the fighting
here at home.
MEREy-GO-ROUED
Zen Wclles, son of Undersecre.
tary of State Sumner Wclies, is
working as a newsman in Panama.
Nelson Rockefeller. government
worker, gets up at five in the morn.