The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-25

which is his offlce, and there try to outsrnart him.
 MT. Smooth, however, can duck the tough ones with the adroitness of an African dodger and laugh about 1t, kidding some corre- spondent about having spoiled one for him, telling another that the question was too "iffy" or that 1t was like .Topsy-the answer hadn't growed up yet. r... QUESTIONABLE
 QUESTION
 Sometimes the questions are too obviously impossible, as when some one wanted to know If the Presi- dent had "any general opinion on the progress of the European war"
 The President threw back his head and roared and afterward he commented that he'd have to grease the palm of the Delphic oracle on that one.
 Some of his answers are perhaps too honest to make good copy. When the President was asked about his conversation with Prime Minister Mackenzie King of Can- ada, he shot back the answer that they had talked about German measles. As a matter of fact, the meeting had been very brief and the President had told about his inability to get away to Warm Springs, Ga, because of an epi- defnic of German measles at the institution. It would never do for an American president to get any German disease at this stage of the worlds affairs.
 When someone starts question with, would 1t be fair assump- ton to say that--?" the President always cuts in with an ejaculation that stops the question in mid-air, before the subject is ever reached FDR
 TENTS
 Rumors of appointments are al- ways present to make questions and usually get evasive answers until the matter is all settled. To say that the President would rather duck a trick question than answer 1t is not quite accurate, but he does apparently get a kick out of dodg- ing trafiic jams of Interrogation.
 That's what makes 1t interesting for the correspondents who crowd in close around the Presidents desk and make deductions from the tilt of the cigaret holder. whether he exhales the smoke slowly or in quick clouds, the way he puffs out his cheeks mo- mentarily while considering 6 question, the way he mods his head for emphasis, the lift of an eye. brow. They're all supposed to be important, if you believe in signs When the rom is crowded, only those in front can see and make what they will of these portents.
 Calling these conferences the best show in Washington has now become an old saw. Yet the fact remains that into this pleasant oval office, without corners into which @ president might be backed or reporter stood, come the men and the issues that make these the most exciting times in world his- tory.
 The white. slightly ached ceil- ing with the seal of the president of the United States in baS-relief at the center. The soft, restful green of the walls. The indirect lighting. The windows looking out to the south over the sunlit White House garden and ground. The ia. miliar marine paintings and ship models. The crowded, locked bookcases. The big colored map of the world, 10 feet long and four feet high, mounted in front of the fireplace, facing the Presidents trophy and souvenir-laden desk.
 In this easy atmosphere, with a flip here and gagline there, with gracious good humor Is settled the fate of the nation preparing for what? As the President observed the other day, the American pub lie is not yet sufficiently aware of the extreme seriousness of the war, but native American intelligence and cracker barrel discussion will bring 1t out.