Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-10
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER


MRS. ROOSEVELT appar-
AA emily went straight home
from the capitol after the
Presidents message to Congress
and wrote that she had been not
only astonished but saddened to
notice that the applause came
almost entirely from the Demo-
Gratis and that only few no
ticeable exceptions on the Re-
publican side raised a hand in
approval at any point.
She said it looked TO her as
though those Republicans were
saying TO the country:
I'VE represent you here In
Congress not as citizens of the
United States in n period OF
great crisis but as members Of
a political party which seeks
primarily to promote Its own
partisan interests"
This" Mrs. Roosevelt added,
as to me shocking and terribly
ing"
And I will Just add at this
point that Mrs. Roosevelt's re-
marks here cited are, to me,
shocking although not terrify-
ing.
CERTAINLY disturbing, be-
~ cause, say what you will,
Mrs. Roosevelt is not a private
citizen and, in a way that we all
understand, speaks for the presi-
deney of the United States.
So here we find her tossing
off an accusation against those
members of the legislative
branch of the United States gov
eminent who refused TO Indicate
approval of a speech which
would commit the People Of this
country 10 feat OF world-sav-
ing that is far beyond their VOL
untary intention and their abil-
ity.
The President had delivered a
good speech on practically the
same subject only a few days
before. and IN this message TO
Congress and, of course. TO the
nation and the world. he was
warming it over, which. as every
coSmic columnlst knows, is hard
To do well.
LIE Is only human. he has
H carried an enormous load
for eight years. much of it
unnecessary weight which he de-
liberately picked up in the shape
Of personal. political and claes
controversy. and this twice-told
tale had been tapped out amid
the worries and distractions OF
an appalling responsibility.
You can't tell me he felt that
this speech clicked. know the
signs 1t was a head-weary pres
entation Of an idea that deserved
his very treatment. and the
speech itself was more TO be re-
GREETED than the attitude OF
those. who shocked Mrs. Roosc-
welt by their failure to applaud.
On Mrs. RooSevelt's behalf I
would say that the topic which
she selected for her little daily
chore of Journalism was ond(
which person in her position
!, should have avoided or carefully
deferred for more deliberate and
thoughtful treatment.
THIS piece was very little diff
i ferent from q state paper.
if it wasn't actually state
paper. and il is thinkable that
more people were shocked by
her impulsive public denuncia-
ton Of a considerable portion
of Congress and her imputation
of base political motives than
by the division of sentiment in
Congress.
This unconVentionality Of Mrs.
RooSevelt's may be picturesque
and harmless in personal appear
+ ances in coal mines and conven-
lions of precocious professional
youth, but il gets serious when
she blurts into print with seri-
Gus charges or insinuations
against a section of Congress
in fact, against Congress as a
whole body.
II would be Just as fair Ia
charge that the Democrats in
appla1ding the President were
selling their country into an
other world war for their pro-
motion. pay and party patron
age. and. certainly in the years
of the New Deal. the admins
tration members have taught the
people TO suspect them of parti-
sanShip in many matters.
But in so serious a matter as
this and in so grave a time this
accusation was not heard.
THE opposition in Congress
L and in the press had too
great sense of. responsibility,
but the distaff side of the presi-
dency impulsively rejected the
possibility that good men could
disagree from decent patriotic
motives.
In this instance Mrs. Roose-
welt has given us a high political
impersonation Of the pitchers
wife who saw her pOppy lose a