Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-18
Roosevelt
Best When
Going sHard
Careful Cool SkiIIfuI in
international Moves
By PAUL MALLON

Personal reflections OF A
columniSt taking a vacation
from news:
Opposition brings out the best
in Pres ident Roosevelt. Years OF
watching him al his work have
convinced me he founders only
Whom me going rs easy --
Remember his fatal riding Of
me CTCSr tn .ATtfftk days aHA-the
TTTJ-tTrffr- firt~-ffif fStt recollection
which carried him into recon-
Structng the Supreme Court.
But when the chips arc down
and the pressure IS on there has
never been a more careful and
Skillful executive IN my life,
The first banking crisis and
his third reelection campaign
furnish the evidence.
But the latest proof is the
manner in which nc has met
opposition IN the international
crises.
II YOU viii take what he has
L done apart from what he has
said and away from what Sena-
tor Wheeler believes he really
wants 70 do. YOU will see the
point standing alone in obvious
clarity.
His words have sbriStlcd and
threatened. but his actions have
been well prepared and clever.
The first step he took was the
worst from the legal and tech
nical StandpointS.
The transfer Of the 80 recon-
ditioned deStroyers strained our
own practical needs 1--WE could
certainly use them poMl- and
legal conceptions.
But the Iceland occupation did
neither. and met strong popular
approval even though il consti-
tuted a limited declaration Of
naval war.
Between those two steps. few
have been taken by the Presi-'
dent which did not have the
support of tho country. even
though his words were at the
same time being roundly crit
iCiZed
If opposition continues and his
health holds out, Mr.. Roosevelt
will do the greatest Job of his
long career in the next few
years.
4 MILITARY friend dropped
"a in to scratch my back the
other day about the patriotism
Of my column.
We talked about how patriot
ism and .Americanism seemed
cheapcncd in the public mind
after the last war. how some
Of the younger folks growing up
in this Scoffing atmosphere be-
gan 10 see their mistake more
clearly as Hitler rose threaten
ingly, and are daily coming TO
greater appreciation of real
values.
Patriotism in my opinion is
not a noble virtue. 1t is Just
plain self-interest.
How much good 10 you is your
own physical person. your fam
lily your home. your work. if
your country is not your own.
but like France, Belgium and so
many others?
There is nothing exalted about
devotion 10 your country. II is
a simple primitive instinct for
Self-preSerVatlon. Every one has
II in him
The only trouble is that in
times when no threat is oh
viously pressing, people short
sightedly forget it, They begin
10 believe no threat will ever
face them again as a whole
people. and their minds wander
off into less elemental political
emotions. lured by the political
witChdoctors Of the day.
Yet the first threat brings
them back. clears their vision.
A man who is not inspired by
patriotism is too much Of fool
10 be allowed 10 60 out on the
streets alone.
THE single proof each citizen
Il may offer of patriotism is in
his voluntary acceptance Of lead
crShip not Just passive, reluc-
tant going-along with whomever
happens 10 be in authority. but
active About support
| did not vote for MIR RoOSe-
Welt for a third term and do
not>eNpect 10 vote for a fourth
50 ! may speak nonpoltically.
| think dlSunion is folly COM
parable 10 suicide.
Now | do not mean that any
citizen in time Of emergency or
even in war Is required to APP
plaud all the Presidents acts.
The President is two official
persons.
lie is first the elected political
leader and therefore the gov
eminent head As such his
every act rs Subicc, 20 criticism
as long a, this remains a dcmoc-
racy
But secondly he is command
cr-in-chicf of the army and
navy and when he speaks in
that capacity 10 me he speaks
infallIbly
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