Evening star., 1942-01-25

Sara Delano Roosevelt, died in Septem-
ber. She was probably the dominant
influence on her only child. A woman
Of remarkable force of character, she
was at the Presidents side during the
high moments of his career. Through
out her life she presided over the estate
at Hyde Park, where her sons affections
are deeply rooted. Her death came as he
struggled with the world crisis.
Miss LIE Hand Seriously Ill.
What the other blow has meant the
public has hardly realized. Miss Mar
guerite LIE Hand, the Presidents conf
dental secretary for many years, was
taken seriously i'll a year ago. She is
still stricken, a patient now at Warm
Springs. Only the President can know
the full extent of the loss of Miss lie
Hand-"Missy"-w had her own suite,
living room, bedroom and bath, in the
White House. Eficient and self -effacing.
she smoothed many paths for the over
burdened Chief Executive
character, Eleanor Roosevelt. = 1t was
she who fought for his cure against those
who might have preserved him for life
of invalidism In countless ways, which
again only the President can know, his
wife has served his career.
Those who have watched at close range
the Roosevelt drama recall only one
undergo definite change. That was in
September of 1899. Rumor had him
jittery. Grim was better word, per-
haps, to describe the mood that came
over him. Two months passed before he
was his normal, casual self again.
In the spring of 1910 he underwent his
longest White House illness. An attack
OF intestinal influenza sent him to bed
for 10 days, and there followed an eight
day convalescence at Warm Springs. Up
to that time two weeks would have
covered the entire period Of "1n bed
under doctors orders" during his two
terms.
The President is In good health today,
but he is little tired. The visit of Prime
Minister Churchill was a strain in more
ways than one. First, of course, vital
decisions were being reached on the
whole conduct of the war-decisions
which will affect the future of virtually
every human being in the entire world.
Then, like any other house guest. Mr..
Churchill made demands on the time of
his host.
Schedule Often Upset.
The two men lead dissimilar lives. Mr.
Roosevelt has a fairly regular daily
schedule, waking between 8 and $50,
going to bed around II, working at his
stamp collection or reading for an hour
or so and then dropping of to sleep
about midnight. OF course, this schedule
has been upset many times in recent
months, but when he can the President
adheres to it.
Mr.. Churchill has no regard for the
clock whatsoever. He works in long, hard
spurts and sleeps when he happens to
feel like it. In London his cabinet min
listers are called out of bed at any hour
Of the night. Naturally Mr.. Roosevelt
tried to accommodate himself to his
guest and friend. One result was that he
lost considerable sleep. He had a brief
interval of rest away from the White
House while the Prime Minister was in
Florida, but this was not sufficient to
pick him up again.
While no one has discussed 1t, the
possibility is that the President will try
to get away again in the early spring,
perhaps before. His destination will
probably not be announced, but a good
guess might be Warm Springs. He needs
the tonic for mind and body that that
spot provides.
The place has changed magically since
Mr.. Roosevelt first began going there.
The old frame Meriwether Inn was torn
down eight years ago. In its place was
built Georgia Hall which provides q
community dining room, kitchen, gather
ing place for games and music, recep-
ton and information desk and admins
tration offices. Basil OConnor, the Presi-
dents former law partner and executive
chairman Of the Warm Springs Founda-
ton Committee, has been most successful
in getting donations from wealthy men
for other new buildings which are skill
fully placed on the wooded, rolling site.
Warm Springs was supported from
1927 to 1884 through the contributions
Of individuals and charitable organiza-
tions Many wen-known people con-
tributed to the work. Mr.. and Mrs.
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