Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-13
First Lady
Urged to Quit
Public Life
MeddIer in Many
Matters by -PeeIer
BY WESTBROOK PETLER

OF my nature ana my prose
| have been accused of rudeness
to Mrs. Roosevelt when / only
said she was impudent. presump-
tuous and conspiratorial. and
that her withdrawal from public
life at this time would be a fine
public service.
That is Just an opinion. and
there may be other opinions on
the subject. but I maintain that
il is expressed in chaste and
gentlemanly language and with
no more vigor than most OF us
are used 10 in our discussion OF
controversial subjects.
This la dy is a meddler In
many matters which are very
improper business for the wife
of the President Of the United
States, a status which is con-
Stantly invoked for her lest her
aCtiVi be objcCtiVelv dis
CuSScd as those Of an ordinary
citizen.
Long ago. Mrs Roosevelt med
died in the Newspaper Guild.
Absolutely ineligible even on
the preteXt of her public diary.
which is not her principal occu-
patton. Mrs Roosevelt neverthc-
less, a &C ept @ d membership 70
which she was not entitled and
Immediately became the political
foe Of all those American news
papcrmcn and women who knew
the character Of the Guild. de-
tested and resisted the dirty
work Of tirclcSS MuSCovites and
bravely suffered It's heartless
prosecutions.
She waS granted membership
because she was the President q
wife and for no other rcaso1
which meant that the Com
muniStS wanted 10 make use OF
her position
Thus the victims 81 the plot
could not but feel the highest
office in their own country the
presidency was permitted 70
be used against them IN the in
forests of men and women
whose mission was not 10 inn
prove the lot Of reporters but
10 establish the Soviet system
Of government here and they
were absolutely right.
I EGALLY. Mrs. Roose Welt.
IL even aS The wife Of the
President. has no more authority
than any other citizen Of the re-
public.
She is on a common footing
with Mrs Smith Mrs, Jones and
Mrs George Spclvin. but we al
ways treat our Madame Presi-
dent with a special respect
because the office Of her hus-
band which She partakcS Of. is
tho highest temporal authority
in our country.
But when our First Lady
commentaries that respect for
profit and in competition with
the rest Of The people. by her
association with persons who as
Soclate with enemies Of the
American system. and antagon-
lIcN The people. II l. she not her
critics who fails IN respect for
the office.
Mrs RooSeyclt'S quiet sailing
around Of her personal friends
IN the government employ IS no
new thing.
The Dies com mittee has
known OF this for a long time
and has mutiered about II. but
the Dies committee lives under
q political sword and has had -
speak softly lest Mrs. RooSevt
exert her influence 10 Starve
OF money with which 10 con-
tlnuc Us work
Mrs Roosevelt has openly
used her Office against this
committee Of the United States
Congress.
Mrs. Roosevelt has absolutely
no right 10 appoint any one 10
any public position but now il
comes out that She has named
one actor. one curythmiCiSt or
dancer, and one secretary from
her private pay roll 10 paid Jobs
IN the Office of Civilian De-
Tense, and one professional
youth 10 an unpaid position in
the same important department.
ONE day in London. during the
" last war. one of the tabloids
came out with shocking scan
dial exposing the fact that
Pctticoat Government had
been established in Whitehall
and specifically in the war office.
whereby certain favorites Of an
influential lady were planted in
safe and cuShy Jobs in Blighty.
Winston Churchill would re-
member II we'll for the lady was
relative Of his.
The British reacted calmly.
the lady'S ears were Slapped
down and Britain got into the
war.
Still ScrupulouSly avoiding
impolItcncSS. | insist that Mrs
RooSevclt'S activities have been
not helpful but. on the whole.
very harmful, that she has been
guilty of imposition and effron-
terry that for all her pleadings
against discrimination for creed
and color, has herself actively