Detroit evening times., 1942-10-06
RooseveI+'s
Trip Proves
UnpoIi+icaI
Most Republicans Agree
He Was Checking Up
By ROBERT HUMPHREYS

than l0O,OO persons saw PreSl-
dent Roosevelt on his secret
S,700-mile inspection trip.
That's about the same number
who would have seen him had
he spoken in Madison Square
Garden. New York. and then
ridden in an open car from the
Garden TO Pennsylvania Station.
OF the 10000 who saw the
Chief Executive. it is estimated
that 100000 were men in the
armed services (Mr. Roosevelt
inspected Is army and navy eS-
tablishments). The remainder
were defense workers, and cas-
ual pedestrians who happened 10
catch glimpSes from the streets
or in stations.
The President made only two
speeches. One was prepared in
advance and was delivered TO
approximately 5000 Bremerton,
Wash, shipyard workers: the
other was impromptu. and was
heard by an estimated 1000
workers al the Kaiser shipyard
in Portland. Both were nom
political.
In only one city-Bremerton
did the word of Mr.. Roose-
velt's presence spread ia st
enough to cause a crowd to line
the streets-estimate: $500.
Except for IL governors who
acted as his host in their re-
spectiYe states, Mr.. Roosevelt
saw no political notables during
the entire trip. OF the IL gov
ernors. seven were Democrats,
four were Republicans.
WHEN the President COM
w menced his trip on the
night of September II, and the
secret" began to spread through
The Capitol, most Republicans
were sure ii was a political
iunket, most Democrats afraid
that it was.
Despite all the controversy of
the last few days. that's not
what they think now. Privately,
most politicians, now that they
have cooled down, will tell you
that they believe the political
state of the Union is about
where it was on the night of
September II.
They don't think many voters
were reached by rushing past
10000 persons behind a screen
of secret service men. They
don't think that any political
destinies were settled by seeing
IL governors and John Nance
Garner.
And further, not many of
them any longer take much
stock in their original suspicious
that Mr.. Roosevelt had politics
in mind when he started out
But if he did, then they think
he bungled the job badly.
CON GRE S S, regardless of
~ what members have said
publicly, has not taken kindly
to the whole business. Nine
members out of ten, including
administration leaders. were al
ready bitter about the "You-Do-
It-or-I-Will" ultimatum deliv-
cred on the anti-inflation bill
before the trip was made.
The blanket of extreme CEN
sorship. imposed on the press
and radio, also did not set well,
although there was nothing 10
prevent any congressman who
knew Of the trip-and they all
did-from getting up on the
floor and announcing it in toto.
But with the Presidents safety
hanging balance. no man dared
let off steam and that was what
irked them.
Deep beneath the resentment
in Congress, however, was sim
cere anxiety for the President
of the United States. Fear for
his safety was real, and when
the word was flashed 10 Capitol
Hill that he had returned you
could almost hear the collective
sigh-of relief.
uAD the President listened to
IL the railroads and to the
secret service. the trip would
never have been undertaken.
They were dead against il.
The railroads did not want the
responsibility and the secret
service could envision the gi-
gantic task of setting up the
protection necessary. But the
President prevailed. and the or
ganization for the trip began
more than month ago.
Frank j. Wilson. head Of the
secret service, and M. F. Mike"
Reilly, who directs the White
House force, laid out the plans
with railroad. army. navy and
local police officials cooperating.
Over the Presidents route from
Spokane TO San Diego. the pre-
cautions were elaborate beyond
belief.
Soldiers patrolled the tracks
at 300-yard intervals. They oc-
cupied cliffs. buildings and any
thing else along presidential auto
routes from where an assassin
might have operated.
State and local police rein
forced the members of the armed
services. Reilly travelled as much
as three days ahead of the
a~.,.. .xI