Evening star., 1942-08-06
~ JAY G. HAYDEN.

AAkiiiy COIuQCUSnt OUSGItcI, AIluC
C'Hare Mccormick, wrote Of him:
And still the marvel grows that
he is so little shaken by the seismic
disturbances over which he presides.
AL the rulers of Europe have shriv-
eled or aged during the past few
years. - Caught of guard, when
they are alone, they are tired and
bafiied men who have paid heavy
price for power.
- On none of his predecessors
has the Office left so few marks as
on Mr.. Roosevelt. He is little
heavier, a shade grayer; otherwise,
he looks harder and in better health
than on the day of his Inauguration.
His face is so tanned that his eyes
appear lighter, a cool Wedgwood
blue: after the four grilling years
since the last campaign they are as
keen, curious, friendly and impene-
trable as ever"
Add a little grayness to the hair
and subtract the tan and this same
description might have been written
truthfully by one who saw the Presi-
dent In his press conference Tues
day.
A favorite worry here and, as 1t
appears, in all of the Allied capitals
these days. Is the degree to which
Mr. Roosevelt is concentrating war
decisions. vital or otherwise, into his
own hands. A circumstance in point
was his announcement Tuesday that,
in consonance with his own order
setting up a military commission to
try the eight German saboteurs, he
was Constituted the reviewing au-
thority in respect to the verdict"
Problems Are Varied.
II am now" he said, "in process
Of reviewing the evidence, which is
voluminous. I will have finished
within two or three days"
Just why Mr.. Roosevelt should
have taken this essentially judicial
task on his shoulders nobody, least
Of all lawyers, understand.
4 At this same Tuesday press con-
ference the President said he was
attempting to resolve the "57 vari-
cites" Of expert opinion on the rub
ber situation. In addition to mill
tary and naval decisions which all
head up at his desk, taxes, prices,
labor and domestic policies are just
. few of the problems he currently
Is wrestling with.
But Rear Admiral Ross T. Nc
Intire, White House physician and
the man who is in best position to
know, declares that Mr. Roosevelt
has thrived under the weight Of his
war burdens.
1.-THE way in which he takes every
thing IN stride, good news or bad
news alike, Is amazing" said Dr..
McIntire. "His health since Pearl
Harbor has been, if anything, better
than usual. His only illnesses have
been two or three light colds, not
suf1icient to stop him from working.
This is so in spite of the fact that
war conditions have cut down his
exercise and his opportunities to
relax either In or out of doors.
His most valuable trait from q
physicians standpoint is his never
failing optimism. From the begin
ming he has had no illusions as to
the seriousness Of the world situa-
ton. He has been remarkably ac-
curate Id foreseeing most Of Its
developments. But at the same time
he never has wavered in belief that
the United States will see 1t through
successfully. He simply takes each
new phase as all In the days work
and does his BEST with It.
Gets Needed Sleep.
~Despite much evening work he
usually gets In a full eight hours Of
sleep. Never in my knowledge has
he taken q sedative to induce sleep.
MY greatest concern has been
inability to get him away for periods
Of complete rest in the sunshine.
The thing that benefits him most Is
sea trips, where there is no tele-
phone, visitors cannot reach him and
he can spend all day in the sun and
wind.
These have been completely out
since he went to the New England
coast to meet Prime Minister
Churchill q year ago. and that
journey in fact afforded little relaxa-
ton.
"He went to Warm Springs last
November, but you will remember
We lust had arrived there when de-
velopments In the Japanese situa-
ton forced him to hurry back to
Washington. Since then he has been
away from the White House only for
brief periods, usually no more than
week ends, and most Of these have
been filled with work"
In times past Mr. Roosevelt used
to swim in the White House pool fol
m hour or so nearly every day. Be-
fore war began in Europe these
swims were cut down to three q
week because DR.. McIntire thought
the President had been swimming
more than was beneficial to him
Now he Swims never more than twice
q week and some weeks only once o.
not at all. His principal exercis'
consists of a daily massage and
routine of calisthenic exercises
walking and stretching, which h
faithfully pursues.
Eats What He Likes.
Mr.. Roosevelt eats whatever h,
pleases. but in amount according t,
his weight. His prescribed pound
age Is 185. If he goes above tina
figure, and lack Of exercise tend
to increase his weight. he gets hi
doctors orders to cut down on food
The number of the President
daily visitors probably is less thai
In normal times. The White Hous
is the most isolated and guardet
r,uuuWe keep harping on
E RESTFUL Sleep