Evening star., 1943-06-18
Roosevelt Papers Challenge
To Ingenuity of Collectors
Assembling Set Of First Editions Brings
Hunt for Small Editions, Privately Circulated
By CHARLES HONCE,

~,'7 U1uut IOI SIulOIl GOIl
- BY CHARLES HONCE,
Associated Press Stan Correspondent
NEW YORK, June 18.-One OF
the toughest photographed jobs to-
day is the attempt to assemble q
complete set of first editions of all
the books and pamphlets to which
the name of President Roosevelt is
afilxed.
A number of persons already are
at it. Some of the trials that lie be-
fore them are indicated by Frederick
B. Adams, jr., New York business
man and bibliophile, in paper pre-
pared for today's meeting of the
photographed Society of America.
In addition to the difficulty IN
acquiring some OF the Presidents
rarer productions, there is a welter
Of -first-edition detail concerning his
more widely distributed books to
confound and confuse the collector.
6 Texts of Inaugural Speech.
There are, for instance, no fewer
than six texts of the first inaugural
address alone, and the manner IN
which the differing versions got into
type is enough to make collectors S
head swim.
Anyone seeking complete Roose-
velt collection must acquire literally
scores of items, many Of them
printed in painfully small editions
for private circulation. Others are
easier to acquire and many persons
will find interest in the fact that by
far the widest circulated of any of
the Presidents writings is his in
PRODUCTION to the servicemen's Bible
supplied to every member of the
armed forces by the Gideons and
the American Bible Society.
Most of the Roosevelt literary out
put has come since his election to
the Presidency, but there is a fair
assortment of numbers, ante-dating
1898.
For instance, Mr.. Adams men
tions introductions to several books
about the Navy and sailing, the
editing of the Records of the Town
of Hyde Park" for the Dutchess
County Historical Society, speech
to the boys at Milton Academy is
sued as small book entitled
"whither Bound" and very thin
but enthusiastic volume in 1928" in
which "he had saluted Gov. Smith
as the Happy Warrior and wished
him Godspeed on the road to the
White House"
incidentally, although Mr.. Adams
doesn't mention it in his paper, a
copy of this volume in mint first
edition state and signed both by
the President and Alfred E. Smith,
is offered in current book cata-
logue at $50. It's sometime owner
had inclosed it in a half crimson
French Levant slipcase, with richly
gilt back and with American eagles
and shamrockS in alternate panels
Before going into the curious de-
tails surrounding publication of
some Of the Presidents famous
state papers, let's take a look at
other items from his pen.
Cruise Logs Published.
"He has written" says Mr.. Adams
"introductions to books on such
subjects as Stratford Hall and early
American naval history. He has
supplied valuable help to Capt. Dud-
ley Knox on his series of publica-
tions of our early naval records and
he has edited another volume of
local documentary material for the
Duchess County Historical Society,
published in 1910 under the title
Records of Crum Elbow Precinct,
Duchess County, New York, 1738-
1851
Until the day of Pearl Harbor,
the President found much-needed
relaxation in his saltwater cruises.
Fortunately, these are documented
by informal logs, to each of which
the Commander in Chief has ap-
piled his editorial eye, with his vigi-
liant respect for the source material
of future historians, and, be 1t said,
with prankish humor about some
OF the goings-on of the presidential
party. These logs have been issued
in very small editions, chiefly by
the Navy in the form of photo-off-
set reproductions from typewriter
copy"
There are 10 of them all told,
starting in 1884 and concluding with
Log of the Presidents Inspection
Trip and Cruise on Board U. S. S.
Potomac" March l9-April l, 1s41.
Addresses Printed Privately.
In addition to many individual
speeches and groups of public pa
pers issued by commercial houses,
Mr.. Adams mentions others pub
lished by special organizations In
furtherance of their own aims" in
cluding the Boy Scouts of America,
woodrow Wilson Foundation and
the Republican National Committee.
These and nine others each contain
flrst-edition material.
MIR. Adams finds that "the most
exclusive publications of these pres
tdential years are the privately
printed editions of various addresses
which Mr.. Roosevelt has regarded as
milestones in his three terms and,
therefore, deserving of special circu-
lation in the councils of the mighty.
On all these, the President has con-
spired with Mr.. Giegengack, the
public printer, to assure first-class
design for each book or pamphlet,
for their author is q lover of books
in the fullest sense of the phrase"
There are seven of these private
editions, dating from 1895. The