Evening star., 1944-06-09

CErapny OF an hF1nA -. hent.
American statesman ever written.
The interesting thing is that the
author belongs to people gen.
orally renowned for understatement.
MIR. Compton Mackenzie is one of
the most prolific of British writer's,
a gentleman who has written 64
books in SO years, which is practi-
cally a record. But it is safe to say
that this, his 65th book, is the most
glowing, breathless and excited of
them all.
Literally, the man worships his
subject. He conveys the idea that.
though he doubts the wisdom of
entering the field of contemporary
biography, so fascinated and thrilled
is he with the Roosevelt personality
that he could contain himself
no longer.
He heaps praise upon the Presi-
dent until he is practically unrec-
ognizable. Through $50 pages he
paints him as the f1awless man, per-
1ect physically, intellectually, spir-
itually, a gift OF the gods to human
kind. He goes further and ascribes
perfection to all the members of
his family-Mrs. Roosevelt and all
five children.
What Mr.. Mackenzie has done is
very clear. He has taken all of the
elnogies written of Mr.. Roosevelt,
including Mrs. James Roosevelt's
sEv Row E,-a y,LH,,,,, kErs Erl.a~ar
Roosevelt's This Is My Story"
Ernest X. Lindley's Franklin D.
Roosevelt" Gerald w. Johnson's
Roosevelt" and the Emil Ludwig
eulogy-he has taken all these
eulogies, plus his personal inter-
views with the President, and writ
ten the supereulogy of his time.
Stupendous Praise.
The result is something stupen-
dous IN the way of praise. AS a
Roosevelt eulogist Mr.. Mackenzie
makes all the other eulogists seem
restrained-even unfriendly. A no.
tion OF what this Englishman has
achieved in eulogy can be gained
from the fact that some of Mr..
Roosevelt's most devoted friends
have been made a little sick by
reading it.
One reviewer, Mr.. Karl Schrift-
giesser, writes in the Saturday Re-
view of Literature that even as
ardent an admirer of Mr.. Roosebelt
as this reviewer hardly realized what
q great man has been President
since March 4, 1888" He declares
the book to be essentially British
plea to continue him In ofice until
the war is ended"
II this is so, it Is Singularly inept.
For, the average Americans reac-
tton to the superlatives of this VOL
ume would hardly be favorable. In
fact. 1t has been suggested that it
might pay the Republicans to cir
culate it as widely as possible.
Aside from the fact that as a child
and young man, Mr.. Mackenzie.
unconsciously, makes his hero out
a dreadful little prig, there are
many purple passages that might
be used with effect.
For example, there is the touch
ing little anecdote which Mr.. Mac
Kenzie offers of Mr.. Roosevelt at the
age OF 5. One day, he writes. the
child appeared sunk in melancholy
from which his parents could not
arouse him. At last his mother. a
little alarmed, asked the boy wheth-
er he was unhappy. He did not.
says Mr.. Mackenzie, answer at once.
ana then said very seriously, "Yes.
I am unhappy" When his mother
asked him why, says Mr.. Mackenzie.
ne was silent for q moment or two.
and then with q curious little ses-
ture that combined entreaty with
q suggestion of impatience. he
clssped his tiny hands In front of
him and exclaimed, "Oh, for free
dom"
MIR. Mackenzie Is convinced that
this was, indeed, a portentous utter
ance and suggests that 1t was a re.
hection of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence and a forerunner of the
-Four Freedoms.
Incident In Great Career"
This is small incident in a great
career. but 1t is typical of the book
and illustrates the way Mr.. Mac
Kenzie has handled his subject
From that anecdote on he grows in
virtue, wisdom, character. courage.
until one is literally appalled, at his
perfection. and even ardent ad-
mirers like Mr.. Schriftgiesser are
astonished.
We are told of his "marmoreal
serenity" and his "Olympian detach-
ment." He is favorably compared to
Wilson and Churchill. The Mac
kenzian estimate of his services to
mankind Is best described in this
passage:
II at this moment democracy
can still be acclaimed as the political
local OF humanity, it is due su-
premely TO Franklin D. Roosevelt.
VINO has Illuminated the ancient
woro with his own vitality so that
IL gloWS again as warmly upon his
lips as upon the lips of Pericles in
the market place OF Athens 2,4O0
Years ago"
1t Is pretty hard to beat that as
tribute, but Mr.. Mackenzie tries in
his concluding paragraph. In this
he declares that The Vatican trusts
Roosevelt, Jewry trusts Roosevelt,
tormented France trusts Roosevelt,