Evening star., 1944-05-12

the latter there has never been any
real question. They do. AS to the
contents, there is equally no ques-
tion as to the quality of the writing
the choice of words and the force
fulness of the presentation.
In the past II years, Mr.. Roosevelt
has made exceedingly few poor
speeches. Even those who disagree
with his policies admit they have
been presented well.
But, Raymond Moley, for a
number of years closer to Mr.. Roose-
velt than any other, and the late
Gen. Hugh johnson, who for long
time was his chief aide and init
mate friend, have recorded that
various persons, including them
selves-did the writing.
Among others to whom, from time
to time, authorship has been
ascribed are Tommy" Corcoran
Ben" Cohen, Rexford G. Tugwell
the late Louis Howe, Robert Sher-
wood and Archibald MacLeish. And
In this ghost writer list, too, belongs
former Judge Sam Rosenman, who is
looked upon as the current mes
sage writer 1t was he, for ex-
ample, to whom was attributed the
tax veto message, which caused
Senator Alben Barkley's sensational
revolt.
Mr.. Nicholson Dissents.
From Mr.. MOley and Gen. John
son the very clear impression is
gained that the only part of his
speeches which the President wrote
himself was the peroration He
always, said Mr.. Moley, liked 10
write that himself, with a lead
pencil. The rest was all written for
him.
There is nothing to criticize about
that. So long as the ideas are his
own it is, perhaps, sensible enough
for the President to save himself
labor by employing gifted writer's
to do the work.
Of course, there have been some
Presidents who never let any one
write anything for them, but there
have been plenty of others who
took the Line which Mr.. Moley and
Gen. johnson say Mr.. Roosevelt
takes-to wit, delegate the job to
trusted and talented friends, and
content himself with making re-
visions and writing the last para
graph.
However, Mr.. Nicholson dissents
from this. His contention is that no
one writes the Roosevelt speeches:
that Mr.. Roosevelt is a much better
phrase maker than any of his aides;
that it is his custom after his aides
have put their views on paper to
read them carefully, then lie down
on sofa, put his hands behind his
head and dictate the final speech
This is in complete contrast to the
Moley- Johnson statements on the
subject-and to the general belief
There are several reasons for think
ing the Moley johnson view sound
er than that of Mr.. Nicholson. One
is that, in their day, both Mr.. Mo-
ley and Gen. johnson had far closer
personal relationships with the
President than Mr.. Nicholson ever
achieved. They had his complete
confidence and were aides in a sense
Mr.. Nicholson never was.
Another reason is that Mr.. Michel
son never got in position where he
could take a detached view of Mr..
Roosevelt-and, if one judges from
his books not in such position
now. Certainly, throughout, his
adulation of Mr.. Roosevelt and his
general attitude toward him is that
of an old family retainer, rather
than of an independent recorder
Political Secrecy Exaggerated.
Also, there are the various mac
curacies scattered through the book
such, for example, as twice placing
the Dayton evolution trial, at which
he was present, in Kentucky in
stead Of Tennessee. And, of course,
there are some who might consider
as an additional reason for not ac-
cepting the Nicholson view his glee-
full account of his career as a faker
on the Hearst newspapers.
Even as Mr.. Nicholson tells the
story 40 years afterward, it is not
one greatly to enhance confidence
in him as narrator. However,
aside from these things the book is
interesting, we'll written and not
without humor, though it makes no
contribution to political history.
1t is somewhat surprising that a
man who for IS years has been in
position to know what went on be-
hind the scenes in politics appar-
emily knew so little. Perhaps, 1t
is because there wasn't great deal
to know.
The secrets" of politics are al
ways exaggerated, as is the subtlety
OF politicians. Mr.. Nicholson may
have not had any secrets" to re-
veal or he may have been too eau
tlous to do any revealing. At any