The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-02-15
Observations
Tribute Paid TO
Raymond Clapper
by Columnist
8 Helen Essary

Clapper. one Of the most success
full OF newspapormen.
Clapper's death was sudden, trag.
ic. 1t was TO have been expected
that the loss of so famous a ner-
sonality would shock a public ia
miliar with his name and his Witt
ten and spoken thoughts.
Yet the grief at the passing OF
Raymond Clapper had another. a
deeper quality. II was grief at the
death OF a man who by the grace
OF God and his own character rep
resented an ideal, an American
ideal. ID,
Raymond Clapper-when you
spoke his name-meant simplicity
and honesty. courage and industry.
These qualities are cherished above
all others by a world struggling
somehow to save its own soul.
Especially does an American world,
confused by a sudden rush 10 in.
ternationalism, love to believe that
they spell its own creed,
How Ray Clapper managed to
hold 70 his own faith in the midst
OF extraordinary success was the
subject Of discussion by group
OF his friends recently. Almost
unanimously we found the answer
10 our question.
Ciapper was making probably 4
. larger income than any other jour.
nalist. In popularity polls he re.
ceiyed more votes than any other
political columnist on the radio. He
had the confidence OF the most
important men In public life here
and abroad. Officials in civil and
military life asked his help in de-
Gliding frightening questions.
Yet in spite OF the influence.
wealth. and popularity, he remained,
so We decided, the boy from Kan.
sas' who having made good in a
spectacular way remained to the
Why last the boy from Ran
sas.'
He always saw the world and its
great men and the good and bad
they did with the eyes OF a Kansas
farm boy. He kept that clear close
to-the-soil outlook. IL vas the back
bone OF his character and his per.
sonality. II gave him strength to
see through affectation and TO Judge
motives and results.
In Washington where there is
so much affectation, so much ny
pocrisy, conscious and unconscious,
simplicity is gift from heaven
and one OF the most valuable Of all
commodities. It is also one OF the
most lasting Of all good qualities
and assets
q mean OF course real simplicity.
Not the sort that IS manufactured
for public display
Having lived in Washington
most OF my life. have noticed as
have watched people come and
20 that it is the simple people the
people who manage 10 keep on be.
ing themselves. who don't bother
with pretense who manage to sur.
yive.
!. takes a lot OF quality TO sur
viye in Washington. The place
either makes or breaks the most
stouthearted Washington seems
kind. But IL is cruel Seems welcom-
ing eager TO encourage. But II will
devour you II you haven't reality.
Sizzling characters storm in and
prepare 10 conquer the slow-moving
capital. With press agents and
cash and hospitality they make
ready 10 rearrange the local Gus
toms and meanwhile make them
selves famous forever Sometimes
these sizzling characters have the
stuff that makes for survival Gen
orally. they fade out as fast as snow
In May. All that IS remembered OF
them by the people they wished to
cultivate. is. "Oh, who was that
woman Who gave those big par
tios?' Or Whatever happened TO
that man who used TO make such
ferocious speeches."
Raymond Clapper had none OF
this svashbuckling attitude. Nor
was he the smooth foreign CORES
pendent who knew the answers 10
why Joe Stain didn't want Roose-
welt and Churchill. to have TOO
many chances 10 talk TO each other
at Teheran. Or what was the inside
nope on the appointment OF klsen-
hover. Or what will become OF the
British Empire after the war.
Rays particular success was that
he did not seem 10 know any OF the
answers. He was as puzzled as the
average man in Kansas or any
place else il the man were an hon
est man. about the state OF the
world and the plans OF its leaders
Clapper tried 10 find out what
was happening and Why IN the far.
away and nearby places OF which
he wrote. and spoke. But he had
no pat answers to every problem Of
life and death in both hemisphercs.
He remained. as ! have said boy
from Kansas trying with hard work
and straightforward thinking to
tell what he saw and believed.
Ray interpreted the world as he
found II. with courage He believed
that decency would survive lie be.
lieyed in loyalty and fairness. lie
made fortune and ms place III