The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-08-31
Observations
No-Paint-
Edict Leaves White
House Shabby
BY Helen EssAry

is the White House now. II re-
minds me Of the big house miner
built when he struck II rich and
then lost interest In the mine when
It stopped paying.
As peered through the rusting
iron fence OF the Executive Man
sion and grounds | thought the
whole place had the air OF a de-
serted mining town. The paint Is
hanging from the outer walls OF
the house in shreds Actually, the
Sandstone supports seem 10 be peel
ing off in layers,
That unhappy addition put at
the Capitol side OF the mansion
built principally for the use OF
James F. Byrnes, War Mobiliza-
ton director which addition by the
way understand is unhappier
yet because OF Mr.. Roosevelt's let
down of his old friends vice pres
idential hopes at the Chicago con-
vention. is still implanted. II is
now a dirty yellow. This makes A
not too pleasing contrast with the
dirty white OF the White House.
The old administrative offices
Of the White House where the pres
ident works and receives callers
is the same color as the White
House proper Mrs. Roosevelt has
refused to let the last addition be
painted any color at all.
Mrs. Roosevelt, so | gather,
won't let any painting or repairing
be done TO the White House until
after the war. The inside OF the
mansion is noticeably in need OF
freshening up but Mrs. Roosevelt
says NO, Nothing until after the
war"
The Presidents wife has also
closed the White House green
house. II the White House needs
flowers it buys them. The an
swer 10 thI new rule Is that few
flowers are ever bought. Some
body manages to keep flowers on
Mr.. Roosevelt's desk.
The White House grounds are
looking neglected. too. Mrs.
Roosevelt has cut down the num-
Der OF gardeners to one. For the
whole big yard-front and back East
Lawn and West Lawn. No extra
expenditures in war time, says
Mrs. Roosevelt.
The state department isn't both
cred about the effect OF extra ex'
penditure in war time. 1t keeps
Its flower beds and lawn tidy and
gay. Passers by have counted
three or four men working on its
ANAL plots.
Nor does the State Department.
punctilious as II Is, worry about
using a little paint before the end
Of the war. The regular paintings
have continued in this solemn old
edifice regardless OF war restric-
tons.
Certainly there's been no ration
ing OF paint. polish or elbow grease
at Blair House, the government
guest house on Pennsylvania ave,
nue. across the way from the White
House.
The two sections now joined as a
residence and administrative OF
flee for visiting dignitaries glow
with the brightness OF a canary's
breast. In short | mean the hous-
es are painted what used to be
called Colonial yellow. And
right smart they appear, too. AS
IL somebody were proud OF them.
They haven't that uninhabited.
shabby look Of the residence OF
the President OF the richest coun-
try in the world.
II you want a historical note or
two on the White House-archi-
tects used 10 call IL The Finest
Gentleman's House In America.
IT was designed by James Hoban.
supposedly after the residence OF
the Duke of Leinster In Dublin.
Investigation shows, however. that
a number OF houses in England.
Ireland and even several In Poland
are closer TO the Presidents house
than the assumed Dublin model.
The East Room was not entirely
finished until 1895. Thomas JET
= ferson who seems TO have been
Republican tthat was what Demo
.crats were called them on paper
and conversationally, was In pri-
vate life. an aristocrat. He gave
the unfinished and unfinished
White House a luxurious charac-
ter. (Jefferson's dressing room
was large enough TO hold eleven
fashionable chairs OF crimson and
gold.'O President and Mrs. James
Madison lived at Colonel Hayloe's
Octagon-House now standing al
New York avenue and Eighteenth
street, while the Presidents House
las it was then celled) was being
rebuilt after having been burned
in 1873 by the British invaders.
The Blue Room. whose walls are
hung with silk OF steel blue and
over whose windows golden eagles
are perched, is regarded as one OF
the most finely proportioned rooms
in the entire country.