The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-17
Press Women Bit Worried
BY FREDERICK C. oTHMAN

Washington, April IT. (UP)-The Mrs. Roosevelt Press Conference Association, which for 12 years held monopoly on all news coming from the First Lady, is a lodge with problem.
 Shall it do an Fl Foldo? Or shall the ladies of the press try to get together regularly with Mrs. Harry s. Truman and discuss such things as biscuit recipes and the best way to vacuum rug?
 The Mrs. R. PCA, consisting of 60 active members, has written Mrs. Truman, asking whether she in- tends to continue Mrs. Roosevelt's regular weekly meetings (which sometimes produced some surpris- ing stories).
 The members were scheduled to meet with her for the first time this afternoon but the session has been called off. They still hope to see the new First Lady within the next few days to find out if she plans to meet with them periodi- cally.
 The lady pencil pushers are hope ful she'll say, "yes", even though they realize she is quiet, retiring woman who always let her husband do all the talking for the family. If she agrees, they'll meet next week to change the name of the organization, probably to 'The First Lady's Press Conference Asso- ciation." That's in case President Truman isn't reelected in 1948. The members are taking no chances of still another change in their stationery.
 So much for the current situa- tion, which has President Ruth Montgomery of the New York Daily News, Secretary-Treasur Eulalie McDowell of the United Press, and the board of governors wondering whether Mrs. Truman ever will produce faction of the news gen. erated by her predecessor.
 In Chicago last sammer Mrs. Tru- man held press conference when her husband was nominated for vice-president; she walked calmly into the room, said how-do-you-do, and waited for questions, which were not forthcoming. One of the lady reporters attending said sine some how began to feel a little embar- rassed.
 The first lady ever to meet the ladies of the press was Mrs. Ruth- erford B. Hayes, who called the so- ciety editors to the White House. She showed them the sagging springs in the chairs, the walls in need of paint and the thread-bare carpets. She said she believed that if her guests would describe what they saw, Congress might come through with an appropriation. The ladies did and Congress saw its duty.
 That was in 1877. Not until 1883 did another first lady ask for con- ference with the press.
 Mrs. Roosevelt said no newspaper men, please. She said she's talk to the gals, only. At their initial press conference they came away with the news that the White House would serve beer and wine as soon as prohibition wa. repealed.
 Mrs. Roosevelt met the ladies, most of whom soon became her close personal friends, weekly thereafter when she was in Washington. She nearly always had something to say that hit the front pages of the final editions.
 If she didn't, she'd bring in . White House gues. to be interviewed. She once had Ellen Berlin. wife of the composer. Another time she had Queen Willelmina of Holland.
 When the King and Queen oi England came to Arerica, Mrs. Roosevelt said certainly, she'd b0 delighted to arrange . conference with the Queen. The Queen said she'd enjoy it. Then the British en- bassy said the Queen of England