The Wilmington morning star., 1945-11-15
Fair Enough
By wEsTBRooK PEGLER
cartwright. 1915, BY King Features Syndicate)

n,
Dewey and Judge Jonah Goldstein, the de-
feated republican candidate for mayor of New
York in the recent election, made some very
serious charges against William O'Dwyer, the
tammany communist candidate, VINO was able
to ignore them because it was obvious that he
couldn't lose unless he dropped dead. For
candid explanation of professional polti-
clans conduct in such circumstances, thanks
are due Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, who, at the
last hour stated her views on political &C.
cusations."
1.-THE obvious expectation would be that a
candidate would promptly refute any accusa-
tons which he could categorically deny or, at
least, that he would try to explain his side
of the question" Mrs Roosevelt wrote. 1.-The
strong man does not rush to deny accusations
He relies upon what is known about him and
upon the future, very often, to prove MS lnteg-
rity People who make explanations are less
apt to be sure in their own hearts 1nat they
are invulnerable. The public is entitled to the
truth but it is sometimes entitled to proof of
what is truth through action"
Here. 1 take it, we have the reason why
Mrs. Roosevelt, with portion OF white paper
at her command daily and monthly, and fur
Their access to publication for any comment
she desires to utter in a speech, handout or
interview, has never challenged revelations
grievousy impugning the honor and integrity
of her late husband and proving by documen-
tary record that she, herself, exploited the
presidential office for her personal profit as
radio attraction. Her son. Elliott, did make
the mistake of denouncing the disclosure of
the Hartford loan as pack of lies and brought
down on himself and his late fathers reputa-
ton such mass of proof as to disgust even
the loyal democrats of the House Ways and
Means Committee who therefore confined their
report to decision on technical tax mat
ter, ignoring all questions of the propriety,
honesty and legality of the late Presidents
conduct, not only were all the statements conf
irmed by the treasury's investigators but
missions were obtained that Mr. Roosevelt re-
sorted to a ruse which, in other surroundings
and with another cast of characters, would
have been grand jury matter.
It has been shown that the promoters of
Mrs Roosevelt's show on the coffee program
on the radio did 'sell'' her employer the pres
tige of the White House and promise to de
liver" the cooperation of government depart
ments and that she and President Roosevelt
did entertain at the White House an advertis-
ing agent who clearly understood that they
wanted him to throw some business to their
son and had invited him for no other reason
1t is unfortunate that these and other sor-
did facts could not be verified during Mr.
Roosevelts life because this timing undoubted-
ly does encourage some citizens to hope that
while he lived, he might have been able to
refute them. In this connection, however, Mrs
Roosevelts own word would seem to prevail
that people who make explanations are less
apt to be sure in their own hearts that they
are invulnerable.'
"Invulnerable' How? Politically or moral
ly?
That Mr.. Roosevelt was politically invulner-
able and could have ignored the accusations
in the Hartford and Charles HarWood loans
and their settlement, even though the Harwood
touch might have been regarded as personal
sale of public office is a melancholy proba-
bility. He never bothered to deny the flat
charge by Robert Moses that, in an off-season,
while he was out of Office, he tried to plant
Louis Howe, his private political secretary, on
the public payroll at $4,000. And the citizen
is naive who thinks that while he was Presi-
dent the Treasury would have been as thor
ough as 1t was after his death or even that
Mr.. Doughton, the chairman of the House
Ways and Means Committee, would have
pressed his demand for the facts.
Pleased as I am to have Mrs. Roosevelt
statement on her position still take the po-
sltlon OF a fundamentals on matters of the
morals of public men which seems diametri-
cally opposed to hers. Speaking of one edi-
torlal writer who wrote an essay announcing
ms papers reputation of O'Dwyer, Mrs.
Roosevelt said she had great respect for him
as historian, adding, however, II doubt if
ne is quite as good a practical politician -
Inc ladys grammar, it is not amiss to OBJ
serve, is as informal as her concept of ethics
IN an office of public trust. This remark con-
veys to me the meaning that a practical
pohtclan' should concern himself only with
victory at the polls even though he may doubt
MS candidates moral fitness and at whatever
cost IN damage to free popular government
by subsequent debauchery of that institution
Mrs. Roosevelt has right to her concepts
and principles and think we all should be
glad OF her statement because unquestonably
sne is on her way to nomination and, it may
be, to the lower House or the Senate She is
leader of the Political Action group and is.
IN the opinion of the fundamentals, dan
gerous personality who, herself judged by her
indifference to the coffee-hour brochure feels
"invulnerable''
The lady's statement that "the public is
sometimes entitle to proof of what is truth
though action" I have read forward-back-
ward and both ways from the middle and
played over slowly on the guitar. And stin
don't understand it, Maybe it is code. For nv
part the proposition is simpler. 1 say onlv
that the public is entitled to the truth If the
truth demolishes myth and reveals hypo-
critic and swindler, every person in a DO
slt1on to present the truth or refute untrl1th |
has public duty and is honor bound to do SO.
Editorial Comment