The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-13
Job Pressure Took
 Toll On Roosevelt
(NEA Telephoto)

on his own health in his speech to Congress on the Yalta conference:
 Unusual Posture
 T hope you will pardon me for the unusual posture of sitting down during the presentation of what I wish to say, but I know you will realize that it makes it a lot easier for me not having to carry about 10 pounds of steel around the bot tom of my legs and also because of the fact that I have just complet- ed 14,0O0-mile trip.
 q. am returning from this trip that took me so far, refreshed ard inspired. was well the en- tire time. I was not ill for 8 sec- ond until I arrived back in Wash- ington and here I heard all the ru- mors which had occurred in my absence. Yes, I returned from the trip refreshed and inspired. The Roosevelts are not, as you may Sus- pect, averse to travel. We seem to thrive on it.
 That was the first time he ever had referred publicly to his af- fliction of infantile paralysis. It also was the first time he had taken official notice of rumors that swept the country occasionally-es- pecially when he was running for re-election-that he was seriously ill, or, in extreme cases, that he had died.
 In the light of his physical in- firmity, the killing pace" of ths presidency was spoken of frequent ly during MT. Roosevelts first campaign. There were those who believed that the polio attack in the early twenties had left more than it's obvious mark.
 But the presidents buoyant spirit and tremendous physical energy soon overcame all doubt about his fitness to carry the burdens of the presidency. In those early days of the New Deals historic fight for national economic recovery Mir. Roosevelt's health was radiantly good. The theory was advanced that his inability to walk actually conserved his energies and that he probably was much more vigorous than most men of his age.
 Last fall some of the people around him became concerned about his loss of weight and his slowness in snapping back from periods of fatigue. One of the joha assigned to his daughter. Mrs. An- na Boettiger, was to see that he was protected as much as possible from persons who placed a drain upon his time and energy. Vice Admiral Ross T. McIntire, his phy- sician, ordered MT. Roosevelt to quit holding conferences at lunch con. That lasted for about thres months and then the president went back to ais practice of dis cuSSing affairs of state while he ate from a tray at his desk. How ever. he did agree to take . nAp afterwards big concession from man who liked to work At top speed all day.
 Reporters who attended his pgeas conferences noticed . change. Els voice used to boom through the office as he answered our ques- tions. Toward the end his voice was low, at times almost inaudihae to those far back in the room. TAKE 3-JOB PRESSURE
 His hearing had become impairea by sinus trouble and after many days of hard work his hands ha9 a tendency to tremble.
 Perhaps he noticed theSe thin0A himself, for he began to get away from Washington at more requen6 intervals. Just before coming here. MT. Roosevelt had been to Hyde Park where he always seemed able to relax. And yesterday, sitting in a little room overlooking . green Georgia valley, he apparently was in the best of spirits. He had planned a full day.
 Early in the morning, MT. Roose- welt was ready to go to work on official papers, but the plane bring ing the documents here was de- layed by weather. When they did arrive, William Hassett. one of the White House secretaries. asked the President if he would like to wait until after lunch before starting work. MT. Roosevelt shook his head. They started working immediately.
 The President signed several state department appointments, some citations for the Legion of Merit for war heroes and lengthy list of postmaster nominations for small towns. Then he put his signature on legislation to extend the life Of the commodity credit corporation, to Hassett:
 Here's where I make . law. Hassett then left. Roosevelt had a stack of papers before him. His next visitor was N Robbins, New York artist who began sketching the President while he continued to examine the papers Hassett had left.
 Suddenly-around 1 ?. m.-Tha President put his hand to the back of his head and said:
 T have a terrific headache.e
 Those were his last words.
 About 1:15 ?. m. he dumped cvsR unOcnscicuA