The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-11-07
Observations
Three First Ladies
Meet; Columnist
Compares Them
BY HELEN EssARY

I've q picture in my mind. A
picture that will linger a long time.
I can shut my eyes now. and
sec Il. Three women sitting side BY
tide. Three hrst ladies in row.
vacan, chairs to the right Vacant
chairs TO the left.
Just the three first ladies who,
having been escorted 10 the speak.
ers' platform arranged on the deck
OF the L. S. S. Franklin d. Roose-
welt. we're waiting there until the
President OF the United States and
other dignitaries should arrive FOR
the Official Navy Day commission.
ing O, the prodigious aircraft car.
rier.
Three FIRST ladies. But three
women. too. Three women whose
husbands had been elected TO the
highest Office in the world. And
who. having reached this pinnacle,
found himself possessed OF gigantic
power and the fears and hopes that
power brings.
Qui.e unrelated. temperamental'
". these first ladies. AS unrelated,
really as their men. And yet all
OF them, the FIRST ladies ana their
president husbands. are SHARPLY
representative OF that lubberly.
idealistic, tumbling but triumphant
piece OF the planet earth We call
America.
Mrs. Roosevelt sat FIRST IN the
line o. first ladies. II was MY
DAY" for her on the aircraft car
rier. The ship was named in honor
OF her late husband and she WAS
about to hear again sincere praise
OF his greatness.
She was elegant and a shade aus
tere in black brosdtail coat
and a small black hat. She wore
no flowers.
She had obviously declined the
reception committees corsage OF
gardenias. companion pieces OF
which were worn by the other trst
ladies. Her manner. as she shook
hands with the rest OF the official
party when II arrived. showed that
she appreciated the honor OF the
ships naming. But she was not
overwhelmed. II was her hus-
bands due and her due, as. his
widow and a personality herself
to receive this national tribute.
Mrs. Truman WAS the FIRST lady.
She was her husbands wife and
she loved her Job. She wasn't
thinking OF herself as an individual,
but As the wife OF the President Of
these United States OF America.
And wasn't It wonderful TO have
such a nne man for 6 husband!
Really q kind. friendly woman,
she was, as she always has been. a
happy woman. She didn't think OF
concealing this rare and delightful
state OF spirit as she sat on view
on the speakers platform at the
commissioning OF the big carrier
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. third FIRST
lady in the cluster OF feminine
champions, lie OF 4 different school
Of thought than either Mrs. Truman
or Mrs. Roosevelt. A more aggres.
siVely feminine school. Edith vii.
son controlled her man by a subtle
roundabout approach. Drove him
with a loos rein.
None Of the straight talking here
and an appreciative laugh there
that is Bess Humans system with
tight.jawed Harry. Nothing OF
the intellectual, or the to-tradition-
born approach OF Eleanor Roose-
Welt
You recognized this attitude OF
Edith Wilson in her look. Extreme
ly feminine and old school, the full
soft fur collar OF her coat the soft
blue or her hat, and the becoming
~ dotted black veil
Not one Of the three first ladies'
spoke the others language. or
cared TO learn its incomprehensible
syllables and accents. They had
little 10 say to each other on this
their first joint meeting
How do you describe them"
I asked Miss Beth Joseph who sat
near me.
We'll. let me see, now" she
answered. "As a Marylander and
thereby a horse racing addict I'd
name them.
Win, Place and Show"