The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-06
Eleanor Roosevelt Of Washington Square
BY 8. J. WOOLF
CONDENSED from the New York
Timetl

ny 8. J. WOOLF
CONDENSED from the New York
Times)
The wives of most former Presi-
dents, tired OF the spotlight OF
publicity, seek rest in the shadow
OF oblivion. The startling excsp-
ton Is the one First Lady who was
a personality in her own right
when she moved into the White
House almost fourteen years ago.
Eleanor Roosevelt did not permit
protocol TO dim her individuality
while she lived there. Nor did she
give heed 10 those who felt that
Presidents wife should be seldom
seen and never heard.
She expressed herself then as
she had always done, and today
she is still carrying on with the
same enthusiasm, the same inter-
ests and the same concern for the
underprivileged as she had wher
she was the wife Of a young State
Senator from Duchess County.
She was posing for me In her
New York apartment in Washing
ton Square, an apartment which
she took because there are no
steps from the sidewalk, through
the hall, 10 the elevator. When she
rented IL she was looking toward
the future and she pictured it as
the city home of herself and her
husband.
Although the building itself Is
comparatively modern, her rooms
look - II they had been moved
intact from one Of the stately
mansions which still stand on the
north side Of the Square. II II .
honey place from which NO
desecrating hand has been al
lowed to remove the family treas
ures In the name Of decor"
Modernists might call IL clut-
tered.
The substantial furniture of
parents, grandparents and their
ancestors bespeak comfort, tradi-
ton and taste. Her bearded father,
painted IN the Seventies by Hunt
ington. looks down Sternly from a
gilded frame on the same dining
table that he glowered at when the
family ohome was on East Sixty
fifth street. And watercolors by
Turner, once owned by Ruskin.
with letter from the art critic
testifying TO this fact. hang in the
living room now as they did then.
No Formally
Books in profusion. which give
evidence Of being read. cabinets
filed with curios Of cherished as
ISOLATION complete the setting.
There is an absence of formality
which reflects the naturalness so
characteristic Of Mrs. Roosevelt
herself
After running the gantlet of sus-
plcious doormen and elevator boys,
! finally arrived az her floor 10 find
her waiting al the open door 10
greet ne. She was dressed entirely
IN black. even 10 her stockings. and
sround her neck were several
strands Of small pearls Tall and
wlllowy. her clothes unmarked by
any ro6shness. she uses no make
Up or face or nails and her wavy
brown hair IS touched slightly on
the sides with gray
Despite her modern ideas. not
WlthStand.ns tha, she flies al over
me world. Mrs RooSevelt's private
lie : marked by the simple spirit
Of tine when horses and buggies
jol:ed over rut;ed roads. when lip
sticks were anstheTa and when
homes were places IN which peo-
pc rot only lived but found en-
joyrert and the furnishings and
associations of these homes counted
for more than they do today.
II Is for this reason that she
derives a certain comfort now
from being surrounded by her
own things. For so many years"
she said, we lived i'm official resi-
dences which were already fur
nished that II seems good to have
the old pieces back again. or
course we always took some Of
our things with us. vet In both
Albany and Washington I always
felt there was something miss
ing"
When found this apartment"
she sad. Il WaS happy mat from
q: ! could Set a S,H?Se Of the
river. have always loved K. That
5 one Of the reasons am - fond
~ Hyde Park and 'Hat the reason
! spent some OF ny time there IN
he small hoa>e on ne eS;ate
Loves New York
But much as ! Ike HYDE Park
7 would rather i've ~ New York
than anywhere else .H the world
mag re thai ,. Born New York
er> feel that Nay aoou, the city.
Is ba>;lc and fcycr>h activity. lis
NiN;UrcS " au peoples OF the
world and the number Of things
t1at-src always gong on here. ex-
Nitrate re They serve as an urge
~ set out aud dN SoTCth ne"
Her Plans
asked her about her plans
They are rot q se-er. from what
4 AAdN Z AtN.l t''..- At-ls olNllk,
he repaci TsCN SAe went on.
Nov ~ course. an not bpund
BY many q me restrictions Which
existed When ~ husband held
publlc ofi,e.
90 coarse : shall cortirDe my
writing In addition may take
on 4 radio program ard also 20
ou >o-'c yQcakrs tours Much as
Hike New Nork feel that travel
Ing about he country SiveS one a
clearer insight into what Is SONG
On ;A1n any amount OF reading.
have learned mach from ny speak
ing rips have seen how some
people "'U>tISgTc- under deplor-
able lylrE conditions and the
drudctry AID ,ol often necessary
- make q living ! have also been
asked 20 60 q Europe and when
conditions warrant !; | may avail
myself OF the opportunity For 10
understand our own cogn,ry NC
NUS. also understand othcr>
She enjoys NrtNS more than
lCctaylrE
AZ frs. g VAS hard for re 20
speak IN public and even now
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