The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-21
THE FACTS
~ OUR NEWS
BY HORACE A. WHITE

~S~~~s~~sessrsersesrsrs~ ~s~>>~s>ss~>e~~~~~
FEAR ITSELF BANISHED BY
MIR. ROOSEVELT The late
President Of the United States.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt. had
the unique capacity Of giving 10
men assurance In themselves
and the future Of their country.
When Mr.. Roosevelt took offios
as the President Of the United
States, not only was our coun-
try In the midst Of . devastating
depression. but men and women
As individuals had lost conf
dence in themselves and In
their country's- ability TO inspire
them TO achieve the good life
by their own efforts.
Mr.. Roosevelt. in the face OF
this situation. had to recapture
the imagination Of the little
people II America was TO be
saved. Mr.. Roosevelt realized
that he had to really possess in
his own thinking and feeling
the confidence In individual
worth that he was asking other
people to have In the same
thing. Mr.. Roosevelt embodied
In his own soul SO completely
the thing that he asked other
people to embody in their souls
that men literally worshiped
him rs they sought to achieve
the good life as promised. by
the American Constitution.
Our late President felt SO
deeply and keenly the asp(ra-
tons of the little people OF
America until the little people
Of America looked upon him rs
their personal friend. He worked
at the problems of America In
the spirit Of kinship with the
people Of A meri lea. His very
-frankness with the people Of
America permitted many Of us
to feel that Mr.. Roosevelt was
q member Of our household,
working out the problems Of
the household-and indeed, that
Is the way American problems
are going to be solved.
For the first time since the
struggles Of the Civil War pc
riod. the American Negro felt .
part Of Americas problems. The
Negro people, through the Pres
ident Of the United States, felt
that whatever America was
they were part Of II. and
whatever the destiny Of Amer
lea was to BE-. the American Ne
gro was . part Of that. too.
This point can best be illus
trated by = Negro farmer in the
state Of Mississippi who was
about to lose his farm. This Ne
gro farmer knew that Mr..
Roosevelt was his friend. so on
the eve Of losing his farm. he
goes into a pay station and asks
the operator to give him the
White House. The secretaries
Of the President we're confused
and stunned by the boldr.ss Of
this American who dared to call
the President on what seemed
to be . trivial matter. Mr..
Roosevelt felt otherwise. He
asked the secretary to put the
Negro on his line. Mr.. Roose-
welt talked with the farmer
about his problem. and relief
was given at the behest Of the
President Of the United States.
Yes, Mr.. Roosevelt had the gen.
uine capacity to be a friend. He
was unafraid to be . friend to
any American.
There Is nothing In all this
world more 81 imu I ing and
that has the power to Danish
fear than to meet someone who
Is unafraid to be a friend. When
one meets a friend. his fears
vanish and his confidence in
himself surges anew. Mr.. Roose-
welt had the power to be
friend to the common man. Mr..
Roosevelt, because he had that
power. could Danish fear in the
breast Of the common man and
give him hope and inspiration
for the future Of his country.
When we look at II in this
light, we can see how the Amer
lean people feel that thew have
lost someone in their families In
the passing of President Roose-
welt. Indeed. he was a member
of their famil lies in the real
sense OF the word. He embodied
their hopes. their aspirations
and their longings as their lead
er. Other men have been great.
but few Of them have been
friends to the common people
In their greatness. Mr.. Roose-
welt was q friend TO the Ameri-
can people. and to the people
who struggle for righteousness
the world over. no matter what
their race, their creed and their
rnIAr