The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-04-13


Of their demands for more money.
Rail. Steel Strikes Avertsd
Railway workers who had been
demanding more pay called a strike
Tor December 80, 1913. and the
President ordered the War pe.
partment 10 take over the railAay
network However, all railway
brOtherhOods agreed 20 let him
arbitrate their wage cases.
simultaneously with the posi-
b!'iiy OF a paralysis IN rail trans
portation there had developed a
threat OF a shutdown OF the ma.
tons steel furnaces. Steel work
ers' contracts were expiring and
thousands stopped work.
Greater trouble was averted
when the employees needed appeals
OF the Chief Executive and their
union leaders 10 stay on the job
while new contracts were nego-
tiated with the steel companies
Few people were luke-warm
about Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Loyal 10 his friends. Mr.. Roose-
welt rarely displaced associates IN
government who had passed the
point Of their usefulness. He was
a man OF strong likes and dislikes.
4 streak OF stubbornness ran
through his makeup.
But TO most people he was warm
and affable. a gifted conversation.
] Al hn III -,
his office long after they were due
10 leave. He was an able story
teller and enjoyed a good joke even
on himself
His drinking was in moderation
and Of the social type, but no
chain.smoke cigarettes in tremen.
dous quantities in a yellowed. ivory
cigarette holder. Occasionally
some OF his cronies came to the
White House for a session OF poker
the more wild" cards the bet
ter.
Two Attempts On Lite
| Occasionally, too. he saw movies
at the White House, or worked
with a valuable stamp collection
Even before he lost the use OF
his legs, swimming. fishing and
sailing had been favorite pastimes
and they continued to be through
out the years.
MIR. Roosevelt, the son OF James
and Sara Delano Roosevelt, was In
the national eye long before enter
ing the White House. He had been
a New York state senator. Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy In World
War | days: unsuccessful candi
date for vice President when
James NJ. Cox was defeated roI
the Presidency and governor OF
New York for two terms.
Il was during Mr.. Roosevelt
first term as governor that the
first OF two attempts was made on
his life. In April, 1929, bomb ad
dressed to him was found In the
Albany postoffice. A porter acct
dentally kicked the package caus
ing It to set off sputtering tuse
1t was dropped In a pail OF water
and failed to 90 off. O.
Stricken While Swimming
In February. 1898, Mr., Roosevelt
as President-elect, visited Miami
Fla. Giuseppe Zangara fired tiV'
shots at him. but they killed Mayor
Anton ]. Cermak OF Chicago IN
stead when a bystander DETECTED
, The assassin's aim. Zangara wa
electrocuted for the Cermak STAY
ing. His excuse for the shooting
! was hate for all rulers
2 OF distinguished Dutch ancestry
. Mr.. Roosevelt was born TO a III
OF comfortable ease. Educated a
d Groton and Harvard he studied 10
. the law and practiced his PROBES
. sion before engaging upon a pubic
career. In 1921 he was strlckei
with infantile paralysis while SWIM
, ming az the family summer NOM
q at Campobello, y. b.
On the day he was stricken ~
had plunged into the cold surf WIZ
= lis usual zcst A few hours late
he had 10 be carried away on
strptcher. For months his LIE hunl
In the balanace.
The story vas told that as he la'
srlmly concentrating every iorc'
OF will on the task OF forcing re
luctant nerve centers TO respond
his exertion plainly visible, N
gasped TO those about him:
you folks don't know what fur
r. it is lust to move one little toe.
Gamely, he fought the disease
, and after weary, discouragini
months OF treatment, was able tl
walk with steel braces, clutches
and finally with the aid OF canes
When he became President, NJ
appeared at public functions sup
ported BY a military aide or lean
ing upon the arm OF a son. Ramps
we're used 70 assist him onto rail-
road trains and in parts OF the ef
ecutive mansion. He permitted MS
birthday TO BE- used for celebration
through the country to raise iunci
for sufferers from the disease.
Berause he found the waters a
warm Springs. Ga, helpful. MI
Roosevelt established the Warn
Springs Foundation so that otner'
suffering from the same affection
but without the money 70 go there
might enjoy the benefits.
During his career great friend
ships were broken. ttaong then
with two Of his earliest and mos
powerful supporters, John l.. Lewis
head Of the United Mine WORKER
: and former Governor Alfred I
Smith OF New York. The "nev
deal" and forgotten man" politi
cal philosophy brought the wor'
q "demagoguery" from Smith.
James A. Farley. almost lfe
long friend and political bulwark