Evening star., 1945-08-01
Elliott Roosevelt Hits
As Lie Report That
Father Aided in Loans
By the Associated Press.

bs lnf Assoclaie0 fIess.
Brig. Gen. Elliott Roosevelt
says any one who claims his IA
ther promoted or assisted" his
business affairs is lying.
And, Gen. Roosevelt said in a
sharply worded statement last night,
he is leaving the Army Air Forces
simply because he does not wish
to be an armchair general"
He made the decision q month
before published reports about his
business transactions which led to
a congressional investigation, Gen.
Roosevelt said, adding Of the re-
ports:
81 conducted my own business af-
fairs. The responsibility was and
still Is mine and mine alone"
Has Nothing to Conceal.
Asserting he had nothing to con-
ceal, the general said he was CO.
operating with a Treasury investi-
cation of his affairs and had asked
the department to make public all
of the facts, without reservation, at
the earliest possible moment"
Il am entitled to a full public
statement of those facts for the
sake of my family" Gen. Roosevelt
said. His statement was made public
by his attorney, Randolph Paul,
former general counsel of the Treas
ury.
The Treasury began its investiga-
ton on orders of the House Ways
and Means and Senate Finance
Committees.
1t stemmed from a story early in
June by Columnist Westbrook Peg
Ter that young Roosevelt had bor-
rowed 100000 in 1889 from John
Hartford, president of the Great
Atlantic g. Pacific Tea Co.; that the
debt was settled three years later
for $4,000 by Jesse Jones, then Sec
retary of Commerce, and that Mr..
Hartford listed his loss as a bad
debt on his 1912 income tax return
General Issues Statement.
Mr.. Pegler wrote that President
Roosevelt knew Of the loan and ap-
proved it,"
Gen. Roosevelt's statement fol-
lows:
Il have been advised that the
Army will place me on inactive
duty on August Is. My application
for this status was submitted on
May 1l-three days after We day
because the Army was unable to
give me combat assignment
against the Japs, even though I
wished such duty at any rank.
Il wanted to take part in the
! fighting against Japan. Above all
else. 1 still want to do so, but the
Army has no assignment for a re-
connaissance officer of my qualifica-
tions. I have neither the back
ground nor the training for a nom
combat assignment and I certainly
have no desire to finish out the
war as an armchair general.
Before the Army took action with
respect to my status, it was inap-
propriate for me to make any state
ment with respect to the pernicious
charges and lies which have been
published concerning me by small
segment of the press.
Calls 1t Hate Campaign"
"These falsehoods have not even
been confined to me personally. I
know that any efforts put forth in
this hate campaign will have no ef-
feet whatsoever on the public judg-
ment of Franklin D. Roosevelt's
service to his country. I believe,
though, that those millions who
loved and respected him have the
right to know that Franklin D.
Roosevelt never promoted or as
sisted my personal business affairs.
ANY statement that he ever did
so is deliberate. infamous lie. !
conducted my own business affairs.
The responsibility for them was and
still is mine and mine alone.
False statements have been made
as to nv WILLINGNESS to co-operate