The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-04-13
Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The shock of President Roosevelts sudden
death is too great to permit any evaluation OF
it's effect upon the world affairs. That must be
left until sufficient time has passed for an
other Gibbon or Macauley to review the
kaleidoscope changes of these times in per-
spective and weigh each event in its relation
to all others in world at war.
All that is possible now is to acknowledge
that although Mr. Roosevelt gave his political
enemies reasons to oppose him and many OF
his earlier adherents to turn against him, he
possessed qualities OF true craftsmanship IN
great affairs and exercised undeniable leader
ship in shaping the strategy which is effectlng
the downfall of military Germany and, if slow
err of achievement, of Japan as well.
From the time the Atlantic Charter was
promulgated down to framing the agenda for
the San Francisco Security Conference, the
weight and power of Mr.. Roosevelt's mind
exercised great influence upon the policies
of the nations seeking not only to overthrow
the Axis but to frame a peace which would
insure the world against despots for many
years to come.
He may not have been actual leader of the
Big Three Many have held that he was the
least among them, that Prime Minister Win
ston Churchill of Great Britain and Premier
Joseph Stain of Soviet Russia both outranked
him in conference, but records contradicting
this view are coming to light, among which
may be cited the recent article by Walter
Lippman showing that it was his foresight that
kept Russia neutral toward Japan when the
public of this and other countries was clamor-
ing for a declaration of war at Moscow, and
when if Russia had taken the step, Japan would
have held the upper hand in the Orient in
definitely.
AS so often happens to men elevated to the
highest positions in government, Mr. Roosevelt
did indeed hold the belief that he alone must
make all major decisions in such ener-
gency as this war created. 1t was this over
whelming confidence in himself that led him
to do far more than any physique any brain,
could endure, and paved the way for his death
at Warm Springs where he had gone for
brief rest and where only yesterday he ap-
peared to be in excellent condition.
There are phases of his life and career that
will not soon be forgotten, whatever fame may
be accorded him in history. Primarily he was
a precedent buster. He ended the two-term
tradition that had survived since Washington
retired to Mount Vernon. He was the first
president to use the radio frequently for adj
dressing the nation. He established previously
unheared-of bureaus by the score to control
many civilian activities. In the first days of
his initial administration he created the NRA,
which existed only until it was held unconsti-
tutonal by the courts He declared a bank
holiday almost as soon as his first inaugural
procession dsbanded. He Travelled many thous-
ands of miles beyond the country's frontiers
for conferences with Allied chieftains who,
with him, had their military and diplomatic
advisers in their suites
Whatever may be said of Mr.. Roosevelts
advertised pecularites, he left the imprint of
his personality upon the world. His passing
at this time is not only a national but world
tragedy