The Wilmington morning star., 1946-09-10
Fair Enough
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

NEW YORK, Sept. 9EMrs. Frances Perk-
| ms, who was Franklin D. Roosevelts Secre-
tary of Labor for IL years, was one OF the
few truthful persons in his administration
Therefore the lady deserves the benefit of a
doubt in discussion of that phase of her mem
oirs which deals with Roosevelt's decision
to run for governor of New York in 1928. But,
granting that Mrs. Perkins writes the truth
as she knows it, the historical record must
allege that she was deceived or incompletely
informed and that the facts Of the matter are
seriously at odds with her report.
For the benefit Of the objective historian
who ~consults the "reminiscences of Roosevelt
d~evotees, satellites and s%ycophants so years
hence, this demurrer should be clipped to the
tearsheets OF Mrs. Perkins story.
Mrs. Perkins writes that in 1928, Governor
Al Smith, the Democratic nominee for presi-
dent, decided that he needed Roosevelt as his
candidate for governor of New York to help
him, Smith, carry the state. Mrs. Perkins
writes that Smith took the phone from Mrs.
Roosevelt during the Democratic state conven-
ton at Syracuse and pleaded with Roosevelt
to accept the nomination. Roosevelt, at Warm
Springs, Georgia, refused, but the next night
Smith made a personal plea lover and above
politics." Mrs. Perkins says Roosevelt weak
ened and asked to speak to Mrs. Roosevelt.
When she took the phone, he gave in.
He ran primarily to support Smith, Mrs.
Perkins wrote. In the closing days Of the
1914 campaign, Roosevelt, reversing his earli-
err estimate Of Tom DeWey's strength as a
campaigner, took to the road and closed out
his own campaign in Boston. His speech there
was an appeal to the IriShnesS and Catholicism
Of the Boston Democrats, who held Smith in
revered memory. In that speech he took ad-
vantage Of the fact that Al Smith had died a
few weeks before, to claim Smiths friendship,
which had been withdrawn several years be-
fore, as Roosevelt well knew, and said that
he ran for the governorship Of New York in
1928 "At Smiths request"
This unquestionably was true. 1t is also
true, however, and neither Roosevelt nor Mrs.
Perkins has even alluded to the fact, that
Roosevelts decision was not made as a favor
to Smith hut was based on a financial con-
sideration.
John j. Raskob, who describes himself in
Who's Who as a capitalist and an official OF
General Motors and the Empire State build
ing, had accompanied Smith to the state con-
vention at Smiths request. l undertake to say
this because 1 called on Smith to ask him
about the incidents during the summer of
1914 and he told the story without hesitation.
l say also he had no personal respect for,
Roosevelt at that time. Raskob was not in
tereSted IN politics as such, but believed that
prohibition was a source of dangerous cor
ruption in the politics and morals of the coun-
try and was a crusader Cor repeal. Smith did
telephone Roosevelt twice from Syracuse to
Warm Springs and Roosevelt turned him
down. Al then asked Raskob to try and he
did. Roosevelt said he wanted to get his
health back and moreover, was under finan-
cial obligations in his Warm Springs enter
prise. Roosevelt had bought this little run
down vacation resort from George Foster
Peabody, a rich banker and insurance man,
who was also a philanthropist, and had given
Peabody notes.
ROOcavolf thop eo1J ~ r,,1.r4 - 3d..
dation, himself accepting notes. If he thought
Peabody would cancel his notes ON the ground
that Roosevelt, too, appeared to be a philan-
tnroplst, he was mistaken. By telephone, Ras-
kob remarked to Roosevelt that Smith seemed
to have the notion that ne, Roosevelt, felt
to raise money for Warm Springs.
Raskob asked him L money was all that
stood between his present attitude and a de-
clslon to accept the nomination. Roosevelt
said he would have to raise $3.50, 900 for Warm
Springs. Raskob said that. in that case, he
would guarantee the $3.50, 900 and underwrite
the difference between the amount Of money
that could be raised in a public appeal for
contributions and $3.50, 900. That same night,
Raskbo wrote a letter to Roosevelt and en-
closed his check for $3.50, 900.
The next time Roosevelt was in New York.
he told Raskob that it wasn't necessary for
him to subscribe the whole amount. Raskob
replied that Roosevelt might keep the check
and return to him as much money as the drive
should raise, retaining the difference as Ras-
kob's own contribution. Roosevelt gave back
the S25O, 600. Raskob then subscribed $50, 900
on his own account and later subscribed $50
900 in the names Of his children. Roosevelt
asked William Woodin, another capitalist, to
be chairman of a drive to raise money and
later named Woodin Secretary of the Treas
ury, a post which he held briefly until his
death in the spring of 1884.
AL Smith later said he was reliably inform
ed that Raskob's $100, 900 and the remainder
OF the $3.50, 900 raised by an appeal to public
charity, was used to reimburse Mrs. Sara
Delano Roosevelt, the late Presidents mother,
FOR money which she had advanced or invested
for her son in Warm Springs.
Mrs. Perkins version and the remarks of
Roosevelt to the Boston ''Irish' in 1914, mis-
represent the facts in that they would have
it that Roosevelt abandoned his program of
physical recuperation solely as a favor to
Smith. He had turned Smith down repeatedly
and denied Smith the political help which
Smith undoubtedly did request from him as
nomination was persuaded by a guarantee of
$3.50, 900, and was made only after Raskob
personally pledged the money. No person
among the Roosevelt following has yet offered
proof that Roosevelt ever made any uncondi-
tional gift to charity proportionate to his
means
QUOTATIONS