The Wilmington morning star., 1947-07-01
As Pegler Sees 1t
BY WESTBROOK G

Copyright, 1s47, By King Features Syndicate,
Inc.)
NEW DIRK cable item from Bayreuth,
Germany, suggests a fair comparison bet
wen some of the followers of Adolf Hitler
and some of the adherents OF Franklind D.
Roosevelt. This little dispatch reported that
ne prosecution in the trial of Frau WlnI-red
Wagner charged her with being one OF Adolf
Hitler's most f~anatical followers" Apparent
ly 1aat is a criminal charge and this defend
ant may be punished for fanatlc1sm.
Immediately on the burial OF Roosevelt at
HYDE Park many of our newspapers, nclud-
ing even some papers Of the political opposi-
ton. started to refer to this grave OF a mortal
mar as a Shrine. That is fanaticism. a
shrine is the burial place OF a sacred or
holy person and Roosevelt certainly was
neither except to the fanatics among his fol
lowing. Millions who voted FOR him. whether
by deliberate choice or because thy were
thorough democrats, knew he had great faults
but voted for him nevertheless. These Amerl-
canc accord to his grave no more spiritual
or holy significance than to the grave OF any
other person.
Fanaticism connotes bigotry and intoleranc
of the opinions of others. jim Farley has
earned something about this since his
memoirs began in Golfers. Not only are his
opinions condemned but he is not even given
credit for truthfulness, although even Roos-
welt, as long as he lived, end practically all
the reputable men in public life in Jim's
time. have acknowledged thai truth1ulnss is
his greatest virtue. When he says that Mrs.
Roosevelt told him that Franklin enjoyed him.
self only among his social equals, thus sug-
sesting that s%nobbery which was apparent in
all bis dealings with the reporters, Jim tacitly
invites Mrs. Roosevelt to deny it. She does
not deny that she said this. Nor, for that
matter, has any member of his personal or
official family ever tried to deny that ne
personally engineered several "clever little
schemes having the color of legality for the
benefit of his son. Elliott. Yet there has been
a reaction and a ganda that is
reminiscent of Goebbels himself. who employ
ed the trick method of suggesting that all
those Germans who opposed Hitler were mon
sters for that very reason.
Hitler's ~angriest enemies among us, most
ly vocal and sedentary, do him the great
honor of initiating the most insensate OF the
Hitierites.
Here is an example of this in the propa-
ganda still current in our own country:
At the convention of the Newspaper Guild
in Sioux City, Allan S. Haywood, a vice presi-
dent o. the CLIO, said that we had not states
mel but men of hate in Congress, who
hate Roosevelt. Hate the new deal. Hate
labor"
Now, few of us who opposed Roosevelt hated
him as furiously and unreasonably as we
ourselves are hated by the persons who utter
such political remarks. We are damned for
hating Roosevelt regardless Ct our excellent
reasons. We hated the new deal for good
reasons both patriotic and moral, and the
main reason was that it was too much like
Hit1erism. And, of course, none o. these men
Ct hate" in Congress actually hates labor.
MI. -. 1A Al ~-4- A. 0r~,- ~~I
treacherous exploiters and betrayers OF labor
through the Wagner Act.
In another demonstration, Basil O'Connor,
Roosevelt's old law partner and executor,
made a speech at Warm Springs, Ca, in
which he declared that Roosevelt created the
foundation (which stands as a living memori
al to his overlooking love for his fellow men
and his tender sympathy for all who suffer
from the Affections to which mankind is heir.
He wanted all, particularly those less privi-
legged with worldly goods than he, to have the
benefit Of the skills which brought him
back O'Connor said.
This is just disgusting. Roosevelt started
this foundation to make money, and he held
up John j. Raskob for a private gift Of a
fortune to recoup his own private investment
in Warm Springs before he would agree -
leave the place and run for governor in 1928.
John J. Raskob is still alive and he I'M
doubleday has the cancelled checks. An audit
Of the books of Warm Springs would prove
or disprove his statements. That audit never
is presented. Many parents OF crippled child
rem know, moreover, that when they tried to
obtain for them ''the benefit of the skills
which brought him back. they found the
prices impossibly high. Others know that Roo
sevelt sold Warm Springs property by deeds
which excluded Negroes perpetually from the
ownership or use of such land. And others
among us know that his birthday ball exer-
cises were whooped up by Carl Byoir, a public
relations expert, at the expense of Henry L.
Doherty, the public utilities magnate, for the
purpose Of buying Doherty immunity from
harassnent and, or prosecution and that this
was Byoir, not Roosevelt, who hit upon the
sentimental trick of lending the Presidents
birthday to crippled children.
The character Of Roosevelt that is present.
ed historically to the people OF today and TO
The historians Of the future is shockingly dis
honest. There are fanatics among his follow
ing who still regard him as a holy man and
would suppress every shred Of the truth about
him. The wild ferocity Of Eitler's idolators
was never more savage and intolerant of
truth and honest opinion. The only difference
Is that they haven't the power to suppress
md persecute.
And no statement o. these facts has ever
been presented y oh bid Sc as tne re-
marks that commonly are uttered. and pun
lished, on. the many occasions that are manu-
featured frequently throughout the calendar
year to carry On politics in Rocsevelt's name.