Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-08-05
White House Legends
Held Merely Myths
Writer Says Friends Stort
Presidential Stories
By Fronk R. Kent


1t often has been pointed out that in
these days the prestige and glamour of
the presidency is such that once a man
enters the White House as Chief Execu-
tive it is almost impossible thereafter
to see him clearly. Upon assumption Of
the Office he acquires publicity advan-
tages not enjoyed by any other elective
officer and he profits by the most pow
erful propaganda machine in the coun-
try.
This by no means removes him from
attack. but it does put him in position
to reply and repel with more force and
effect than any one else. Certainly the
cloak of the presidency gives him de-
gree of immunity and enables him to
conceal personal qualities-or to have
others attributed to him-the truth
about which would be easily discernible
in public man Of clearer visibility. Also
the dignity and aloofness of the Office
tends to create legends about the incum-
bentS.
Take the legends concerning the late
Calvin Coolidge and the late Franklin
Roosevelt. In the case of the former
there are two with slight foundation
and yet very firmly established One
was that Mr.. Coolidge was wit: the
other that he was silent, taciturn man.
Those who knew Mr. Coolidge best never
regarded him as witty. They were con-
WINGED that his humor was unconscious
and they knew the two most-quoted
stories attached to him were old before
he became President.
AS to his alleged taciturnity, it is true
it was difficult to get much out Of Mr..
Coolidge on important issues. But, as
the late Judson Welliver once said Of
him, He is wonderful detail man If
you can get the details small enough"
At any rate. on unimportant matters he
often became positively loquacious.
Concerning Mr.. Roosevelt there were
variety Of legends, but the most popu-
lar concerned the irresistible nature
OF his great personal charm" His
biographerS and eulogiSts can neither
write nor speak of him without dwelling
upon this personal charm" and dis
senters are denounced as Roosevelt
haters" worse. Yet the fact Is
that no one ever heard Of this extraor-
binary personal charm" until Mr..
Roosevelt became President. His class
mates at college never were able to
discern it. No one ever spoke Of his
personal charm" when he was As
sistant Secretary of the Navy or when
he was Governor of New York His
personal charm was largely a White
House legend, strongly believed in by
his multitude of admirers and earnestly
promoted by his Subordinates.
All of which brings us to the Truman
legends. Chief Of these is that his
loyalty to his friends is "unshakable."
Right or wrong he stands by them to
the end" Attacks upon them merely
increase the steadfaStnesS of his sup
port. Never does he yield to pressure.
That is the contention but in two
notable instances it seems not well
founded. One was the case of former
Secretary Of Defense Louis Johnson;
the other that of James Bruce. Be-
yond question Mr.. Truman did yield
to pressure against them, though they
were close friends to whom he was
deeply committed and under real obi
cations. The attack on Mr.. johnson
originated with certain hostile column
lists and political enemies. That on Mr..
Bruce was generally credited to Secre-
tary Acheson and his intimates. Re-
CARELESS of the merits of the contro-
versy over them, Mr.. TrumanS final
action is not in accord with that leg
end of loyalty which his journalistic
devotees still maintain.
This is not written to diSparage Mr..
Coolidge, Mr.. Roosevelt or Mr.. Truman
but simply to show the unreliability
of the White House legends which are
attached to all Presidents. Always
these legends favorably portray the
President, the reason being that always
they originate with his friends.