Evening star., 1951-10-28
Jesse Jones Pictures
Roosevelt as Whale
Lote Presidents RFC Proposals
Called DiscreditubIe
By Fronk R. Kent

The professional liberals Of journal
ism and politics now characterize the
"wretched Mr.. Boyle" as a nninnow.
They speak of his RFC improprieties
as relatively unimportant and declare
recent exposures OF administration cor
ruption concern small fry" They are
q queer group. For example, they ex-
press surprise that the Republicans
have neglected to fish for the salmon
and trout" to be caught In the turgid
pools of the Federal Power Commission,
the Department Of Justice and the
Office of Alien Property.
The suggestion is that in pursuit Of
the minnow. Boyle, they are overlook
ing the big fish because so many of the
big fish are their own friends. Perhaps
they are right, but that does not explain
why these torch bearers Of the Liberal
Cause" themselves so utterly ignored
the great, white whale exposed by
Jesse Jones, as outsplaShing all others
In the RFC waters, sponsoring the big
geSt and most brazen of all efforts to
use RFC funds for improper purposes.
The name of this whale was Franklin D.
Roosevelt, then President of the United
States and the glittering hero Of the
aforementioned torch-bearerS.
His proposal was made directly to
Mr.. Jones by Mr.. Roosevelt In 1942
when he was preparing to run for
fourth term. It was that the RFC buy
the Empire State Building, of which
the late John j. Raskob was chief owner
and Ex-Gov. Alfred E. Smith man
quarters for all Federal activities in New
York. He asked Mr.. Jones to say Moth
ing to any one about this, but said he
hoped he would find way to put it
through. Mr.. Jones said he would try.
A few days later he went back to the
White House and told Mr.. Roosevelt:
% That the Empire State Building was
losing money at a great rate: 90 that
the price asked-$40, 900 .000-was twice
what 1t was worth; 90 that better
location and more desirable building
could be got for less than half the price;
90 that this was not the sort Of busi-
ness the RFC was created to do. To
this Mr.. Roosevelt replied: Probably
all that Is true. Jess. but want to do
something for AL Smith
Mr. Jones told Mr. Roosevelt he did
not think the project could be justified
and he could not approve it. When the
incident occurred he was still head of the
RFC and his personal relations with Mr..
Roosevelt were cordial. An example of
how cordial was given in the fact that
about the same time Mr.. Roosevelt per-
sonally asked Mr.. Jones to get his son
Elliott out of the jam he had gotten
into by borrowing. with the indispensa-
BILE aid Of his father. nearly half mil
lion dollars from rich men, such as the
late John Hartford. At the request of
the President, Mr.. Jones settled Elliott's
debts at cents on the dollar. paying
$4,000 out Of his own pocket. which
he did not get back for five years.
Mr.. Jones' book was published less
than a month ago, but Mr.. Jones told
the Empire State story to number of
friends at the time-nine years ago.
Just as in this matter no other motive
except a personal. political one can be
ascribed to Mr.. Roosevelt, no motive
for telling this story can be ascribed to
Mr.. Jones except that it is the truth.
1t is inconceivable that any man would
imagine or invent such story. 1t oc-
Cured at a time when Mr.. Jones was
high in the favor of Mr.. Roosevelt In
view of this unprecedentedly discredit-
able act upon the part of President,
the "wretched Boyle" indeed, seems a
minnow and the other influence ped
dlers and corrupt internal revenue coll
lectors small fry"
1t is too late to do anything now
except to make plain that the Empire
and the Elliott incidents are an ines
capable part Of the Roosevelt record
and part Of American history. But no
mention of either will be found In the
oleaginous biographies already written
by his sycophantic worshipers. This
consistent policy of ignoring every fact
not creditable to the late President is
emphasized by the manner in which the
aforementioned professional liberals"
are now treating Mr.. Jones book. II
what he reveals about Mr.. Roosevelt
isn't sensational news what would be?