Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
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realize the urgent necessity
of the move.
Finally the President said.
IF you will take on the job
of changing public opinion,
I'll do it,"
At the agreed-on time Life
ran pages of pictures of the
old destroyers. and strongly
urged the plan of giving them
to England, with Time in
heavy support. Other papers
Joined the crusade. and it was
lifted right out of the realm
of politics, becoming, in eff
feet, the first nonpartisan
piece of American foreign
policy. There is little question
that the so average destroyers
which President Roosevelt
gave in exchange for American
bases on British possessions in
the Western hemisphere were
a vital factor in saving Eng
land from destruction.
Backed Wilkie
Despite this alliance with
Roosevelt on the destroyers,
Harry Luce backed Willkie for
President with all the power
OF his magazines. Glare. for
the time being, remained aloof.
Then something happened
that sent Clare into action.
Despite his support of the De-
stroyer deal, President Roose-
welt publicly called Harry Luce
an iSolationist. Those were
lighting words to Glare, who
says. When somebody attacks
Harry unjustly l get pretty
mad"
That was the beginning of
feud that lasted while Roose-
welt lived.
1t was inevitable that Clare
and Roosevelt would clash.
and not just because Harry
Luce opposed him, for she was
rarely Swayed by her hus-
bands political views, and her
attitude toward the President
became far more rigorous than
his. In part her rage against
Roosevelt was induced by dis
appointment in her high hopes
IN 1888. She had welcomed
many Of his reforms, but as
one after another of the ideal
lists whom she had known and
worked with, such as John
Carter, Raymond Moley. and
Gen. johnson, were heaved of
the ship of state and their
ideals corrupted for party ad-
vantage, establishment set in
rTlctlOn develops
Three other things turned
her against the President. One
was his failihgs as an admin
1Strator; the waste and ineff1-
cheney Of the ever-expanding
Government operations. while
bureaus and bureaucrats null
tiplied like rabbits. Second.
was Roosevelt's devious way of
conducting affairs, The final
and most important element of
friction was that Clare felt
that the President did not
recognize the danger of COM
munism.
The i'll will between Clare
and oSevelt gradually
changed from political OPPOSE
ton to intense personal ami
mostly. This was due partly to
Clare's pointed gibes at the
President, and partly to his
vlndlctive attitude toward
her.
Clare got into the campaign
OF 1910 when columnist Dor
othy Thompson. who had OBJ
posed Roosevelt vituperatively
Tor years. suddenly switched
and announced that she was
for Roosevelt because he was
better qualified ito see this
thing through than Willkie."
Armed with her special
knowledge, Clare went on to
make many speeches for Will
kie. Her theme was: "Ameri-
ca. wake up before it is too
late" And her standard was
courage: THE will to reform
and defend this country can
only be steeled in the fires of
our courage and our faith in
the future of our historic way
of life"
According to Joe Martin.
who was WILKES campaign
chairman, Glare originated the
idea for the final great rally.
when people from all over the
country were brought in on a
Nationwide radio hookup for