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PSF Samuel I. Rosenman
Subject File
Bor 1811
[1733]
L,
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
PSF: Rosemman
Dran Garrum -
touched me most deeply. leoning,
your fine lute
as in did, at a time when you
were beseh with the mosh
distressing of problems, when
demands on your time and
sitention mush have been
almost hey and ender an ce, in
was an expression of runders tanding
cherished by me in
friendship which will he the
years It to, to made come. me feel quite
homesick last week to lr away
from you while you were
formulating and pushing through a
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
a legislative prog Law, there are
memories - countless and
priceless - of other days in albany,
when I could aid by and see
you do it. the p ame spice and
courage and a tion which l
could watch then from arross
the desk l can still Her from
miles away.
"Boss you are loing a
swell job - and the whole world
says so.
th was very much like in
you to mention what & did
the compaign It was bittle
enoug G. often L feeh uq uh That
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
I had you on The bench, become
in was Taking so much time
that could have been dearted to
the cause. The uget in purk
still lingers, because it has
teparated me from you. However,
that is past - and one thing
which I have learned from you
is what to worry about what has
been de ended upon and is be-
you ucall.
you know, shope, that you
can always call on me for
service which I can This is
any render an any time
not patriotism -it is just in The
selfish joy than there is
working with you.
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
H was really grand to see
you yesterday and to
learn first hand that you
had not changed a lich.
trinked
Sam:
PSF, Rosenman
yen- Drawn 31
April 25, 1936.
Dear Sam:-
Thank you very such for your aufully
nice letter about Louis. X feel, however, that
it was a release for which he was undoubtedly
grateful. He had had a long siege with no real
hope of a recovery. I feel, too, that he died
at a time when there was a decided upswing in
the sentiment toward the Administration and
that, of course, would make him happy.
I do hope you are taking care of
yourself. I do not like the idea of the attacks
recurring but I suppose the Doctors are doing
everything they can to help.
I shall only be in New York from the
time of the dinner until ten o'clock Sunday
morning, when I leave for Hyde Park.
I hope you and Derothy will come down
for a trip on the "Potomac" before you go away
for the summer, if you feel up to 18.
As ever yours,
Honorable Samuel I. Rosenman,
444 Central Park West,
New York City,
New York.
y
Taxe
was
las
NTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR
Monday
Dear Missy
altho' I am sure that
the Boss must fn deligad with
leters about Louis, I wish you
would your Lim This word from I me.
l really face that
should like to come down for The
services if d fact any briter than I
do. I am home ts-day with that
same old car trouble, and a little
groggy Ocherwse l should want there to
pay respect to Loins by being
with kot wishes
Endrally
fam.
Measy
2
PSF: Rosenman
NTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
Therepare
monday.
Draw Mr. President
how That the seemingly
unconquerable spirit of Loins has
decembed, I unsh you To have This word
of sympathy from me who understands to
what his passing really means you
The newspapers refer to
admir." I know, as whing others
Louis M your "old privetary and
do, that he has been much min Than not
that to you. His great devotion to was
so much to your cause as you
yourself so often The heat and of po selfishness, for
In The field of politics, elsly where
conselver his constant attachment to you during The
a quarter of a century comment has been and
topic of wide- speend
I miration
(NTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR
I know also the warmth of close
friendship which you have felt and for how
fouis for so many years,
keenly you must feel this imparding trusted
deponation chinshed It is comfiring the
from me whom you so to know
and lived to Lee the Inefillment of his
wish and every thought Only Loins at
That Le which to completely commated those fus
life who have been fimilyed towatch November I
work the and before appreciate 5 him
the 1932 great can patisfaction of which his came life's been work. so
in Seldom the culmination has a lifetime of effort
completely alfere I duccessful hope a deep That sympathy all the important for you to in
things this loss. you have to do memories. will help som
here the Jain in affectionately Sam... yours
yen. R- Damar. 36
May 20, 1936.
Dear Sami-
I thought that you and Ben Grey were
at least foster-brothers! His ideas about can-
paign material seen even vaguer to me than they
did to you. Privately and confidentially I
would put 18 into the hindmost cell of your
brain and let it stay there.
As ever yours,
Honorable Sammel I. Rosenman,
444 Central Park West,
New York City,
New York.
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
Saturday
Dear Mr. President-
Ben Grey spoke with
me yrsterday. and stated that he had
been down to pee you, and That he had
campanign plans. Dta paid was
had a long tack with you about that it some
your wish that we work tog ather with had
a small group whose personnel he
taben up with you, on campaign to mater-
ial in pomember similar fashion 1932.
He was somewher vague
as to details. I of course, did not wout
to do anything about in muless d heard re-
hably that the was accurately That reporting
your views, and in is for reason
that I am writing you. be of you wish to us
to do any thing, should glad fly
structions as to the work to be done and the
rown there any time and get your in-
people to do A. I would feel much more
confident that your wishes were benig
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
carried out if could learn from you
exactly what they are.
Ben They has spoken to me Wash. several
times about various things in
and a been observer. He talks and writes
nigton Ha perms to be will informed,
atte to think straight and formulate
interestingly, and he appears to be
mom or less original ideas.
Outside of that d do not know hrs
anything at all about him I and was
past either good or bad. the White first
introduced to him by you at to
House, last New years Enr. He seems ton
represent a few interests in Washing he
as a public relations comel and
tells me than he has disclosed to you such
chents as he has who are interested in
Inderal matters. Ido not know whether
you Lawn investigated him as or a noh. I am
just a little apprehenswr, pearlt of
what he tell me of your last conference
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
with him, that he may have given you some
impression than he and I were old friends
and that l could such for him on The
basis of a long ac cqnaintant antan ceship d really
do believe that he could be very useful during
a campaign especially in Co operation with
some other people, if you ham checked him
up and one patisfied with him in other re-
spects. Bryind that, d cannot go.
I should h glvd to work as in him time
you say, to get a elents picture of
if you wish and come down any what
you want 45 bidme.
with all bust washes.
Cordially
Samuel PRosumman
PSF: Rosenman
\
fully en
sen- R- Drawa 2-36 N 36
Hyde Park, x. Y.,
May 23, 1936.
Dear Sampy:-
Thank you over so smoh for that most
interesting letter in regard to the politionl
situation. z quite agree with you.
I want to ... you soon. May don't
you and Dorothy come down to Washington on
Friday, May tventy-ninth, and spend the weekend
on the POTOMAC with net It will be peaceful and
we shall have a real chance to talk.
I am sorry that you are still having
those attacks and hope to goodness they will soon
be over.
My love to the family,
M ever yours,
Honorable Samuel I. Rosenman,
444 Central Park West,
New York City,
New York.
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
Dra missy.
I got a my mysterions phone
message the other any from a gentlemen
who sand Le wished s come down 10 delver
me from the President. d was all excited.
for you a very confidential message to
an appointment was made. The compdential
message turned and to fn The bust of the Boss
which you were kind enought to pend me.
Thanks a lot. It is really very good, and
looks fine on my desk. I hope he looks
as wefe as the but shows him to be.
l met down there when I was last down.
Do you remember Ben Guy whom
the was the first time I had met him; but
twice then he has come to talk to me about
various throgs. sta now trees me that he
has a commission from the Boss that he and
did in 1932. of course, nothing all
get a group Together for I the know campaign as at l
Mont him or his just. l think he is very
we and pleasures to work with. d do not
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
know whether the President was serious
or not, or under whether he was being
have written him a liter which I
accurately quoted accordingly
wish you would read and deliver Thin
for me. many Thanks and d should also
like to get your views as To what you
think of Mrs Guy. Hr was first brought
ruto the picture, I suppose you know, ham by
Mrs She may learned
the impression that any way
something about him. d d am dont in want togur
do want to make it clear than
suspicious of him. But on the then l hand cannot I
bonch for him.
Hope you are Regards well and happy
Cordially
Sam.
PSF:Rocenman [1936]
Supreme Court
5
of the
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
Semeay
Dran Mr. President
again my thanks
for a grand week of fun. l haven't had
of 1932. and l certainly learned
as good a time since Convention week
something of Washington politics.
The speech came over
the air in perfect style - clear,and
forceful and still simple and
not rhetorical. dh was an historic
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
occasion.
d hope you get a few days
of comparative rest. ml know than you
probably won't book at a radio for
a month
may I repear than I am anxious
to /or of any service aball during The
months ahead
with uneried Thanks and love
from Durty (who still refuses to
noed Ray's hand) yours.
Jam.
[1936]
PSF; SAMUEL I. ROBENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
Thersday
Dear Mr President
The is a dropt which
Biie, Stanley and I ham prepared.
as you can see, it is in rather Labor
rong a shape. Lubin of The
One virtue which the speech has is
Department has been with us cons tantly
that every figure which appears in and it
has been very carefully checked and
by telephonic reference to Washing
rechecked from published reports ton.
with perupulous
regard forther twich WE have tried
sparnt as good a picture as possible. not
Verhaps some of the figures are
as favorable as you thoug at They
SAMUEL I. ROBENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK. N.Y.
should hr. But Sill says that he
is pure you would incher he right
than for President so wa have used
the couch figures We all decide urge
most strongly that of you
to use bigines of commodities than or the
forcantage not included, checked
figures in very carefully
by Lubin
hr are all going towork that m
this draft some more so time.
mr may have more sugg 00
Cordially yours
Lam.
PSF; Rosemman
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
in
gen- 1936
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
SAMUEL a. ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
Jun her. President-
Thanks any much for
your Thoughsfulness on my birthday I
appreciate it so much I know your got
one or two other Things to think about.
They gan me a surprise
party, which, strange to pay, was a surprise
as well as n farty In accordance with pricial
traditions and precedents laid down by the head of
the government of the United States and the
Commander. in Chief of he army and Nary, there we all HE
played poper. Herbur Lehmlan was in
said he had not played jober along
Since you left. to you begin to Malije the
void created in albany by your he-
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
SAMUEL L ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
parture
The won d Talk with people
about Smith's speech, the mom convinced
I am that it is generally understood
than Le made givte fore of hunself
with burdent reg ando
yours.
Sam.
PSF: Rosenman
June 23,1737.
Dom he President,
The calm fthe
Oral Room was so delightful, and we
engrged ourselves Rt throughly The
stries were delightful and the talling of
them even more is
J're a new story. Theard today
that the rey rich are ns longer teing athe
to un their large houses. They are king
freed to lose them, and the example given
has the claing the Rockafeller home in
new York, and the removal of the Pakafallus
to an apartment. Jun'tit lovely ?-ht and.
Thank you for having no with you
TP
mu the week end. JTisa
purilage that always gres no much
is
affectionately,
Dridy Rounman.
PSF: Rocemman
SIR
March 1, 1938.
Dear Sam:-
In accordance with the procedure we
outlined, I am putting $4,500 - my share of the
first payment from Bye into the special account
for the "Public Government Purpose."
Today I have received a second check
for $9,000 from Mr. Aye. In accordance with the
supplementary agreement with Randem House Press
for additional sales campaign on the volumes, I
am deducting from the $9,000 the sum of $4,500
and am enclosing my check for this sum for you
to give to Random House Press.
This leaves a balance of $4,500, and
I as enclosing my check for $2,250 to you to put
into your special account.
The balance of $2,250 I an retaining
and placing in By special account.
As ever yours,
Honorable Samuel I. Rosemman,
135 Central Park nest,
New York, N. Y.
(Enclosures)
PSF: Rosenman
SAMUEL I. ROBENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
Dear Mr. President,
Friday
that letter inclosing
your check for 4500 00 was quite I am the
funnest I have ever received.
on the anetion block, it would bring
sure that if the letter were ever put
loan more than its inclosure
Instead of an income d
pay a windfall tax the for books certainly would
tax which you remind we I of. should
never thought that
your result in any substantial was so pum
hiteresting of and, at times, thrilling,
money. The work itself
that it was going to be pay bulliant enough in
itself; until you got that and
(though Dutch ) idea about magagines
newspagers.
Thank you so much for
SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
the check. d know that you are
in the division
sad and lonesome when The books are
going to ful quite
along on schedule, and think smith
frially out. They are all l don't coming
d. shall have to bother you again durinies
are ready for your last and
the final bindings and look-oven
approval.
With pridect regards and
renewed Thanks,
lendially Sam. yours
PSF: Rosenman
TELEGRAM
The White House
19 WU JM 12 1140am
Mashington
Mir. Talk
New York, March 19, 1938.
Miss Marguerite Le Hand:
Hayes.
,
Can you get any word for me as to Professor Carleton
Samuel I. Rosenman. 2
PSF: Rosenman
October 31, 1938.
Dear Sam:-
You are right. Two hundred dollars
an acre for one open field and a lot of out-
over woodland is such too high.
I hope you will see the place north
of Dorothy Backer and also look at the Garrigue
place. I do not know if the latter 18 for
sale but it to a beautiful location.
See you soon.
AS ever yours,
Honorable Samuel I. Rosenman,
135 Central Park Test,
New York City,
New York.
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
BAMUEL L ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
October 28, 1938.
The President,
White House,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. President:
I am enclosing a copy of a letter
which I received this morning from Henry Hackett.
I think that Mr. Rohan is way out of line as to his
price, not only of the woodland but also of the open
land. Furthermore, as you said the other day, there
is no necessity of buying all of his woodland, particu-
larly at that price. What do you think ?
I am going to run up to see the place
north of Mrs. Backer as soon as I get a chance.
With kindest regards,
Enc.
Very sincerely Sam yours,
HENRY T. HACKETT
Attorney & Counsellor at Law
226 Union Street
Poughkeepsie
New York
October 26th, 1938.
Hon. Samuel I. Rosenman,
60 Centre Street
New York City, N Y.
My dear Judge Rosenman:
Mr. Peter C. Rohan says that he will sell
the open land at $200. an acre 'and all of the wood
land at the same price per acre, together with a right
of way in from Cream Street. This includes some of
the wood land to the east which is owned by his father.
He insists that he will not sell part, but must sell
all of the wood land.
Very truly yours,
(signed) Henry T. Hackett.
PSF: Rosenman
[1939]
Supreme Court
of the
2
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
SAMUEL IL ROBENMAN
JUSTICE
mmday
Dear m President,
to was ground to pay
hello "to you last might
I know how much there
very trying days have meant to you
fersonally, and how much of yourself
you have given to the hatred task before was you. and
all that your comes before it and after
with witense of it, The
present p Tate of the world must has cuch
deeply. In spite of what come,
humanity and would opinion will he grate.
fue for all your courageous and incrementing
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK. N.Y.
SAMUEL 1, ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
effor to to preserver peace for the world
Even more difficult days he
ahead the stendfar tress of spint and
purpose in your speech last might
was a leat cornfort to The milions I it
of peace. of loves who heard know
will he adhered to, as only you can.
with most cadial ugands
yours
Lane
file
PSF
Rosenman
444 CENTRAL PARK WEST
NEW YOR K
Saturday.
Dear m President
Many Thanks for
sending me the Gorna hapy Vy the
inscription in it Samury the rose
vato message and the very Jenerous
calls up many unimones underd !
Rann been around while in was
way from to
being done. I wish much that I
might be helpful on other occasions
If you Trank inat & can, please
to not hesitate ts call on me.
bourt closes up in a week and if
I can assist in my way here or
in Washington, it would by a
great princegn.
with kindert legards
Cornail,
Jame.
SAMUEL I. ROBENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
Wrdnesday
Dear Mr. President,
J you have
some idea that you had
any thing to do with making
yourself President, modest, you should
read the attached
process by me Raymond He now emerges moby.
self- efforing account of The
in a new role, a monter of -
fiction!
with kindest ugands
Cadrally
Sam.
THE SATURDAY
EVENING POST
Founded AD 1728 by Benj. Franklin
Volume 211
5c. THE COPY
PHILADELPHIA, P.A., JUNE 24, 1939
$2.00
By Jubscription
(82 Issues)
Number 52
The candidate and
the author, when Mr.
Moley was Prime
Minister of Roose.
celt's Privy Council.
T
HE governor gave an
empty dish on his desk
a restless push, looked
at me earnestly and said:
Make no mistake about it.
I don't know why anyone
would want to be President,
with things in the shape they
are now."
This was January, 1932, at
Albany. I had provoked that
remark by reference to the
governor's presidential ean-
didacy. Familiarity with the
curious reticences and eva-
sions of politicians should
have prepared me for the an-
swer. But, even so, I could
hardly resist a smile. What-
ever Roosevelt thought or
said, Fate, fortune and the
travels of Jim Farley were
ENTERNATIONAL NEWS
working to make him the
leading candidate.
Prudence dictated my re-
ply. It may seem a non 80-
quitur in type, but it was the
retort courteous in the lan-
SETS HIS CAP
guage of polities. T said that
I should be delighted to help
in any way I could.
Governor Roosevelt nodded
approvingly.
And so our luncheon talk
resolved itself-momentously
for me.
It had been a eurious con-
MR.ROOSEVELT By
versation, that wandered,
with apparent casualness,
from the immediate occasion
for my visit, the work of the Commission on the Ad-
bury earry his investigation to a point where the
me move in from the outer reaches of his circle pretty
ministration of Justice, of which I was the governor's
issue of Mayor James J. Walker's removal was put to
close to center. At any rate, I'd probably be called
ranking member, to the Samuel Seabury investiga-
Roosevelt. On the one side was an already outraged
in on the Farley ease. There'd been no express com-
tion, to the case of Sheriff Thomas M. ("wonderful
political machine which would control most of New
mitment, naturally. But then, my earliest associa-
tin box") Farley, of Tammany Hall, and on to na-
York's ninety-four votes in the national convention.
tions with Roosevelt had led me not to expect that.
tional polities. Roosevelt had been guarded. indefi-
On the other side Was the reformer, Seabury, most of
I had first met him on an autumn day in 1928
nite, reserved. It would, of course, have been the
the New York press and "good" citizens, an army of
when Louie Howe, with elaborate offhandedness,
grossest impropriety for him to discuss the political
them throughout the nation, whose support a presi-
took me into Democratic headquarters just to have
implications of the Sheriff Farley case, since he wns
dential candidate would most assuredly need. All this
you meet "The Boss." Roosevelt, n. big, handsome
going to act in a quasi-judicial capacity on the issue
had been understood.
man with the shoulders of a wrestler, was sitting nt
of Farley's removal. But Roosevelt did say, rumina-
I couldn't help but be pleased with the way things
his desk sorting out letters. He looked up, smiled
tively, that Sheriff Farley was an idol to his people,
had gone as I rode back to New York. Looking out at
and then explained, to my surprise and to Louie's dis-
and he was obviously pleased with my quiet offer of
the river and the hills that were to become 80 familiar
may, that my visit wasn't at all unexpected. He
service,
in the months ahead, I could permit myself a bit of
wanted to simplify the administration of justice in
Nothing more had to be said. Both of us realized
speculation on what might come of that visit to
the state, He wanted to say something about it in
what n spot the inexorable Seabury had selected for
Albany. It seemed to me that Roosevelt had inti-
his campaign. Louie had suggested that I might
Roosevelt and what might come later, should Sea-
mated, in a way peeuliarly his own, that he might let
"shape out" some ideas he could use-perhaps dig
5
6
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
June 24, 1939
TEX
BRO
ACME
The elimax moment of the mad, steaming Chicago Convention, the moment of wild cheering while William Gibbs McAdoo, right, walted to
announce what most every delegate knew that California was giving her forty-four votes to Recrevelt. Texas then followed with her forty-sis.
up some vivid examples of cases that had dragged on
a research foundation in Cleveland; to a return to
in the courts.
New York and Columbia-there to build up IL de-
something of the evolutionary improvement of po-
litical and economic life,
I was pleased. A memorandum from me was trans-
partment of government in Barnard College-the
formed into a speech made in the Bronx JL few days
As the thoughtlessness and aimlessness of the 20's
happiest job I've ever had; to ten years of intensive
later. Apparently Mr. Roosevelt was pleased too.
became more and more apparent, I'd grown con-
professional investigation of the seamy sides of
Ensued, in the next three years, a number of simi-
vineed that someone must be found who could do on
criminal-law administration in Ohio, Missouri, Illi-
lar assignments and two bigger ones: membership on
a national seale what Tom Johnson had done in
nois, Virginia, Pennsylvania, California and New
a committee that drafted a plan for a model state-
Cleveland. By January, 1932, it seemed to me that the
York: to the writing of three books and many
parole system. and appointment to a commission to
buoyant, likable man in Albany was the only hope.
articles on the relationship of politics and criminal
improve the administration of justice in the state.
I was, at my age, no longer a creature of impulse.
justice, the preparation of which earried me to
This last provided the opening for a demonstra-
But, ns I saw it, in the hours after my first vague ap-
twenty states and to Canada; and, finally, to a year
tion that I could be trusted to handle awkward
proach to an intimate talk with Roosevelt, an oppor-
with Judge Seabury and his investigations.
political situations with a reasonable amount of
tunity was about to offer itself-an opportunity to
In all these diversified years I'd been no profes-
sense. There was, for instance, an embarrassing mis-
satisfy my desire for a wider experience in politics
sional reformer. I felt deeply that such a role, like
understanding between the governor and the Repub-
and, at the same time, to help, in a small way, in the
that of the professional officeholder, operates as a
lican leader of the Senate concerning the organiza-
subtle intellectual opiate on anyone who wants to
realization of old and time-tested concepts of po-
litical evolution.
tion of the commission. I was told the governor was
understand what polities is about, We needed the
delighted with the maneuverings which dissipated
I was on the eve of a great adventure, if I had the
professional reformer, just as David Harum's dog
that issue so that he didn't have to meet it head-on.
wit to go through with it. I could look forward with
needed fleas. But I had a horror of the humorless-
In any ease, by the time he'd asked me to visit
security to n. lifetime of being called in by governors,
ness, the intentness and the intolerance of most re-
with thim, in January, 1932, he seemed to feel that I
mayors, special investigators and citizens' commit-
formers. Besides, it had seemed to me reform
could be useful.
tees to study the local administration of justice, Or
needn't come through reformers alone, It could be
It would be idle to pretend that I wasn't excited
I could throw everything I had into the pursuit of
organically associated with the normal process of
that afternoon, as the train rattled on toward New
my interest in the wider field of polities. And I
polities. Government failed vastly more often
York in the gathering darkness. Since October, 1928,
wanted passionately to do the second.
through ignorance than through sin,
I'd believed Roosevelt would be elected President in
The thing happened very quiekly, In mid-
1932, I had no political ambitions, But I did want to
February, I was helping to draft the definition of
First Meetings of the Brains Trust
see and know intimately what went on at the heart
policy on the basis of which Tom Farley was re-
of polities, for polities had been the absorbing in-
moved. In early March, I spent some time in Albany
terest of my life. It had dictated my choice of
T
WE older I'd grown the more I'd come to believe
working on a speech on judicial reform which the
that effective political change was achieved by
courses in the small college from which I graduated.
governor delivered at the New York City Bar Asso-
mutual understanding and consent, not by denuncia-
The next year, 1907, it led me through a successful
ciation on the twelfth. By the first week in April,
tion and recrimination from without, At ten, I was
campaign for village clerk in my Ohio town. It
I was at work in Albany assisting with the document
stirred by Bryan-romantically, emotionally. I wept
moved me to the inevitable study of law, under diffi-
which came to be known as the Forgotten Man
when he was defeated in 1896. But the solid reforms
culties, at night in Cleveland: to the decision to
speech, and the first meetings of what later was called
of the practical Tom Johnson during his nine years
study and teach polities, after a two years' siege of
the brains trust" had already taken place,
as mayor of Cleveland suggested the vanity of tears.
TB in New Mexico and Colorado had summarily
Observe these dates. In early March, my sphere
Johnson's technique was educational. His cosmos
blasted my law studies: to n brief return to local
of activity still seemed to be limited to questions of
wasn't a befuddled miracle play where good men
polities as mayor of an Ohio town when I was able
law administration. By early April, I had entered
fought with bad. He believed that people, enlight-
to come back East: to graduate study in polities at
the promised land of national polities.
ened, would save themselves, I knew him only as n.
Columbia: to a teaching job on the Mark Hanna
How did it happen?
public figure. But he gave my interest in polities
Foundation in Western Reserve University: to the
The popular story has it that one night in March,
point and direction. It was from him and from his
directorship of Americanization activities under Gov.
Samuel 1. Rosenman, counsel to the governor, was
brilliant protégé, Newton Baker under whom I sat
ernor Cox during the war; to four years as director of
chatting with the governor after dinner and took the
briefly as a law student in Clevelnad, that I learned
opportunity tosuggest the need for advisers competent
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
7
ACMS
Myers, former Prof. Milo R. Maltbie and,
I may add, with me, in constructing his state
policies. But 1 do question the implication
that such a conversation was anything more
than an incident in a development wholly
unrelated to Sam Rosenman's planning or
imagination. Sometimes the lady who smacks
the champagne bottle against the ship's prow
has the illusion that she is causing the ship
to slide down the ways,
A Man Who Needed Help, and Lots of It
was smooth, unspasmodie,
First, March was a dreadful month for the
governor. Before leaving Albany, the state
legislature had dumped on his desk literally
scores of bills that had to be studied and
analyzed before he could decide whether to
sign or veto them. It took hour after hour,
day after day, to handle these. At the same
time Roosevelt was obliged to direct what
had now become an intensive drive for dele-
gates to the national convention. As though
this were not enough, he was attempting not
only to anticipate the plays of Seabury, who
was creating new embarrassments, but to
noted N.B.
upsur July 19 1937
to mul this
s
dialism by dialer
Above- at the candidate's left, the
count invite barrier 0 the
late Louis Howe, the wisened, gnarled
gnome who made Mr. Roosevelt's por
litical fortunes his own life's breath.
radual Jongism to and Reaction a n no challenge then It dial is
Here, on "Doc" O'Connor's stationery,
is the germ of the Brain Trust. Moley
net it in the the from reminder 25 6 unditions reassurances fusuires.
listed these subjects for Roosevelt's
the
corner
compaign, and suggested names of
experts to gather material on them.
ple
jumino. prosperity round oil on troubled
the adw 6 Juilice
walls, are they are oil on fire.
Communition Englay
Note the phrase "a new deal," under+
lined in the script above. Moley, in
utilites
this memorandum for the candidate,
was the first one to use the phrase.
Tariff hade
Debts
wheres
to preparea national program for him. Rosen-
keep an eye on Al Smith, who was fighting him tooth
man is supposed to have argued that "the
and nail. Finally, he was desperately trying-and
usual programmers of presidential candi-
failing make time to prepare some speeches he was
Prohitition
dates-businessfat eatsand political bosses-
scheduled to deliver in April-specches critical to his
had been discredited by the Hoover debaele."
nomination. No one knew better than he that he
Metaclism
He's said to have climaxed his remarks with
needed all the help he could get. He spoke of that to
Banking
the question, 'Why don't you try the uni-
me early in March when we were at work on the Bar
versities for n change?" And on the basis of
Association speech, and took oceasion to add that,
Insurance
one of Roosevelt's "smiling assents, which
while Sam Rosenman had been of the greatest assist-
may mean anything or nothing," Rosenman
ance to him in state business, he did not, in fact,
is supposed to have invited me in to organize
know very much about national affairs.
the group that became the "brains trust."
Second, Rosenman was thoroughly aware of his
natural
I do not doubt the fact that some such
own limitations and aware of the governor's aware-
conversation as this may have taken place,
ness of them. He was no fool. He was smart enough
although it seems very queer indeed that a
to realize that his own tenure as close adviser in the
Pratines
man who had been closely associated with
months ahead would depend upon his ability to asso-
Roosevelt for two years should say, Why
ciate himself swiftly with those who could supply
industrial affairs Relations
don't you try the universities for a change?"
what he lacked.
to a governor who had habitually consulted
Third. my performance was evidently satisfactory.
Capital
with Professors Robert Murray Haig, James
The Sheriff Farley removal order had lent itself to
Bonhright, Frank A. Pearson, William I.
favorable quotation throughout the country. The
Simbury
speech on judicial reform, delivered before a sophisti-
*See. for example, Men Around the President, by
Joseph Alsop and Robert Kintner Doubleday Doran
eated audience of lawyers, had been exceedingly well
& Co., Inc.: New York, 1939: pp. 19 and 20.
received. But more than
(Continued on Page 89
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
89
an injury is done to him of whom a re-
and imagining all sorts of things, just
MUTT AND JEFF
proschful thing is said."
like Mrs. Turget. Naturally, her work
-by Bud Fisher
"What did I tell you?" said Mr.
and her health would suffer, and it
Kaplan triumphantly to Mr. Clare-
would be easy for a slick shyster like
SIR SIDNEY, MYEYE!
more.
Orberg to make her think she was
Mr. Claremore took a grip on him-
really injured mentally. and ought to
KEEP MOVING, You!
self. "That's all very well, Miss Bly,
sue for damages. I cleared everything
but you seem to forget that I asked
up just by telling her who called."
your help with Mrs. Turget's case, and
How did you know who called?"
you agreed, tacitly at least, to do what
said Mr. Kaplan.
you could toward persuading her to ao-
"I didn't. I just told her it was me,
cept a reasonable settlement. Follow-
calling to ask her middle initial for my
ing your own quaint process of reason-
files."
ing, I consider you guilty of violation
Mr. Kaplan was still a moment
of contract in failing to do so."
-
while he comprehended the classic sim-
"Oh, but I didn't fail," said Dorrit.
plicity, the magnificent effectiveness of
"I may have been a little slow about it,
that ruse. Then he howled with de-
due to circumstances beyond my con-
lighted laughter, and fell to whopping
trol, including the opening of a new
Mr. Claremore upon the back.
supermarket and an act of God, but I
"How about that box of cigars?" he
did get her to agree to a settlement.
roared.
Whether you'd consider it reasonable
"Wait a minute." Mr. Claremore
or not is another matter, since you're
spoke weakly. but he was recovering.
80 unreasonable yourself about some
He wasn't willing to concede defeat
things. Mr. Harris thought it was
yet.
very reasonable."
He followed Dorrit into her little
"Who?" said Mr. Claremore, gog-
office between his and Mr. Kaplan's.
WHASSA MATTER, SIDNEY?
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO JOIN THE
gling at her.
"Miss Bly, I wish to congratulate you
"Mr. Harris, the B. C. adjuster. I
YOU LOOK LIKE A GHOST!
SIR SID. GET MORE
upon your settlement of & matter
called him at his home and got him to
which, I admit, I found very trouble-
"BULK" IN YOUR DIET. TAKE JEFF AND
come down and take care of the detail
some. Your solution showed an in-
ITS AN OUTRAGE! JUST
ME-WE EAT KELLOGGS ALL-BRAN
work, after Mrs. Turget and I had
genuity which ought to be rewarded.
BECAUSE I'M NOT WELL,
FOR BREAKFAST EVERY DAY-AND
come to terms. She agreed to accept
It is unfortunate that, instead, I must
recovery for medical services, three
deduct most of your pay for yesterday.
I GET TAKEN FORATRAMP!
BOY, DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
dollars, and for one week's loss of serv-
Much as it pains me, it is my duty un-
ices as a housewife, fifteen dollars, to-
der the law."
tal. eighteen dollars. That's quite a
Dorrit faced around sharply. What
reduction from the ten thousand she
law?"
was going to ask."
"The law you quoted in excusing
Mr. Kaplan spoke, eying her almost
your absence: Idem non esse et non ap-
reverently-Mr. Claremore was un-
parere. You see, Miss Bly, you, too,
able to speak. How in the world did
failed to appear at the office yesterday,
you persuade her to accept a settle-
except for a few minutes in the morn-
ment like that? You must have hyp-
ing. so for most of the day you, too,
notized her!"
didn't exist. I couldn't pay someone
"No, that wouldn't have been legal.
who didn't exist, could I?" She looked
I knew before I ever left here that I
80 stricken that he relented, and said
could settle it. You'd understand why,
kindly, Don't take it so hard. There'll
if you were a woman. Mr. Claremore
be a few dollars extra in your pay en-
said she fell downstairs while going to
velope hereafter, which should more
SOMETIME LATER
HE'S CERTAINLY JOINED
answer the telephone, and probably
than make up for the loss. I only
never got to answer it; and right then I
wanted to impress you with a truth we
MORNIN; SIR SIDNEY!
THE "REGULARS" NOW,
knew what was wrong with her. Any
are all too apt to forget: That there
ALL RIGHT!
woman would be a nervous wreck if
are two sides to every case."
her telephone rang and something hap-
He reverted to Mr. Kaplan. "Now,
pened so that she never found out who
what were you saying about a box of
called. She'd get to brooding over it,
cigars?"
MR. ROOSEVELT SETS HIS CAP
(Continued from Page 7)
KEEP
that, I think, the work on those two
menial. Rosenman never overlooked an
jobs illustrated a technique no one else
opportunity to warn me against Howe:
then around Roosevelt possessed. It
again and again he used & phrase of
seemed to help crystallize his own ideas
Basil O'Connor's-" Louie'll give you
and inclinations, reflect them accu-
the foot' if you don't watch out." If
rately extend them where necessary and
either Howe or Rosenman had sus-
present them congruously-in brief, to
pected that I was more than politely
Tisher
relieve him of a good deal of personal
friendly with the other, if either had
drudgery. As April drew on, and with
been given the slightest reason to re-
it the moment for preparing and pro-
sent any association of mine' with
jecting a national program, what more
Roosevelt at that brucial time, he
natural than that he should employ it
would not have hesitated for a moment
I there a better way to correct consti-
Sold by
again? I moved into a vacuum in his
to block me off completely. It was
pation than just bearing it first and
all grocers
scheme of things.
lamentable, but true, that no one, re-
Finally, I was able to achieve almost
gardless of the contribution that he
trying to cure it later? There is, if it's
the impossible-the maintenance of
might have been able to make to
the common kind due to lack of "bulk"
Kellogg's
friendly relations with both Louie
Franklin Roosevelt, could have be-
in the diet. Get at the cause and prevent
Howe and Sam Rosenman-and the un-
come a member of his entourage with-
the trouble, with that crisp, crunchy,
ALL-BRAN
mitigated hatred of these two men for
out appeasing these implacable foes,
bulk-rich cereal - Kellogg's All-Bran.
each other was the single factor that
I had already learned the melancholy
Eat it every day, drink plenty of water,
might have disrupted the logical course
fact that such antagonista are quite
of events. Howe's jealousy of Rosen-
and see if the world isn't brighter!
capable of imperiling the best interests
man was exceeded only by Rosenman's
of those they profess to be serving, and
jealousy of Howe. Howe was forever
I was destined to expose myself to
trying to humiliate Rosenman. I re-
some of its bitter corollaries in the
member well Rosenman's blazing fury
months to come. But at the moment,
when, during the campaign, Howe at-
in March, I was taking no chances.
Join the "Regulars" with
tempted to assign him to a routine job
Louie was then working at Roosevelt
at headquarters which Sam considered
headquarters on Madison Avenue. The
KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN
90
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
June 24, 1939.
governor, who was deeply devoted to
The fact that he was able to serve
rather touching way, and the fact that
Louie, was characteristically careless
Roosevelt as well as he did during the
I taught there was a point in my favor.
about keeping in touch with Louie as
pulling and hauling of Seabury and
Finally, when Sam announced one
BOYS
often as Louie's insatiable interest, cu-
Tammany, though he knew his ambi-
mid-March evening, with the air of one
riosity and affection would have die-
tion could not be realized without the
who makes a tremendous discovery,
tated. This wizened, gnarled little
tacit assent of the Tammany leaders,
that Roosevelt needed expert profes-
Nibelung had watched his Siegfried
was a tribute to his own devotion to
sional advice on national issues and
grow to hero's size and now he lived
Roosevelt and to his own tact. And
that we ought to get some people to-
in an agony of apprehension that
Louie was merciless in holding him re-
gether to assist him, he made it easy
Rosenman-
Want a
sponsible for the worst blunder made in
for me to encourage the notion that he
would smash all his well-laid plans.
that process-the governor's truculent
was the originator of this happy idea.
Louie was constantly torn between the
reply to the charges filed against Mayor
To have said that it had occupied
idées fixes that his preconvention work
Walker by Rabbi Stephen Wise and
my thoughts every waking hour since
in New York indispensableand that,
BICYCLE
the Reverend John Haynes Holmes.
Roosevelt's pre-Bar-Association-speech
in his absence from Al-
remarks to me would
bany, "someone" would
have been unkind and
"give Franklin bad ad-
stupid.
vice or let his impulses
LIKE THIS?
And 80 Sam, too, was
run away with him."
won-convinced, with
I had & room across
WILLIAM HOBART-
the passing of time, that
the street from Louie's,
he had plucked me from
in the offices of the
NEVADA SHERIFF
academic obscurity.
Earn It Yourself!
Commission on the Ad-
The rest followed nat-
ministration of Justice,
By MARTHA KELLER
urally.
and I went to see him
Sam, Basil (Doc)
frequently during Feb-
ELL me a tale of the West, grandfather.
O'Connor, Roosevelt's
ruary and March, as
Tell me a tale of the western plains,
law partner, and I made
indeed I had been doing
Rustlers gone to their rest, forever,
a list of possible topics
for years. I kept him
Gold and fever and wagon trains.
upon which Roosevelt's
informed of the develop-
campaign might touch.
ments that were taking
Twelve I was, or a trifle younger,
As we jotted them down,
place in my relations
When I followed the oxcart trail, my son.
I suggested the names
with Roosevelt-of the
I drank of thirst. And I ate of hunger.
of individuals who had
trips to Albany, the tele-
But I carried my first real hunting gun.
expert knowledge about
phone calls, the corre-
spondence-and I con-
Father and I set out together.
each.
tinued to do so there-
Long was the road that stretched ahead.
Thus was the "brains
after. In some way, this
My hunting knife had a sheath of leather.
trust" born, thus my
I made my bullets of melted lead.
personal Jordan crossed.
seemedtoassuageLouie's
All this seems unadul-
fears, and it became
clear from his conversa-
Many a mile from Westport Landing,
teratedly cold-blooded.
Far and away when our food ran low,
It wasn't, actually. I
tion that he firmly be-
was no tinpot Bacon-
lieved that he had
I leaned my gun on a wheel, and, standing,
cunning. dispassionate,
'planted me in Albany
Shot me a big, bull buffalo.
intellectual. If, say, I
to see that "someone"
had been presented with
made no mistakes and
The dust was thick as a Pawnee blanket.
the same opportunity to
to sound the sirens so
The wind, it blew. And it never ceased.
take part in the Hoover
that he could hurl him-
We rationed water before we drank it,
campaign, I could not
self into the breach if
HOW?
Backs to the long road running East.
have availed myself of
anything threatened his
Rustlers raided our pinto ponies.
it. Doubtless this was a
"Franklin's" availabil-
Three we shot. But we missed the rest.
weakness that would
ity. I confess that I did
Our throats were dry as a dead Shoshoni's,
have made me an abom-
nothing to dislodge this
Find Regular Customers
Over the long road running West.
inable lawyer, but I was
unlovely idea from
constitutionally incap-
Louie's head. It com-
Fever sickened eleven miners.
able of espousing any
For
forted him. It mini-
mized his potential op-
Father, he was a parson then.
cause in which I did not
He sent me on with the forty-niners,
believe. Worse than
The Saturday
position to the adoption
And stayed and buried the mountain men.
that, my beliefs, deci-
of the kind of program
sions, judgments were
I hoped to see Roose-
Evening Post
velt champion. And it
The oxen drank-though we tried to stop it-
not arrived at by an or-
stamped his visa on my
Alkali. And the oxen died.
derly process of thought.
They rose up, willy-
passport for the time
The gun was heavy. I had to drop it.
nilly, out of a sea of
and
being, at any rate.
I lay that night in the dark and cried.
feelings, senses, hunches,
The appeasement of
Then, so never a Sioux should use it,
to confront, grapple
Rosenman was more
Bent the barrel and smashed the butt.
Ladies' Home
with, and finally take
easily achieved. Sam
Left it there for the sand to lose it.
possession of me.
had come up from New
Left it lying along a rut.
I liked Franklin
Journal
York City's district pol-
Roosevelt for the same
itics. The leader of his
Left the rifle, and more's the pity,
elemental reasons that
district was James J.
Left my heart with the broken gun.
millions of others were
Hines. Sam had been
In Your Neighborhood
Till I was Sheriff of Carson City,
soon to like him-for his
well educated, and, by
I never carried another one.
vibrant aliveness, his
dint of hard work be-
warmth, his sympathy,
fore, during and after
his activism. Ihad faith
his service in the state
in him. The rest did not
Curtis Publishing Company
legislature, had acquired
893 Independence Square
precede, it followed
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
an admirably detailed
those bare facts.
knowledge of state business. He was
Sam's very weaknesses smoothed the
Now, people who used only their
Dear Price Man: Sure thing 1 want to carn prizes and
essentially an "inside" worker. Often
way. As early as February he had
heads could and did tell me that I was
cash. Send my first copies or sell me where to get them.
brusque, patently on the smug side, a
asked me to write to the governor
utterly mistaken. People who were
trifle obsequious if you were "im-
urging his appointment to a vacancy
merely "intellectual" were almost
Name
Age
portant," & shade highhanded if you
on the Supreme Court. This friendly
unanimous on the subject of Roose-
weren't, this capable, conscientious
gesture I was able to make with a good
velt's inadequacy in the spring of 1932;
Street
man could obviously never look for-
conscience, for I was certain he would
he was a "weakling," they said, an
ward to the kind of political career Al
become the fine judge he has since
"opportunist," an amiable gentleman
Toun
State
Smith or Bob Wagner had shaped out
proved to be. Moreover, as I have
who wants to be President." I must
Have one of year parents sign the following statement:
of the same beginnings as his, and he
suggested, the governor's awareness of
have written & dozen argumentative
I amgled to have my boy start selling Curtis Publications
had shrewdly cut his ambition to fit
his need for assistance on national af-
letters in March and April to nervous
his cloth,
fairs was evident by early March, and
friends who ventured the opinion that
Sam's one desire was to be appointed
Sam was not the man to stand in the
"This shilly-shallying with Tammany
(Parent's Signature)
to New York's Supreme Court before
way of the inevitable. Sam also loved
doesn't promise well," or Your can-
Roosevelt left the governorship.
Columbia University in a boyish and
didate seems to be just any politician
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
91
on the make," or-from a newspaper
he gets A lot from talking with people who
editor in a Midwestern y-"Waddya
come in. A typical approach to a big prob-
mean- progressive'? The guy just
lem is "So-and-So was telling me yester-
A Million Dollars yelled for Help!
doesn't seem to have any stuff.' Yet it
day." Another is "now une found in deal-
wasn't a question that you could settle
ing with the state so-and-so that we had
with words. It was, in essence, a mat-
to deal with such-and-such."
1. I'm out in the sloop that me and
ter of belief, of faith.
This quality seems to give Tugwell
the fellows own, when 1 see this lubber
some worries because he wants people to
The fullest and far and away the
show familiarity with pretty elementary
capsize his dinghy. He starts yelling,
frankest description of my feelings
ideas. But I believe that his (Roosevelt's)
so I put about and pick him up. And
about Roosevelt in those days is con-
complete freedom from dogmatism is A
jeepers!-if it isn't the rich old geter
tained in a letter to my sister. I think
virtue at this stage of the game. He will
who's just bought Tenabeck Island!
it warrants inclusion here, rough and
stick to ideas after he has expressed them,
incomplete though it is, because it is a
I believe and hope. Heaven knows, Hoover
record of what I felt at the time rather
in full of information and dogmas, but hé
than an attempt to recapture those
has been imprisoned by his knowledge,
and God save us from four more years of
first sensations. It is dated Tuesday,
that! If we can't get a President with a
April 12, 1932, and reads:
fluid mind we shall have some bad times
ahead.
Dear Nell: Thanks for writing me about
The frightening aspect of his methods is
the Gov.'s speech last wk. Your reaction
F. D. R.'s great receptivity. So far as I
is important in getting an idea of how it
know, he makes no effort to check up on
struck the country-especially since the
anything that I or anyone else has told
speech got BO much hell from the conserva-
him. I wonder what would happen if we
tive papers-Republican and Democratic.
should selfishly try to put things over on
The Governor is quite indifferent to these
him. He would find out-but it would be
attacks-in fact rather likes them because
too late. This means a hell of a responsi-
they show that he is being taken seri-
bility on me.
ously-and he realizes that the alienation
As I look back at what I have scribbled
of some stand-patters is necessary if the
here, I see I haven't conveyed any sense of
campaign is to seem to the rank and
gallantry, his political sophistication, his
file something other than the usual
lack of the offensive traits of men who
campaign futilitarianism.
have & bloated sense of personal destiny.
You ask what he is like and that isn't
But then I know you get that from the
easy to answer because I haven't had the
speech. When I was working on it with
chance to confirm a lot of fleeting impres-
him I was trying to suggest the ideas,
sions. One thing is sure-that the idea
words and phrases that would make that
people get from his charming manner-
picture of him over the radio and would
that he is soft or flabby in disposition and
fix the image in the public consciousness.
character-is far from true. When he
He was trying to reach the underdog and
wants something a lot he can be formid-
I scraped from my memory an old phrase
able-when crossed he is hard, stubborn,
"The Forgotten Man," which has haunted
resourceful, relentless. I used to think
me for years.
on the basis of casual observation that
If you had asked me what he stood for
2. He's wet as # skate and twice as peevish,
3. "Try this, sir," I say to Old Moneybags.
his amiability was "lord-of-the-manor"-
rather than what he is I could tell you
so I ask him to have some good hot coffee.
"It's Sanka Coffee. 97% caffein-free
so
it
"good-to-the-peasants"stuf. tisn't that
more accurately. But that can keep.
"Coffee!" he howls-and turns purple. "I'd
at all. He seems quite naturally warm
CAN'T keep you awake!" The old boy looks
and friendly, less because he genuinely
give up three directorships if I could drink
suspicious. "Don't you worry," I add. "It's
I got to Cleveland that week end
likes many of the people to whom he is
coffee but the caffein won't let me sleep!"
real sure-enough coffee!" So he samples it.
and toward midnight of April sixteenth,
pleasant (altho' he does like a lot of
was routed out by a telephone call from
people of all sorts and varieties) than be-
cause he just enjoys the pleasant and on-
Albany, asking me to board the gov-
gaging role, as a charming woman does.
ernor's train in Detroit the next morn-
And being a born politician he measures
ing. The news that the Insull empire
such qualities in himself by the effect they
was cracking seemed to call for some
produce on others. He is wholly conscious
last-minute additions to the speech
of his ability to send callers away happy
Roosevelt was to deliver in St. Paul on
and glowing and in agreement with him
the eighteenth, and 80 I crawled out of
and his ideas. And he particularly enjoys
bed and made for the railroad station.
sending people away who have completely
forgotten (under his spell) the thing they
It was, perhaps, just as well that the
came to say or ask. On the whole his
moment passed without any exposition
cordiality and his interest in people is, to
of the Roosevelt program of April, 1932,
all appearances, unfeigned.
As I understood it from talks and
The stories about his illness and its
from fairly close study of his policies
4. "Young fellow," he boams, holding out
5. Next morning Old Moneybags comes
his cup for seconds, "this Sanka is the finest
effect upon him are the bunk. Nobody in
and utterances as governor, it went
prancing down on the dock. "Can't believe
public life since T. R. has been 80 robust,
coffee I ever tasted!" "Right, sir," I pipe up.
it!" he says. "Three cups of Sanka Coffee and
something as follows:
80 buoyantly and blatantly healthy as this
"You see, it's this way-only the caffein is
I slept like a log! Say how about teaching
F. D. R. had a fairly concrete power
fellow. He is full of animal spirita and
taken out-all the flavor stays in/"
me to sail my new boat-at your own figure?"
keeps himself and the people around him
policy. This was a subject to which he
in a rare good humor with a lot of horse-
had given more painstaking study than
play that reminds me of the old days in
to any other.
Olmsted Falls. Remember John Bonsey
His power policy was, in a sense,
and Scowley Folk and the resin strings
part of a larger policy which included
and the cabbages we threw at doors?
the conservation of both land and
Well, a good many cabbages will be
water. Roosevelt had advocated re-
thrown by this man at many respectable
forestation, land utilization, the relief
doors-not because he feels it is an act of
of the farmers from an inequitable tax
justice but because it is 80 much fun. He
likes to do it on a parlor scale; broad,
burden and the curative possibilities
never really witty (you couldn't call it
of diversifying our industrial life by
witty) and seldom even funny, but bold
sending a proportion of it into the
and cheerful and exuberant. Sam Rosen-
rural districts. The central problem of
man is "Sammy the Rose" and Morgen-
agriculture-the paradox of scarcity in
than, Jr., "Henry the Morgue." There is
the midst of plenty-he saw as a prob-
teasing and loud laughing at teatime,
lem of conservation. In so far as he had
6. Since then, he tells me he checked up on Sanka
which is a rito he follows, but which is
any national policy on agriculture, he
with his doctor and found that the Council on
quite strange to my Ohio sensibility.
had expressed it in what seemed like &
Foods of the American Medical Association says:
The man's energy and vitality are as-
tonishing. I've been amazed with his in-
vague endorsement of the McNary-
"Sanka Coffee is free from caffein effect, and can be
SAMKA
terest in things. It skips and bounces
Haugen plan.
used when other coffee has been forbidden."
through seemingly intricate subjects and
He was, in theory, a low-tariff man.
COMPRE
maybe it is my academic training that
"It is time," he had said, "for us to sit
makes me feel that no one could possibly
down with other nations and say to
learn much in such a hit-or-miss fashion.
them: "This tariff-fence business, on
I don't find that he has read much about
our part and on yours, is preventing
SANKA COFFEE
economic subjects. What he gets is from
world trade. Let us see if we can work
talking to people and when he stores away
out reciprocal methods by which we
REAL COFFEE
97%
CAFFEIN-FREE
DRINK
IT
AND
SLEEP
the net of a conversation he never knows
what part of what he has kept is what he
can start the actual interchange of
"Drip" or "Regular" Grind. Get a Can at Your Grocer's Today!
said himself or what his visitor said. There
goods."
is a lot of auto-intoxication of the intelli-
He was, as Woodrow Wilson said
KEEP
COOL
with
ICED
Sanka
Coffee
it's delicious! Be sure to make it strong-as all good
genee that we shall have to watch. But
of Jefferson, a "patron" of labor. In
iced coffee should be made-one and a half heaping tablespoons to a cup of water,
92
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
June
the state he had fought for legislation
enlarged, documented and made ex-
regulating the issuance of injunctions
plicit. He had to decide how and
5 DOLLARS A WEEK BUYS A
in labor controversies, the extension
and more rigid application of the eight-
where to apply it. He needed a specific
program.
WILLYS
hour day on public work, improvement
of the workmen's-compensation law
And in April that program had yet
to be devised.
and of factory inspections and a variety
"Agriculture," which, in our list, we
of other labor measures.
included under 'Conservation,' came
He was concerned with the poignant
plight of the unemployed and had
first-and not because we were taking
up things alphabetically. The obvious
championed a relief and public works
beginning of our discontents in this
program with national implications.
country was the persistence of the de-
New York had been, in fact, the first
lusion that the nation could prosper
state to appropriate money for relief.
while its farmers went begging.
His program was peculiarly interesting
There was another reason why "Ag-
in that its administration was highly
riculture" came first. The scene of Mr.
decentralized. Such aspects of unem-
Roosevelt's first political victory was
ployment as the difficulty those over
the rural districts of Dutchess County,
forty found in getting jobs seemed par-
and from that day forward it was Louie
ticularly vivid in his mind.
Howe's cardinal principle to concen-
He was searching for a "workable"
trate on farmers in planning & cam-
unemployment-insurance program and
paign.
was a firm believer in the benefits that
At any rate, "Agriculture" sug-
would flow from the establishment of
gested Rex Tugwell to me, and 80 Rex
the old-age-pension system which he
was the first person I asked in to meet
A PENNY A MILE DRIVES IT
had initiated in New York.
Sam and "Doc" O'Connor.
(ges, oil and tires)
He had talked indignantly about the
Best car for most people!
"usurious" interest rates that small
Tugwell, the First Recruit
borrowers had to pay and had expressed
a determination to prevent mergers
Rex. I knew, had done a study on
You can buy a beautiful, new
and consolidations in industry which
the subject for Al Smith in the 1928
Willys-Overland-with payments
were made solely for the purpose of
campaign and had carried on his re-
as low as $5.00 a week. Willys-
coupe of any other make. And with
580
selling watered stock.
searches for the four years that fol-
These policies, near-policies and
Overland gives you a 5-passenger
lowed. He wasn't & close friend, yet I
mere leanings we have since been told
knew him well enough to be sure he
sedan for less than a standard-size
are the roots of Mr. Roosevelt's na-
would get along beautifully with Roose-
tional program. Yet I confess that I
velt. He was ignorant of polities. But
it goes world-famous Willys-Over-
saw them as only the soil in which such
he was a first-rate economist who had
land economy. Sounds like finding
money, but owners ought to know.
FOR ROOMY 5-PASSENGER SEDAN
roots might flourish if they were
pushed on beyond the frontiers of stiff
planted there.
Ask your dealer to prove it to you.
Delivered In Toledo, Federal, State and local
classicism, and his original and specu-
taxes (If any), and transportation extra.
Ernest K. Lindley, the best historian
lative turn of mind made him an enor-
of the Roosevelt regime to date, has
mously exhilarating companion. Rex
ATTENTION BUSINESS MEN! Willys-Overland is going places. There still remain neveral
productive territories open to the right type of aggressive representation. If you are In the
pointed out that "Mr. Roosevelt did
was like a cocktail: his conversation
automobile business or any selling business, we will be glad to discuss the matter with you.
not recruit his professorial advisers to
picked you up and made your brain
Write or wire, Willys-Overland Motors, Inc. Taledo, Ohio.
provide him with a point of view; he
race along. At the same time there was
drew them to him because their point
a rich vein of melancholy in his temper-
of view was akin to his own." That is
ament, frequently finding expression
perfectly true. It is also true that "Mr.
in the doubt that any politician could
CATCH ONTO THIS VACATION IDEA!
Roosevelt had developed his political
or would take steps to relieve the
philosophy long before the depression
paralysis creeping over our economic
began and long before he met any
system.
-
member of his brains trust
"Doc" O'Connor, whose dearest
NOPE! IT ISN'T
(that) long before the presidential
friends could hardly call him either
LIVE BAIT. HE'S A
campaign of 1932 Mr. Roosevelt had
impressionable or progressive, reacted
SQUIRMER!
emerged as the leading Democratic ex-
startlingly to the experimental meet-
ponent of a modern liberalism of which
ing with him in March. When Tugwell
the kernel was readiness to use the
had left, after an exposition of his be-
power of political government to re-
liefs about what had to be done for
dress the balance of the economic
agriculture, O'Connor turned to me
world."
and remarked with something akin to
But if that readiness in itself con-
awe, "He's a pretty profound fellow,
stituted a national program, then a
isn't he?" Rosenman guessed he'd do,
man's intention to build a house con-
too, in more prosaie language. And 80
stitutes the work of the architect, of
the decision was made to take him to
the contractor and of the carpenters.
see the governor.
The second recruit was Lindsay
Roosevelt's Political Philosophy
Rogers, also of Columbia. But his
career in this connection was tumultu-
This is not to deny that Roosevelt
ous and short-lived. Rogers had ad-
had a political philosophy. He be-
vised on tariff during the Smith cam-
lieved that government not only could
paign in much the same way that Rex
COOL Jockey UNDERWEAR
but should achieve the subordination
had advised on agriculture. The gover-
of private interests to collective inter-
nor's St. Paul speech had to contain a
TURN the squirm sector into a Zone of Cool
ests, substitute co-operation for selfish
short statement on tariff that would
Comfort! Jockey Underwear, with the pat-
individualism. He had a profound feel-
not later stand in the way of any farm
ented Y-front construction, never bunches,
ing for the underdog, a very keen
policies that might be adopted. I
creeps or tries to strangle you. Masculinized to
awareness that political democracy
therefore asked Rogers to send me a
fit everywhere. Gives mild, restful support. Con-
could not exist side by side with eco-
memorandum on the tariff which I
venient, angled opening never gaps. No buttom
nomie plutocracy.
could show the governor and which
to rip off. Fabric knitted for coolness. Various leg
But this realization that the demo-
might be used in the writing of the
lengths in all-cotton and in silk and rayon mir-
cratic program was still unfulfilled and
governor's speech, and I received one
tures. Contoured shirts to match. 50e up, per
this desire to carry it forward were not
from him on April second. So inno-
garment. Also Jockey for children down to 6 years.
enough for a man to bring to the Presi-
cently began an episode so nightmarish
Remember, It isn't Jockey without the Jockey
dency of the United States. They
that I still get gooseflesh when I think
label. If your dealer can't supply you, write us.
might have been in 1912, or even in
back to it.
las.
1924. By 1932, long neglect had made
On Friday, April fifteenth, I called
Coopins
Jostev
INDIVIDUAL
OFFICER
Illustrating
the chronic ills of our society acute and
Rogers on the long-distance telephone
NUMBER un ano
Jockey in the
Short length.
dangerous. A President could no longer
and spoke to him for eighteen minutes,
Modern two-
approach them in leisurely fashion,
explaining that three sentences on the
piece under-
with merely a humane outlook and &
effects of the Hawley-Smoot tariff were
NEW TORE
CRICAGO
LOS ANGELES
BAN
FRANCISCO
REATTLE
wear.
fragmentary understanding of what
being taken verbatim from his memo-
Made and Distributed
in Canada by Moodies, Hamilton, Onl.: In Australia by MacRae Kniting
Copr. 1939
was wrong. He had to know how the
randum and put into the speech Roose-
Mills, Sydney: In British Islee by Lyle & Scott, Ideal House, London,
by Coopera, Inc.
philosophy of progressivism had been
velt was to make at St. Paul on the
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
93
following Monday. Then, because I
Actually. the duplication was of no
wanted to avoid any slip-up, I read
particular importance: the tariff poli-
him the entire passage from the speech
cies of Roosevelt and Smith, as set
relating to the tariff, including his
forth after the three controverted
sentences, and asked for his comment
sentences, differed in both form and
or criticism. There was none.
substance. It would have been easy
The speech, including this passage,
to show that Smith had been mistaken
was duly delivered by Roosevelt.
when he claimed the Rogers sentences
Picture, then, my dismay when I
as his own. But to have attempted
opened the New York Evening Post on
any rebuttal would simply have pro-
April twenty-second and was con-
longed the life of the story.
Before
fronted by the following item, which
I felt that, being responsible for the
appeared under the bold-face title,
introduction of Rogers' material and
A DEADLY PARALLEL.
having failed to note myself that Smith
VARNISH
We quote below two extracts from po-
had used it, I was also responsible for
litical speeches of the moment. One is
the embarrassment that it caused. I
from the speech thade by ex-Governor
should not have blamed Roosevelt for
Alfred E. Smith at the Jefferson dinner in
a minute if he had said good-by to me
Washington on April 13; the other is from
and my works at that point. In fact,
Strikes...
the speech of Governor Franklin D. Roose-
there was a stinging feeling around my
velt at St. Paul on April 18:
neck while I calmly waited for the ax
to fall.
SMITH
I did not know my man. He did not
The consequences of the Hawley-Smoot
bill have been tremendous, both directly
ask for, but he got, a full explanation.
and indirectly. Directly, American for-
He heard it in silence, smiled ruefully,
eign trade has been steadily dwindling.
and said he supposed we'd better put
Indirectly, the high schedules of the
the incident out of our minds. So I
Hawley-Smoot bill caused European na-
came to know one of the loveliest facets
tions to raise their own tariff walls not
of Roosevelt's character: he stood by
only against us but against each other.
his people when they got into a jam-
ROOSEVELT
sometimes even when they got him
into a jam. (I had yet to learn that
The consequences of the Hawley-Smoot
this endearing virtue in a man could
bill have been tremendous, both directly
be a failing in a President.) We re-
and indirectly. Directly, American for-
eign trade has been steadily dwindling.
sumed precisely as though the episode
Indirectly, the high schedules of the
had never been.
Hawley-Smoot bill caused European na-
But minus Rogers. He was con-
tions to raise their own tariff walls, and
sulted several times in the summer and
these walls were raised not only against
autumn of the year and was always
us but against each other.
helpful, but his relationship to the
Roosevelt candidacy was never inti-
Smith apparently said it first. Did
mate again.
Roosevelt copy it from him? If BO, how
and why? Or did some "ghost writer"
get mixed up? Or did both Smith and
The Columbia Draft
Roosevelt take the words from some
Democratic campaign book?
Meanwhile, even before Rogers be-
gan to fade out, Adolf A. Berle, Jr.,
There it was-simple, incontrovert-
had been initiated. Berle had had a
ible, stupefying-like one of those
whirlwind career as an infant prodigy
USE CASITE
dreadful dreams in which you suddenly
in Harvard College and Law School.
discover that you have appeared in a
Someone has been so unkind as to sug-
ballroom without your trousers.
gest that he continued to be an infant
A strange plague sweeps the country, striking at the engines of our newest
The next afternoon Rogers came to
long after he had ceased to be a prodigy.
and proudest motor cars. In some cases it only cripples the engine-robs it
my office and explained. It seemed
But I always found the slightly youth-
that when he had given me the memo-
ful cockiness to which this referred was
of performance. In others it causes actual "freezing," and serious damage.
randum on April second he had for-
more than compensated by the tough-
This plague is known to engineers as ENGINE VARNISH.
gotten to mention that he had sub-
ness of his mind, his quickness, his
mitted an identical statement to Al
It is especially serious in new cars of the last few years. With their closer
energy and his ability to organize
Smith for use in a speech scheduled
material well.
tolerances for higher efficiency, the presence of engine varnish causes over-
for March thirty-first. This hadn't
He had already done some distin-
heating, loss of power, fuel waste. Deposited on pistons, rings, bearings, or
been mentioned, because Smith had
guished work on the subject of corpor-
failed to use any part of the memo-
valves, it may cause them to "stick," with disastrous results.
ate finance, and was then engaged, with
randum then. It seemed further that,
Gardiner C. Means, an economist, in
The dangerous effects of engine varnish can be avoided-by the regular use
on April eleventh, Rogers had dictated
an extensive piece of research; on the
in the office of Mrs. Henry Moskowitz,
of Casite. Even where engine varnish has begun to form, the engine can
nature and control of corporations in
a page of discussion on the tariff for
the United States.
continue to operate at high efficiency, with the proper Casite application.
Smith's use in his Jefferson Day speech,
When I asked him to join us, he
In many instances Casite has been known to free "frozen" motors, which
and had had before him, while dictat-
bluntly replied that he had "another
ing this page, the original memoran-
candidate for President." I did not
have afterwards continued to operate most satisfactorily.
dum he had sent to both Roosevelt
press him to tell me whom he had in
and Smith. It appeared, finally, that
mind and, as a matter of fact, never
CASITE TUNE-UP SERVICE is available at most automo-
Rogers had forgotten to tell me, at the
did find out. It was his technical as-
time I made the long-distance call to
tive service stations. Drive in today and let them
sistance that was wanted, not his po-
free up those sticky valves, restore performance, and
him, that Smith had used parts of the
litical support, which carried not the
protect your motor against engine varnish.
CASITE
memorandum he had given me. Rogers
slightest weight in any case, I re-
NEW CAR BUYERS-The ideal time to start with Casite
claimed that I had not read him the
marked. He nodded energetically,
is, of course, while your car is still new. Ask for
particular passage in question when I
laughed and enlisted.
Casite Break-In Service.
spoke to him on the telephone-a point
There were other recruits in those
that it would have been bootless to
first few weeks-among them Prof.
Accept nothing "Just as good." Cosite is mode only by the
argue. He added that he was, of course,
Joseph D. McGoldrick, James W.
J.R. Case Manufacturing Company, Jonesboro, Arkansas.
"terribly sorry" about the whole
Angell, Schuyler Wallace and Howard
mix-up.
Lee McBain-all, it has been wryly
noted, members of Columbia's faculty.
Walting for the Ax
Possibly there was a trace of pro-
víncialism in this circumstance. But,
Al Smith had meanwhile told the
in the main, it was the result of very
papers that he himself had written the
practical considerations. What was
sentences used by Roosevelt. Papers
being done in those early April days
all over the country picked up the
was wholly experimental. It might
story. Cartoonists went to town about
or it might not prove to be what
it. And for three days everybody ex-
Roosevelt needed. It was going to
SLUDGE SOLVENT
cept Roosevelt and his staff had a good
MOTOR TUNE-UP
MOTOR BREAK-IN
require the outlay of time and money
belly laugh.
by each man invited to serve, and
94
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
there was to be no recompense or hope
questions themselves would become
of recompense for any of them. I could
to me at the same time-a proclivity
meatier, more informed-the infallible
were doing while the work was in prog-
I had come to understand.
not very well expect mere acquaint-
index to the amount he was picking up
ress. Meanwhile, besides, I would pre-
ances to take part in such a venture.
"It seems a shame," he said, "that
in the evening's course.
pare a broad philosophic statement-
There is one point here that I think
I'm going to have to be away for al-
I watched the governor, noted his
perhaps in the form of a draft speech
deserves further emphasis. When I
most a month. But if I don't get to
reactions and supplemented his ques-
from which paragraphs might later be
asked Rex, Adolf and the others to
Warm Springs now, I can't see my
tions to make sure that every idea or
taken and expanded for use in particu-
serve, I also asked them to refuse if
way clear to it until after the election,
bit of information worth using was
lar speeches-to precede the detailed
they had any hope of getting even their
and I need the rest before I go into a
hammered home. I was trying to
and specific memoranda on agriculture,
expenses paid, much less of getting &
campaign. Why don't you fellows go
avoid, more than any other single
tariff, banking, finance, money, inter-
fee of any kind. I wanted to avoid the
ahead, just as though I were here,
thing, a synthetic education. The stuff
national debts, power, relief, railroads,
slightest taint of jobship in this affair.
seeing people and getting stuff to-
had to become part of Roosevelt's
governmental economy and presiden-
I wanted our independence, our hon-
gether? Then you might send down a
tial powers.
equipment. Otherwise, somewhere,
esty, our interest in ideas to be above
memorandum for me to study," he
Wild days and nights of work en-
sometime, the thing that every politi-
the faintest suspicion, protected, even
laughed, "so I don't get too far behind
cian fears like death would happen-a
sued. Berle got in Louis Faulkner and
on my homework."
against ourselves, at a material cost
bad break in the exposition of fact or
a number of other young men he knew
most of us could ill afford. Only one
"Good. But who, specifically, are
downtown to work with him on the
policy in extemporaneous remarks.
person demurred at this condition and,
you fellows' I cautiously asked.
Otherwise the process would be noth-
problem of how to loosen frozen credit
needless to say, the invitation to serve
"Well, Sam, of course. And 'Doc,' I
and scale down the intolerable burden
ing more than a glorified cram course
was at once withdrawn.
suppose. You know, 'Doc's' got a
designed to get him by the test of the
of accumulated debt. Tugwell went
pretty level head on his shoulders. And
The rule was broken in my case alone
election and forgotten thereafter.
to work on the tariff and on an analy-
before the election. But not until
Rex, and Berle. Rex could go on with
sis of farm remedies proposed in the
By midnight, when the time came
September, 1932, when Roosevelt
his farm thing, though he'd be good on
to dash for the train to New York,
"20's. With Henry Morgenthau, Jr.,
asked me to accompany him on his
other things too. Berle could work up
who was then chairman of Governor
Sam, "Doo" and I would be done in:
campaign trip to the Far West. By
something on debt and finance; you
the visitor-who would not realize for
Roosevelt's Agricultural Advisory
know, RFC and mortgage foreclosures
that time the drain of long-distance
Commission, he also prepared some
some days, in most cases, that he had
telephone charges, of railroad fares, of
and the stock market. And you put in
been squeezed dry-would look a trifle
elaborate "notes" for a farm program.
extra clerical assistance throughout
whatever you want to and pull the
wilted: and the governor, scorning
Frederick C. Mills and Jimmy Angell
whole thing together so it makes sense
the spring and summer had so depleted
contributed ideas on prices and money.
my modest resources that I was com-
McGoldrick and McBain prepared
pelled to let the Democratic National
a memorandum on presidential war
Committee pay for my railroad tickets
powers-we already foresaw the pos-
and Pullman accommodations.
sible need for the exercise of emergency
It would be futile to trace the proc-
powers by the President. Fred Telford,
esses of selection, natural and other-
006
ROAD
MAPS
recommended to me by Mark Graves,
wise, that brought some of the original
Roosevelt's state budget director, un-
group I had tentatively named to Sam
10003
GAS
dertook to prepare a preliminary study
Rosenman into increasingly intimate
STREAMLINED
of the Federal budget. So it went.
contact with Roosevelt and that rele-
There were conferences, drafts, re-
gated others to indirect contribution
TRUCKING
drafts, editings and co-ordinatings.
through me. Three or four of the men
were too busy on other things to give
The Birth of a Phrase
much time to the work. One or two
didn't get on well with all the others.
By May nineteenth, the day that
One proved to be unexpectedly pedan-
Sam Rosenman was to leave for & visit
tic, and once he had spoken his piece,
to Warm Springs, we had by no means
could only repeat it with variations.
all the data we had planned to gather,
but a very respectable amount of it was
Another's stuffy manner obviously an-
noyed the governor. Several, though
ready. It was clipped together and dis-
they were experts in their own fields
patched to Roosevelt via Sam.
and were helpful on specific questions,
It may easily be argued that this
could add almost nothing to the gen-
material foreshadowed not only most
eral give and take of ideas or to the
of the campaign speeches but much of
shaping of a broad, coherent program.
the New Deal itself. But that isn't ac-
All this was discovered by a sys-
curate. What its preparation really did
ERVIE GARZA
tem of trial and error-a system not
was to make us pull ourselves together
nearly 80 wasteful as it sounds, be-
and put down on paper a good many of
cause Sam and I took no one to Albany
"That? Oh, It scares road
the notions that we had been batting
who wasn't worth at least one eve-
around in conversation with the gover-
ning's intensive pumping. And the
nor. It gave our thinking, to date, n
local habitation and a name. The
amount of intellectual ransacking that
Roosevelt could crowd into one eve-
phrase "a New Deal" which was pub-
further questions, would be making
politically. Which makes you chair-
ning was a source of constant astonish-
licly introduced in the speech of ao-
vigorous pronouncements on the sub-
man, I guess, of my privy council."
ment to me.
ceptance, I first used in the general
ject we had been discussing, waving
Either the phrase, "privy council,"
his cigarette holder to emphasize his
philosophical statement that prefaced
particularly struck his fancy or my in-
Albany Night School
this series of memoranda, thus: Un-
points.
voluntary reaction to it-a wince at
like most depressions this one has as
This performance was repeated
the thought of what an unfriendly
Sam, "Doe" and I would take one
yet produced only a few of the dis-
again and again through the spring
newspaperman might do with it-made
or two men on the Inte-afternoon train,
orderly manifestations usually attend-
and summer. We took dozens of peo-
Roosevelt decide that he had struck
arriving in time for dinner. The talk at
ant upon such times. Wild radicalism
ple up to Albany or Hyde Park, some-
good teasing ground. At any rate, he
table would be pleasant, casual. But
has made few converts. This is due to
times with the idea that they were good
repeated it, shaking with laughter.
once we had moved out of the dining
for only one shot, and sometimes, as in
an orderly and hopeful spirit on the
And-now the baleless secret is out-
room to the study which adjoined it-
part of people who, nevertheless
thecaseof Ralph
thereafter referred to us as the "privy
a room which I considered the most
want a change. To fail to offer real
journalist of great ability and inde-
council" until September, when Jimmy
hideous in the dingily baroque Gov-
change is not only to betray their
pendence-because we felt they could
Kieran, the New York Times man
ernor's Mansion-random talk came
hopes but misunderstand their pa-
be consistently helpful in advising us
covering him, coined the name Brains
tience.
to an end. Roosevelt, Sam or I would
Reaction is no barrier to
and hoped that they would become
throw a question at the visitor, and we
Trust.' By that time the private joke
the radical. It is a challenge and a
more or less attached to the little gen-
were off at an exciting and exhausting
had worn a little thin, and he gladly
provocation. It is not the pledge of a
eral staff that had meanwhile taken
switched to the newer label.
elip.
new deal (italies mine): it is the re-
shape.
The day after Roosevelt left for the
The governor was at once a student,
minder of broken promises. Its une-
That development-the close asso-
South, Rex, Adolf and I met in my
a cross-examiner and a judge. He
tuous reassurances of prosperity round
ciation of Tugwell, Berle, Rosenman,
office at the university and-laid out the
would listen with rapt attention for a
the corner are not oil on troubled wa-
O'Connor and myself-was formally
work of the next three weeks, It was
few minutes and then break in with a
ters; they are oil on fire.
acknowledged late in April. Just be-
an ambitious program.
question whose sharpness was charac-
At last we could see, in black and
fore he left for the conference of gov-
We would each take the responsi-
teristically blurred by an anecdotal in-
white, the outlines of the national pro-
ernors in Richmond, Roosevelt asked
bility of preparing memoranda on a
troduction or an air of sympathetic
gram that we had been sketching out in
me to serve as chairman of this group.
number of topics. Some of these we
agreement with the speaker. Sooner or
talk. We could take note of the holes in
We were in his little sitting room at
would farm out to other men, some we
later, we would all have at the visitor,
his house on 65th Street, and he was
our thinking and get to work filling
of course. But those darting questions
would prepare ourselves, but in every
giving occasional directions about the
some of them up. What was taking
case we would be responsible for the
of Roosevelt were the ticks of the eve=
shape was distinctive in three respects.
packing of his things to McDuffie, his
accuracy of the material, whether it
ning's metronome. The intervals be-
First, we proceeded on the assump-
colored valet, arranging some papers
came from ourselves or from others.
tween them would grow shorter. The
tion that the causes of our ills were
on a small table before him and talking
We would meet and discuss what we
(Continued on Page 96)
96
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
June 24/1939
(Continued from Page 94)
Judge Seabury's investigations into
domestic, internal, and that the rem-
the administration of New York City
edies would have to be internal too.
had brought out certain facts pertain-
How unorthodox this was at the time
ing to Mayor Walker which were the
may be judged by the amount of bit-
signal for renewed demands that Roose-
terness with which we were called
velt remove Walker. But the investiga-
"nationalists" by older economists.
tion closed on June first without a
Second, was the belief that there was
GUARD
formal request from Seabury that
GUARD
need not only for an extension of the
Roosevelt take action and, until such
Government's regulatory power to pre-
a request was made, the governor could
vent abuses but for the development
legally take no steps.
of controls to stimulate and stabilize
For two days the press howled for
economic activity. The former, de-
Walker's head. For two days we pon-
signed to curb economic power and spe-
dered on how best to act. Then the
cial privilege, did not depart in prin-
governor challenged Seabury to stop
ciple from the lines of policy laid down
talking and do something.'
On
in the administrations of Theodore
June eighth Seabury sent the evidence
Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. But
against Walker and a demand for his
the latter carried us pretty far from
removal to Albany. And Roosevelt, as
ancient moorings.
he had with Sheriff Farley, asked
Third, was the rejection of the tradi-
Walker to reply to the accusations
tional Wilson-Brandeis philosophy that
against him.
if America could once more become a
nation of small proprietors, of corner
A Political Coup
grocers and smithies under spreading
chestnut trees, we should have solved
This bold course-the only possible
the problems of American life. We
course ethically and politically, though
"We were doing great till he came along
agreed that the heart of our difficulty
it cost Roosevelt many votes in the New
was the anarchy of concentrated eco-
with his Arrow Tie!"
York State delegation-was shaped, it
nomio power which, like a cannon loose
is important to remember, amid the
on a frigate's deck, tore from one side
distraction and the tenseness of the pre-
Arrow's 1939 crop of Summer Ties are not only easy on the eye, but
to another, crushing those in its path.
convention month. And I am only less
But we felt that any attempt to atomize
they're made to stand the gaff of frequent hot-weather wear. They're
proud of the small part I played in it
big business must destroy America's
than I am of the fact that it was at my
wrinkle-resistant, color-fast, and long-wearing. They tie into perfect knots.
greatest contribution to a higher stand-
suggestion that Roosevelt asked Martin
Get some at your Arrow dealer's now. Swell buys at $1.00 and $1.50.
ard of living for the body of its
Conboy, a New York City lawyer, to
citizenry-the development of mass
act as his counsel in the Walker hear-
production. We agreed that equality of
ings of August. The choice of Conboy,
ARROW TIES
opportunity must be preserved. But
who was, like Walker, an Irish Catho-
we recognized that competition, as
lic and a member of Tammany, and
As Outstanding as Arrow Shirts
such, was not inherently virtuous; that
who, unlike Walker, had been grieved
competition-when it was embodied
and outspoken about the goings-on of
in an employer who survived only by
the Hall, was a political coup. (I think
sweating his labor, for example-
I finally lost all traces of amateur
Class Probody 8 Ca., Inc.
created as many abuses as it prevented.
standing at that point.) This was
So we turned from the nostalgie phi-
wholly aside from the fact that Conboy
losophy of the trust-busters toward the
was to do a superlative job in coaching
solution first broached in modern times
Roosevelt in the facts and law of the
POLICE REPORT on
by Charles Richard Van Hise's Con-
case before and during the hearings.
!
centration and Control. (1912.)
But in early June was impossible to
doubt that Roosevelt more than
foresee that things would pan out well,
MOTOR RYTHM
glance through the memoranda of May
and the days that we spent were har-
nineteenth at Warm Springs. He was
ried beyond imagining. The time, con-
at work putting the finishing touches
sumed by worry, by political jockeying
Camden, N.J., Police tested RYTHM for 5,000 miles in
on a fine speech that Ernest Lindley
and by the amenities a candidate must
squad con that had gone 80,000 miles. Results
on amazing saving in gas and more
had drafted for him-that speech
observe toward his visitors, was only
pep and all-important "quicker get-oway." Write
Whiz
which was to call for "bold, persist-
less conducive to the preparation of a
for copy of "Police Report." Your dealer has RYTHM
ent experimentation' "-and three short
statesmanlike acceptance speech than
-the 15,000 Mile Tune-Up-that guaranteed
days after he had delivered it at Ogle-
it was to a wise, just handling of the
to remove corbon,dissolve gum,sludge aed"varniash."
thorpe University he left Warm Springs
Walker affair.
R. M. HOLLINGSHEAD CORP. товоито, CANDEN, CAN,
for New York. But he was to become
Nevertheless, a speech had to be
familiar enough with the substance of
written and, somehow, that, too, had
98 CAR BEAUTY AND MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS
our memoranda in the weeks after his
to be squeezed in.
return.
It had been the governor's intention
for a long time to accept the nomina-
Economic Jam Sessions
tion before the convention itself, in-
For week-end or world cruise
stead of awaiting the customary formal
The excursions to Albany and Hyde
notice at his summer residence. His
travel with
Park were resumed late in May. Now
plan offered two great advantages. He
"Doc," who was busy with his law
could begin at an early date the ambi-
TOUR AIDER
practice, could no longer always ac-
tious task of selling to the people a po-
company us, and sometimes Sam's new
litical program involving much that
duties as a justice of the New York Su-
was unorthodox and, equally impor-
preme Court limited, to a small degree,
tant, he could at once dramatize him-
Easy to pack-easy to carry
the amount of time he could give to
self as a breaker of custom, a daring,
Keeps your clothes
political activity.
resolute champion of action, establish-
Thus, more often than not, it was
ing a bold contrast with the country's
wrinkle-free
Tugwell, Berle and I who would make
picture of Hoover as timid, hesitant,
the journey, either by ourselves or with
Travel light travel right travel with
irresolute. The idea of a plane ride was
Tour-Aider! Patented hanger arrangement keeps
an expert in tow.
born of necessity. He could not very
suite wrinkle-free days without endl And Tour-Aider's
The economic jam sessions took
well keep the convention waiting until
marvelous "bag-within-a-bag" provides special pockets
PACKS YOUR SUITS-PLUS ALL THISI
place once or twice & week. But I
he got from Albany to Chicago by rail.
for accessories-makes everything to get hard
6 shirts, 4 suits underwear, 12 handkerchiefs,
would frequently be asked to stay over
But a speech of acceptance was an
to forget. Endorsed by famous airlines and luggage-
6 ullars, 6 ties, 6 pairs socks, 2 paiamas,
for the day following one of them or, if
important utterance in the life of a
I the shows, dressing gown, dressing case,
wise travelers! It's light-weight, tucks away in mini-
my own work made that impossible, to
candidate-perhaps the most impor-
SIMPLE! PACKS IN FIVE MINUTES!
mum space. Three sizes: I, 2 or 3 suiter.
come up separately on another day.
tant. It was not to be dashed off at the
Zipper model as low as $9.95
These private conferences between
last minute. Hence, immediately after
"Sky Chief" frame model from $15.50
Roosevelt and me were for two pur-
his return from Warm Springs, the two
Other models up to $125
poses-to begin putting together an
of us began a conversational review of
At luggage, department stores. Write for booklet S-2
acceptance speech and to advise on a
the ideas that had been presented to
political situation that was swiftly be-
him in the meetings at Albany and in
K. Kaufmann & Co. Quality Luggage Since 1885
Pm suits
Snapinmid-
Close
358 Fifth Avenue, New York. Factory: Newark, N.J.
langers
die section
coming & major threat to Roosevelt's
the memoranda of May nineteenth,
nomination, the Walker affair.
From these two or three talks I was
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
97
able to get a general notion of what
to the Roosevelt stage manager at
ideas he wanted to emphasize and what
the convention hall through his faith-
to play down. Then, because it was ob-
ful and competent secretary, Margaret
viously impossible for him to find a
Durand, whom he always playfully
HOT HIGHWAYS BEHIND
quiet moment to dictate a draft speech,
called Rabbit." Looking at that mo-
and because I knew his preferences, he
ment of victory like & man to whom
ENDLESS
asked me, early in June, to prepare a
happiness could never come and whose
speech memorandum containing an ex-
wasted body could hardly be expected
position of the ideas he wished to make
to harbor the breath of life much longer,
his own-a statement couched in the
he groaned out between coughs, "Tell
Enjoy
language of speechmaking rather than
them to repeat Happy Days are Here
of economic discourse.
Again."
The result was nine thousand words
I never knew whether Louie's intense
long. While it was taking shape, I con-
activity was especially important. Jim
This
sulted him frequently. I also showed
Farley, after all, was the field marshal.
parts of it to Rex, Adolf, Sam and
Probably Louie's chief contribution was
Louie, asking for their advice on one
made in keeping in touch with such
point or another. But the physical job
party leaders as Senators Hull, Wheeler,
of writing, I understood from Roose-
Byrnes, and in counseling with Farley
Evinruding
velt's procedure in separating it from
and Ed Flynn-Boss of the Bronx and
the general meetings, he did not wish
political adviser to Roosevelt and Far-
me to share with the others, and I was
ley. For the rest, the milling about that
scrupulously careful to respect his
went on in his apartment seemed to
wishes.
have little enough to do with the actual
I finished in the third week of June.
politicalmanagement of theconvention.
The governor read it with care, making
Yet that was the place for me because
penciled corrections and indicating, in
it afforded contact with Farley and
the margins, points that he wanted to
Flynn-including almost hourly bulle-
strengthen-passages to "boil," as he
tins about the progress of their negotia-
phrased it-and things that should be
tions-and contact, by direct wire, with
omitted for the sake of brevity. This
Roosevelt and Rosenman in Albany.
draft I took back to New York, where
I revised it in accordance with his in-
structions.
Getting the Acceptance Accepted
When I took it to Albany on my last
Through the first, I was able to fol-
trip before the convention, Roosevelt
low the story of the attempt to win over
asked whether I hadn't planned to go
the delegations indispensable to Roose-
on to Chicago to see the "show" there.
velt's nomination.
-and this year
I told him that I had, that I was really
Through the second, I was able to
eager to go, but that I should be only
you can own a
learn what was being done with the
too glad to stay in the East if I could
copy of the draft acceptance speech I
GENUINE EVINRUDE
be of the slightest service to him.
had left in Albany. When Roosevelt
"No, no," he said. You go ahead.
and Rosenman had finished their work
for as little as
Sam and I can work this over now."
on it, Rosenman telephoned it to me
It was agreed that probably the best
and I had a stenographer take it down.
thing I could do then was to go West
I was enormously relieved when I saw
and get Louie and some of the other
boys used to what the speech was going
would be transformed beyond recogni-
$3450
"
the text. My one fear had been that it
to say.
tion into the usual meaningless gener-
The center of the convention, for me,
alities, But there had merely been a
was 1702 at the Congress Hotel-Louie
reduction in length. The substance re-
Speed joyfully away
ONLY BUILT NOW $2950 Elto EVINBUDE
Howe's suite. True, there were hours
mained. The peroration-that is, the
THE MATE $34.50
from the crowds
spent in the convention hall itself and
last five paragraphs-was new, but it
in the room at the Drake that Jesse
Sensational In lightness, capa-
there's a grand new world of
had been and remained customary for
bility and economical opera-
Straus had made available to Rex
me to make no attempt to draft a
tion. Weighs only 10 pounds
pleasure waiting at every sparkling lake
Tugwell and me. There were talks with
actually less than the average
and stream! Go boating
with
an
peroration for any speech of Roose-
pair of oars easier to
Straus, his son Bob, with Harry Hop-
carry than cars, and an be
Evinrude! Go fishing
with an Evin-
velt's. He always preferred to do that
kins, who was chairman of the New
slipped on a boat as quickly
rude! Or picnicking
part of a speech in longhand, by him-
swimming
as cars can be dropped into
York State Temporary Emergency Re-
self."
oarlocks, Costs only 2 cents
exploring - an Evinrude multiplies the
lief Administration, and with dozens
During the agonizing six days of the
an hour to operate. The Mate
pleasure of every hour on the water!
offers starting exse that is close
of others who wandered in and out of
convention, my chief job was to get
to sheer effortlessness|
And Evinruding costs so little now! For only
the Straus suite. But most of the time
Louie to approve this speech. As I have
$34.50 you can own a genuine Evinrude - the
was spent in Louie's corner apartment
real thing - complete with all of Evinrude's
suggested elsewhere, I had seen Louie
at the Congress.
famed features. The endless satisfaction of Evin-
constantly during May and June, kept
rude's easy, instant starting. The hushed quiet of
him informed of what I was doing in
Evinrude's underwater silencing. The all-weather
Howe Pulls the Strings
Albany and, in general, explained the
protection of Hooded Power. The convenience of
shape our thoughts were taking. From
Co-Pilot steering, and utmost ease of control.
I don't believe that Louie set foot
those talks he had grown reasonably
CHOOSE FROM 9 GREAT EVINRUDES
outside his rooms during the entire
familiar with the ideas expressed in the
For every boat there is an Evinrude just right
period of the convention. There, in
acceptance speech, and, contrary to the
THE RANGER
the confusion that washes over every
$47.50
in weight and speed 3 light and handy
impression of political wiseacres, he had
A world-around favorite -
"singles" 3 brilliant "twins" 3 power-
outpost of a political convention, the
no objection to them.
weighs only 16 lbs., runs 3
ful, super-smooth "fours". Any Evinrude may be
doughty little man worked, worried,
But though he admittedly did not
hours on # single fill. Also
purchased on convenient time payments. See
available with the handy Sim-
suffered, triumphed. Except that he
your Evinrude dealer - his name is listed in
demur at the philosophy of the speech,
plex Starter as illustrated
threw his coat aside occasionally when
to my amazement he rasped that the
"No cord to wind" at only
your local classified telephone directory under
$7.00 additional cost.
he took a nap, I don't think that he had
"Outboard Motors". Catalogs free address,
speech wouldn't do, simply wasn't ap-
EVINRUDE MO-
his clothes off during the entire week.
propriate to such an occasion. There
TORS, 4243 North
It was a moment when his fondest am-
followed, then, a fearful tirade which
27th Street, Milwau-
Boating
bitions, the fruits of B, lifetime of labor,
reached a crescendo with the shout,
kee, Wisconsin.
hung in the balance. And his nerves
Good God, do I have to do every thing
Evinrade Motors of Conada,
Paterboro, Canada
were raw with the strain, his body
myself? I see Sam Rosenman in every
racked by illness.
SEND FOR THIS FREE LITERATURE
paragraph of this mess."
Evinrude and Elto cat-
The most vivid picture that I have
So he spit it out at last-the thing he
alogs - Bost
of those days is that of Louie at the
really felt. It wasn't jealousy, solely,
Guide of Lead-
ing Builders
moment Roosevelt's name was put in
though clearly he resented not only
SPORTWIN $82.50
handy Boat-and-
nomination. The convention was in an
Sam but the rest of us who were gath-
A wonderfully smooth, power-
Motor-Selector
ering around his "Franklin." It was
ful and responsive light twin
FREE. Write
uproar. Over the radio came sounds of
delivers up to 9 miles
for them today.
singing, marching delegates, blaring
the simple, primitive desire to play a
an hour with weight of only
bands and the futile poundings of Sen.
major role in the crowning oratorical
35 lbs. With Simplex Starter
as shown, $7.00 additional.
Thomas J. Walsh's gavel. Louie was
triumph of his idol's career.
lying on his bed, doubled up with suf-
It was difficult, despite a long friend-
All prices F.O.B. Partory
and subject to change.
EVINRUDE
fering from his chronic asthma. For
ship with Louie, to do very much with
hours he had been sending directions
him. I explained that Rosenman had
WORLD FAMED FOR STARTING EASE
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
June 24 1939
WHENEVER YOU NEED A
really had yet? little to do with the
over Broun's reference to Roosevelt
I left and, after a sleepless few hours,
writing of thespeech, but to that Louie
as "the corkserew candidate of a con-
returned to Louie's. He would not let
LAXATIVE
bitterly replied that he knew better,
voluting convention" when we got to
me look at his speech, but, having got
that he had too much respect for my
the Stadium.
it out of his system, he felt more affable
judgment to believe that I could have
The tenseness of the scene we found
and 80 consented to give me & vague
perpetrated" this speech. "I don't
there is almost indescribable. The Chi-
idea of what was in it.
TAKE
expect Sam to understand, but you'd
cago politicians had apparently been
I gathered that it was little more
know it fine under the trees at
planting great numbers of leather-
than an elaboration of the party plat-
Hyde Parkland be a complete flop at a
throated mugs in the galleries for the
form the convention had adopted, with
PLUTO
convention be snapped. I argued
purpose of shouting down the Roose-
& few banal sentences spun around each
that, convention or no convention, it
velt defenders on the floor. The night
section.
was essential that a measured, compre-
before, the flotsam and jetsam of this
While he was talking to me, B. M.
hensive statement go to a country
mob had trickled down from the gallery
Baruch and Gen. Hugh Johnson ap-
wallowing to the depths of a depres-
into the box seats beside the arena and
peared and, after a cursory introduc-
sion. But it was impossible to make
now they had boldly pre-empted some
tion, Louie whisked them into another
Louie abandon the pretenses (a) that
of these places. One almost had &
room and banged the door shut.
the speech WM unsuitable and (b) that
sense of impending physical violence
Who Johnson was, I had no idea.
it was unsuitable because Sam had
as these ugly personages unflinchingly
Nor had I met Baruch before. But I
worked on it. And it would have been
outstared one.
knew that he had been among the sup-
dangerous to press the matter too
On the floor, the delegates were red-
porters of Al Smith and had also been
insistently, because then all his un-
eyed, haggard, taut, as McAdoo rose
friendly with Governor Ritchie, of
spoken resestment against me would
dramatically to announce that Califor-
have flared up. I could merely keep my
Maryland. I was, I regret to say, in
WONE HOUR
nia was giving her forty-four votes to
no frame of mind to admit at that mo-
FEEL
fingers crosed while, over and over
Roosevelt and as Texas followed with
ment that his appearance at Louie's
again, he threatened to write "a whole
her forty-six.
new speech" himself, and the hours
headquarters that morning was a ges-
I have heard many accounts of the
ture of loyalty to the party ticket, that
Try this swift
whirled by without his making & move
circumstances back of this break, but,
it had not the slightest character of
saline relief for constipation just once and
to begin. So things went along.
after matching together all the frag-
nothing else can ever again take its place.
selfishness, that it was the act of a
On the morning of July first, we all
A PLUTO HIGHBALL (recipe below)
ments, I am convinced that the two
good sport. I was suspicious of Ba-
causes thorough cleansing of the intestinal
turned into bed, worn out by the all-
persons who deserve more credit for
ruch's motives, his philosophy-about
tract *usually within an hour. Almost im.
night session of the convention. There
the negotiations than anyone else were
which I had accumulated a fine store
mediately, you feel worlds better-and no
was no joy.in the Roosevelt camp that
Sam Rayburn, of Texas, and Tom
annoying after effects. So, get PLUTO
day. It seemed probable that when the
of misinformation-and his possible
Storke, of Santa Barbara, California.
from your druggist's today for real one-
influence. I saw visions of party com-
convention was resumed a pretty gen-
hour relief whenever you need a laxative,
As soon as we could get out of the
promise and expediency flowing in to
Two sizes, 25c and 50c; also
eral crack-up of the Roosevelt forces
post-nomination bedlam of the audi-
engulf the work of building a new
Pluto Highball 10c at all soda
would occur. There was no great liking
torium, we returned to the Congress,
party faith around the successful
fountains and bars.
for the Roosevelt movement on the
where we joined up with Doc' and
candidate.
PLUTO HIGHBALL: Pour 2 ounces
part of a good many state leaders, and
perhaps fifty other celebrants. But in
of Pluto Water (marked on the bottle)
into a glass and fill it with water.
at the first sign of weakness, it would
the midst of the jollification, I be-
vanish. Louisiana, Minnesota and
Weighing Words
thought me of Louie and his threats. I
PLUTO
Mississippi were expected to lead an
dashed to his apartment and, sure
It was at this unhappy moment that
exodus from the Roosevelt ranks.
enough, found that he was already
Jesse Straus tapped me on the shoulder
making good on them. He had actually
and said: "Can we let Baruch see the
In the Shadow of Defeat
From Famous
summoned enough energy out of the
acceptance speech? We want to be
French Lick Springs
crannies of his frail anatomy to set
nice to him, because he can contribute
WHEN NATURE WON'T-PLUTO WILL
There nothing I could do in that
to work dictating an entirely new
a good deal to the campaign."
sector, and after a few hours' sleep, I
acceptance speech. And there was no
All the pent-up feelings of the past
returned to the Congress. Rex and I
stopping him.
seventy-two hours broke loose then.
found the place full of hell and desper-
Now was my moment for black de-
I turned on poor Jesse, yanked the
ation. We first went to "Doc" O'Con-
spair-not because I had any vested
speech out of my pocket, flung it at
nor's rooms. The air was blue with
interest in the text that had come from
him with the words, "Please do! It
cursing st the New York delegation.
Albany, but because I honestly be-
Tammary was more confident than
wouldn't be a regulation campaign,
lieved that no mere political gibberish
would it, if the nominee didn't tack and
ever of the defeat of Roosevelt. "Doe"
designed to sweep the weary delegates
trim to suit the fat cats? This happens
was frankly pessimistic. He said,
to their feet would do.
to be what Franklin Roosevelt believes
'Well, we'll have the
and wants to say. But
governorhip six months
I'm sure he wouldn't be
more anyhow and, boy,
the first man to cave in
will we make those
DEDS
under pressure."
Tammany fellows
MATTRESSES
Straus simply looked
wish they hadn't played
bewildered-he told me
You Need It!
this game! Gloom
later that these re-
reigned in Howe's room
Every family needs this bathroom stale
too. I could not even
marks were quite incom-
in
prehensible to him-
ivery finish, streamlined, with washable rubber
suggest that Louie think
mat. Scale registers weight up to 300 pounds and
and disappeared into
bas manufacturer's guarantee.
of an acceptance speech
the room into which
to be delivered by a
CEND two 1-year Saturday Evening Post
Louie and the others
subscriptions or four 1-year Ladies' Home
man whose nomination,
Journal subscriptions, sold at the full price to
at thatmoment, seemed
had gone. Perhaps
twenty minutes later
folks living outside your own home, and you
highly doubtful.
receive the scale, (1-year S.E.P., $2, 1-year
Baruch emerged, beam-
Rex, Harry Hop-
L.H.J., $1, U. S. and Canada.) Offer good
ing, and held out his
in U.S. and Canada. Pin subscribers' names
kins-whom we picked
hand. He had read both
and addresses with your own to this ad and
up at Louie's-and I
started for the conven-
speeches, he said, and
mail with check or money order to
infinitely preferred the
CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
tion. Rex and Harry
Square,
Penna,
both felt that the case
Albany text. In fact, he
was hopeless. We did not
thought it was magnifi-
cent.
take a taxi at the Con-
FEET
ITCH?
gress, but walked to
I could have wept
for surprise and relief.
Wabash Avenue and
And when he asked
proceeded in a northerly
STOP IT QUICK!
whether I would go and
direction two or three
Look between your toes. Ifthey
show the speech to a
itch, or if the skin is red, raw,
blocks. As we passed a
good friend of his, sheer
cracked or peeling, watch our
-it may be Athlete's Foot! Get
newsstand I picked up
a paper in which ap-
gratitude led me to say
Dr. Scholl's SOLVEX at once.
Relieves intense itching: kills
fungi of this disease upon con-
ATHLETE'S
yes.
peared the one column
It was thus that I met
tact; helps heal and prevent
that is probably the
spreading to other parts of the
best known of Heywood
Herbert Bayard Swope,
body. Liquid or Ointment. 50€
whose friendship was to
at Drug and Department Stores.
Broun's many-and
Don't accept . substitute.
probably the one that he
be one of the warmest
would like most not to
"This la our engineers' answer to
and happiest relation-
Dr Scholl's SOLVEX
have written. I was still
the World's Fair guest problem!"
ships of my life. At the
boiling with indignation
moment that I first saw
him, this colorful man
99
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
was seated Shajestically in a brilliant
But Louie had no chance to confer
bathrobe eating one of his notoriously
with Roosevelt in the car. Its path led
late breakfasts. Joe Kennedy and
through screaming, shouting, deafening
Hugh Johnson were looking on lan-
crowds, and the governor was so happy
guidly.
and so busy waving at his admirers
I explained why I had come, sat
that Louie could not engage him in
down and read the speech to them.
talk. Apparently, therefore, Louie de-
When I finished, Kennedy spoke up
cided on one of the most desperate and,
and said, "I think it is a very bullish
it seems to me, foolish courses that I
speech. What do you think of it,
have ever known. He undertook to get
Herbert?"
Roosevelt to accept his speech sight
No idea
Thereupon Herbert rose from the
unseen at the very moment before he
table and paced up and down the room
delivered it to the convention. I have
nervously. He said, "It is & typical
heard this story more than once from
Roosevelt speech-liberal in tone,
F.D. R. himself and its purport is this:
catching, forceful. But it has ungen-
After the chairman had introduced
erous characteristics. It doesn't so
Roosevelt, Louie handed Roosevelt his
much as mention the people in the
draft of an acceptance speech. Roose-
party who have been consistently
velt, thoroughly aware of what the mo-
loyal Democrats. It isn't calculated to
ment meant to Louie, took the docu-
start the governor off with the good
ment, extracted the other from his own
will of a united party."
pocket and laid the two beside each
I knew that Swope was speaking out
other. While the convention was cheer-
backed by
of the disappointment he felt over the
ing madly, he. glanced over the first
defeat of his friend, Al Smith, and that
pages of the two speeches, removed the
he was particularly anxious that there
first page from his own draft, replaced
be some mention of AL I explained
it with Louie's and began to read.
that a number of party leaders had
Meanwhile, I had pushed my way
been mentioned in the draft and that
through the mob to the back of the hall
their names had been dropped out in the
and taken out my copy of the speech.
course of the revision of the speech-
As Roosevelt's high, clear voice began
whether by Rosenman or Roosevelt or
to pronounce the words, I followed
both, I did not know. But I was rea-
anxiously. The ideas were those of the
sonably sure that this had been done
Albany draft; the phrasing was un-
the pages of
only to avoid the hurt feelings that
familiar. Louie, the little devil, had
would inevitably be caused by omis-
merely rephrased the introduction of
sions.
the other text-which, of course, was
This seemed to satisfy Swope, and
what made it possible for Roosevelt to
when I left him and the others, I was
substitute Louie's first page for his,
really more cheerful. It was heartening
After a minute or two, I began to hear
to know that now four people in Chi-
the familiar sentences of the Albany
cago, outside of Rex and myself, liked
text. So the speech went to the coun-
the speech.
try-one page of Louie's redraft, and
But that still left me with the prob-
the remainder the*draft I had carried
Country
lem of Louie and his speech. I tried
around all week.
desperately to get Louie to talk to me
As the speech drew to & close, I was
about it, but he flatly refused. He was
poignantly aware of what was happen-
too busy, he said.
ing. The philosophy developed by the
Pretty disconsolately, then, I went
little group that I had brought together
out to the airport to meet the plane in
was now, in substance, the official pol-
which the governor's party was arriv-
icy of the standard bearer of the party.
ing. There I found Louie with his draft,
In the American system, the pro-
as evasive as ever. In the midst of the
nouncements of the party nominee rank
tumult that surrounded the plane after
equally with the party platform. In
Gentleman
it landed, I got to Rosenman and told
fact, whenever there is a conflict, the
him what was up. He said that the
nominee's version of party orthodoxy
governor had a copy of the speech as
prevails. The die was cast. The doc-
finally revised, in very minor degree,
trine of a potentially great political
on the plane, and that he would try to
movement had been proclaimed. Come
get word to him to make no changes.
what might, 80 far as I was concerned,
Meanwhile, Louie got into Roosevelt's
not even Louie's anger could blot out
ear, sharing, as he had every right to,
this moment.
the triumph of that trip from the air-
port to the Stadium. The rest of us
Editor's Note: The Inside story of the feverish 1932
campaign, as it unreeled at Roosevelt headquarters,
followed.
is detailed by Mr. Moley in next week's Post.
has ever
-AND THEN THERE
WERE NONE
(Continued from Page 30)
Philip said: You know, I don't rel-
Philip laughed. "So you're still
ish the idea of tinned tongue particu-
afraid of me? Why, I could shoot you
failed to get
larly. I'll stay here with Miss Clay-
both this very minute if I liked."
thorne."
Blore said: Yes, but that wouldn't
Blore hesitated.
be according to plan. It's one at a
Vera said: "I shall be quite all right.
time, and it's got to be done in a cer-
I don't think he'll shoot me as soon as
tain way."
your back is turned, if that's what
"Well," said Philip, "you seem to
you're afraid of.
know all about it."
Blore said: "It's all right, if you say
"Of course," said Blore, "it's a bit
so, But we agreed we ought not to
jumpy, going up to the house alone."
separate."
Philip said softly: "And therefore,
Philip Lombard said: "You're the
will I lend you my revolver? Answer:
one who wants to go into the lion's
No, I will not! Not quite so simple as
den, Blore. I'll come with you, if you
that, thank you."
ACTION!
like."
Blore shrugged his shoulders and be-
'No, you won't," said Blore. "You'll
gan to make his way up the steep slope
stay here."
to the house.
PSF: Rozenman
October 26, 1939.
Dear Sam:-
We are all glad you liked
your set of the "Public Papers"
and we have decided to let you have
them at a very good price -- $11.25.
My best to you and Dorothy
and the boys.
As ever,
Hon. Samuel I. Rosenman,
60 Centre Street,
New York, N. Y.
NN
PSF:
SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
80 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
Dear Missing
President the artached litter of
will you please give The
thanks for the exclusir set of
"Puthic Papers you ! bnow how
beautiful they are.
Also please do not forget
to send mee the bill for the cosh
of the briding
with my best
your
Jam
Sam Rosenman PSF
Upset over House debate on the
FDR Library. Hopes the P. will
make statement again regarding
use of funds collected for the
newspaper and magazine publication
of the "Public Papers".
you Usary Sarr R
for Letter
See. F.D.R. Lebrary folder
Drawer 2 2- 1939
PSF: Rosenman
January 9, 1900
Dear Dorothy:
That is a lovely pottery Jar which
you sent me and it is going up to the cottage
with my other treasures. Thank you and Sam.
It was grand having Sam down here
to help. I only wish you and the children
could have been here too. However, I do ap-
preciate your letting me borrow him although,
I fear, I am not as good at keeping down the
waistline as you are!
A very happy New Year to all of
you and I hope I shall see you soon.
As ever,
Mrs. Samuel I. Rosenman,
135 Central Park West,
New York, New York.
mal/tmb
PSF:
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
3/27/40
MEMO FOR
MISSY
Thank him very much. I
have been delighted to read this
and that I want them for my files.
F. D. R.
P5F: SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
March 25, 1940
Miss Marguerite A. LeHand
The White House
Washington, D. C.
Dear Missy:
Would you please put the enclosed docu-
ments in the President's basket for a reading?
I think you will find them very interesting
yourself.
With kindest regards,
Cordially yours,
Same
Encls.
SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
March 25, 1940
Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt
The White House
Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. President:
I have come to know fairly well one Jakob
Goldschmidt, who in 1933 was one of the leading
industrialists of Germany. He was a member of the
Board of Directors of the Krupp Works, the Thyssen
Works, the Reichsbank, the A. E. G., which is the
German company of the General Electric Company, the
North German Lloyd, the Hamburg-American Line, and
a great many other leading industrial corporations.
He served on several boards with Dr. Schacht,
Thyssen and the other bankers and industrialists
of Germany. He holds an honorary degree from
Heidelberg. I understand he was one of the richest
men in Germany, and was a particular target of the
National Socialist Party for years before the ac-
cession of Hitler to power.
He had enough foresight to leave Germany
in November of 1933. He is now a resident of New
York and will become an American citizen next year.
Partially through the assistance of Thyssen, I
understand, he was enabled to get out of Germany a
portion of his art collection and, I imagine, other
wealth. He has exhibited some of his pictures at
the World's Fair in San Francisco and in New York.
He was apparently a very close friend of Thyssen,
and knew intimately several of the present leading
industrialists and bankers of Nazi Germany.
He has given me translations of several
letters which were sent by Thyssen to Hitler, Goer-
ing, et al., after Thyssen's flight into Switzer-
land, copies of which letters were sent by Thyssen
to him here in New York. Goldschmidt has written
an introduction to these documents. Apparently
the present thought is that Thyssen at some time
in the near future is to publish these letters, to-
gether with the preface written by Goldschmidt.
SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
-2-
I understand that the Crowell-Collier Publications
are interested in publishing them and that Mr.
William Hillman, who is the European representative
of that concern, is going to discuss with Thyssen
in a week or so the publication of them. I am in-
formed that Thyssen will follow Goldschmidt's ad-
vice rather closely on the question of whether or
not they should be published, as well as other mat-
ters concerning Thyssen's future activity.
I thought you might be interested in read-
ing not only the letters of Thyssen, but also Gold-
schmidt's introduction to them, both of which are
inclosed.
These letters are very illuminating. They
start with August 31, 1939, when Thyssen got his in-
struction to appear at the Reichstag meeting which
was to declare war the next day. One of the most in-
teresting items in the letters is Thyssen's statement
that on September 1st, when the Reichstag voted for
war, there were approximately one hundred members
absent, whose seats were taken by party hacks. I do
not know whether you knew this.
My own interest in this whole episode is
that Thyssen appears to be the perfect example of
what might happen to financial and industrial leaders
who seek to block the kind of social progress which
should come by orderly, legitimate stages, who fail
to read the times correctly, and who in their efforts
to thwart measures of social reform find themselves
thrown out by forces which they thought they could
use for their own benefit.
In other words, Thyssen is a perfect
example for some of our own leading industrialists
and bankers who would be willing to accept almost
anyone who would promise to stop the trend in
American government since March 4, 1933, with the
confident hope that they would be the ones really
in control. Thyssen is the perfect answer to their
hopes.
SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN
60 CENTRE STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y.
-3-
It seems to me most ironical that, as ap-
pears from page 11 of the dossier of letters, the
decree under which Thyssen's property was confis-
cated is a decree "concerning the confiscation of
Communistic property".
I think that this introduction by Gold-
schmidt really acknowledges this fact; but it is a
little euphemistic, coming from one who was asso-
ciated with Thyssen for many years and who was be-
friended by him in time of need.
I know these letters will be very in-
teresting to you.
With kindest regards,
Very cordially yours,
P. S.--From my conversations with Gold-
schmidt, I am sure that he appreciates the situa-
tion fully; that he sees the resemblance between
Thyssen and some of our American business magnates;
and that he has so expressed himself to bankers and
industrialists in this country. He was present at
the recent Economics Club Dinner, where Ickes and
Weir debated. He tells me that Weir's speech was
exactly the same sort of speech that he had heard
time and again from comparable persons in Germany
before Hitler came to power.
PSF: Roseuman
JAKOB GOLDSCHMIDT
FRITZ THYSSEN authorized me to use the contents of the
dossier attached hereto in any way I might deem fit. The dossier
consists of telegrams and letters addressed by Thyssen to Hermann
Goering and Adolf Hitler at the time of the outbreak of war and
during the subsequent two months, September and October of last
year. In deciding to submit these letters to a sm 11 group of
responsible people, I am guided by considerations of a twofold
nature: Firstly, these letters contain a number of perfectly new
or little known facts which in an interesting may elucidate
occurrences and their background in national-socialist Germany.
In this respect I want to point particularly to the protest voiced
by Thyssen, the Catholic and "Aryan", against the persecution
of the Christian Church and of the Jews, to his passionate
rejection of an alliance with communist Russia, to his express
reference to the extremely anti-Russian program of Kepler, Hitler's
trusted economist (in 1939!) and to his statement that hundred
members of the German Reichstag had absented themselv's from the
fateful session of last September, their places and votes being
filled by organs of the Party.
Beyond this direct interest, however, the letters seem
to be of a much greater significance in general respect, a
-2-
significance not only touching upon Germany but also upon the
United States. The focal point of this interest is the author
of the letters himself, Fritz Thyssen.
Fritz Thyssen may rightfully be considered one of the typical
representatives of the German Bourgeoisie and German capitalism.
He is heir to one of the largest fortunes of industrialism in
Germany. He was conscious of the great responsibility in economic
and political respect such position entailed. In relation to this
he was heir to the best tradition of German bourgeoisie. His
aim was not to elevate himself and his own interests above those
of the commonwealth and the State but his primary objective was
to serve the nation and the country as best he could. His out-
standing patriotism was proven to the whole world by the manly
stand he took in 1923 at the time of the French invasion into
the Ruhr district. He was well aware of the fact that as an
aftermath of the war far reaching changes in the social structure
of life within Germany would take place, and he realised in time
the strong tensions present in the country with their dangerously
revolutionary currents. He was convinced of the fact that a
solution of the social problem should in the first place be
looked for in the sphere of economics in order to prevent the
fluctuating economic situation from increasing the already
existing difficulties in the political field. He had an absolutely
correct conception of, and perfect willingness to do his part in,
the fundamental changes which were to do justice to the well-to-do
classes as well as to the poor among the nation. This however is
the point where his failure becomes manifest. A failure in which
shares not only Fritz Thyssen himsel." but his entire generation of
-3-
the German bourgeoisie. Just as incapable as that generation
was in adapting itself to the new democratic form of government,
was the Weimar Government in the question of how to draw the
creative forces of the well-to-do and nationalistic classes into
the gigantic process of reconstruction of new Germany. The gap
between these groups was, on the one hand, the result of the
nationalistic point of view that the German Republic had been
irreparably discredited from the start by the fact that its first
act had to be the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Fritz
Thyssen, on the other hand, and all those of his rank, though
fully appreciating a government based upon democratic principles,
were adverse to leadership by the social-democratic party with its
socialistic ideas and practices. Mindful of the radical events
and the resulting measures which had been the inevitable conse-
quence of the overthrow 0: the government at the close of the
World War, in particular the industrialists feared that the
Have-nots in Germany, the "mob", would take over the reigns of
government and that ultimately the complete overthrow of the
existing social and economic order would result. This fear always
flared up anew whenever, on account of impending economic crises,
the socialist parties gained ground which heavily weighed down
upon the ever unstable scale of power within the German Republic.
Fritz Thyssen, and with him numerous leaders in German industry
were "conservative" and, according to their interpretation,
"conservative" meant a form of government based upon authority
and tradition, and a social structure built on hierarchy. Fritz
-4-
Thyssen, however, along with other leaders of German economy,
though willingly recognizing the necessity of structural changes
in the social order of the country and even wanting to hasten
their course, they were too deeply rooted in the tradition of
their antiquated thoughts and conceptions, to find among their own
class the man and the idea who would have been capable of
finding, by way of evolution, the synthesis, combining old and
new forces for the establishment of a better order of things in
the future. And just at the decisive moments when there would have
been a chance for them to overcome critical periods through some
constructive idea, they were ever again paralyzed by the one great
fear that finally, with the aid of Russia, Bolshevism would be the
victor in the struggle of these opposing trends.
Such was the situation when Hitler made his. appearance. In
the namd his party had adopted, the two leading trends of the
present time were combined: Nationalistic and socialistic. He
promised -- in his book "The State of the Future" which is based
upon the Fuehrer principle -- that he would espouse the two causes
to making it one. Fritz Thyssen who for a great many years had been
trying to find a solution of theproblem was fascinated by this
novel association of two most strongly contrasting movements --
in combination with the Fuehrer principle. It "as perfectly
clear to him that he as one of the "Haves" would have to make great
sacrifices also "or the new State of Herr Hitler, but he "as convineg
to have found in Hitler and in his ideas the instrument through
-5-
which in an evolutionary way a new and better order could be
established in Germany. The gift denied to him and his equals,
Hitler seemed to possess: He spoke the language of the masses
which the upper social layer no longer knew. Thus it appeared
possible to gain through Hitler, the personification of the
amorphous masses, access to these very masses and, moreover, to
govern those masses through him. This is how the alliance
between the representative of the conservatives with the demagogue
was concluded. The real Hitler, the nihilistic, revolutionary
Hitler, who despised all existing values and ideas, these
conservatives neither could, nor wanted to,see. The "outgrowths",
which in many respects became apparent already during the develop-
ment of the national-socialist movement and which manifested them-
selves primarily in a hostile attitude toward the clergy, in
antisemitism, and in a radical socialism, were explained by
Hitler again and again as mere propaganda, as the necessary
means for attaining the goal of carrying off the power: Sugar
for the masses. During discussions in smaller or larger private
assemblies, Hitler constantly renewed his most forceful and most
binding promises and assurances that after taking over power all
these outgrowths of radicalism of a personal nature, or other-
wise, would be eliminated. Finally, those conservative politicians
and economists believed that his solemn promise was firmly
grounded upon their alliance with him and that the grouping
within the government and the upholding of the Constitution were
guaranteed forever. The governing groups, as is known, showed
a strong majo ity of the conservative and middle class parties
-6-
at the time.
Fritz Thyssen, an idealist in a class by himself believed
also in Hitler's idealism and in the power of his personality.
He thought that Hitler would prove to be the man who could master
any situation presenting itself, and that he would be able to
reunite the self-dissolving forces of the masses in a superior
entity. Beyond this, he believed that he and the exponents of
wealth and learning represented by him, would have it in their
power to rule Hitler in turn. This belief proved to be erroneous.
In the alliance between the conservative and the revolutionary,
the revolutionary proved to be stronger.
Fritz Thyssen recognized his mistake only when it was too
late. It is an easy thing to blame him and to condemn him.
Before doing so, however, one should make it plain to oneself
that on the same grounds most of the statesmen of the great
European nations outside of Germany were to be condemned. All
of them thought that through negotiations and conclusion of
treaties with Adolf Hitler, they would avoid a horrible end,
whereas in fact their policy led to an endless horror.
In a fateful development of events as those before our
eyes, it is idle to deliberate on the question of guilt or,
moreover, to decide on it. Frit: Thyssen himself is fully aware
of his mistakes and false steps. In contrast to the numerous
-7-
"opportunists" among the bourgeoisie he started the path of
opposition immediately upon Hitler's coming into power, even though
he confessed to the world his change of heart only as late as in the
latter part of 1939, through his departure from Germany. At that
time there was nothing that could induce him to remain in, or to
return to, Germany, notwithstanding the fact that by doing so he
could have saved his property and his position. For as great a
German patriot as he was, it certainly was a hard thing to leave
his country just at the moment when war was declared, and to
publicly avow his standpoint.
Fritz Thyssen is conscious of his difficult position in
facing world opinion. The thought uppermost in his mind today is
the strong desire to help freeing his country from Hitler and his
clan, and to do his share in bringing about peace and peaceful
cooperation among the great nations of Europe and, of theworld. He
believes that the explanations and the significant points he is
able to furnish may be helpful in attaining that goal and that they
will be of great benefit also to developments in other countries.
In such respect his services may be particularly valuable for the
United States in my view, as the volume of his positive knowledge
and experience and, possibly, still more the lesson taught by his
mistakes, may be most fruitful in this country.
New York, March 12,1940.
Jakob
-2-
to which we have to submit. Victory, however, will ultimately
always be on the side of the good and not of the evil.
New York,
Fritz Thyssen
Copies of the Thyssen beter,
On August 31st, 1939, the following urgent telegram was sent
by me from Badgastein, Germany, to Fieldmarshal Goering:
Received order from Gauleitung (District Leadership) Essen
to keep ready for airplane flight to Berlin stop 1 cannot
comply with this order because of unsatisfactory condition
of health stop in my view a kind of armistice ought to be
possible to gain time for negotiations 1 am against the war
a war will make Germany dependent also in the matter of raw
materials and thereby she will lose her position as a world
power.
Greetings Thyssen.'
MEMORANDUM by FRITZ THYSSEN, Member of the Reichstag,
dispatched by messenger to Fieldmarshal Goering on September
20, 1939:
1) On August 31, at 9 p.m. I sent the following urgent
telegram to Fieldmarshal Goering (see above)
2) On September 1st, Mr. Hitler said during the session
of the Reichstag: "Anyone who is not with me is a traitor and
will be treated as such."
3) In this remark I see not only a threat but also an
encroachment upon my constitutional rights as a Member of the
Reichstag.
-3-
4) I am not only entitled but even obliged to speak up,
particularly in a case where I feel convinced that Germany is
being led into grave disaster. Mr. Hitler has no right to
threaten me when I give expression to my thoughts.
5) Now as before I am against the war. As the war has started
meanwhile, Germany oug ht to try to put an end to it as early as
possible, for the longer it lasts, the less favorable will be
the peace terms for Germany.
6) It is not Poland that broke the pact with Germany, that
pact Mr. Hitler himself formerly repeatedly referred to as a
guaranty of peace. In this respect 1 also refer to Hitler's
speech on September 26, 1938.
7) In order to achieve peace, it will be necessary that
Germany returns to a status which in every respect conforms to
the laws of the Constitution. Where the Constitution of the
country is not respected, there in the end will be anarchy.
The oath of allegiance taken by the individual is valid only if
also the leaders live up to their oaths.
8) In the meeting of the Reichstag on September 1st,
approximately 100 memberswere absent. Their seats were taken by
party organs. I see in this fact a mockery of the Constitution
against which I raise my voice in protest.
9) I demand that the German public be informed of the fact
that in my capacity as Member of the Reichstag I have voted
-
against the war. Should there be any more members who voted as
I did, their votes too are to be made public.
10) On August 31st, shortly before the above mentioned
telegram was dispatched, the news were wired to me that a Mr. von
Remnitz had suddenly died at Dachau. Mr. von Remnitz was the son-
in-law of my sister, the Baroness von Berg, residing at Munich.
Mr. von Remnitz had been interned right after the Anschluss of
Austria, because of his alleged activities as a Legitimist prior
to the Anschluss. Immediately upon his arrest 1 had written to
District Leader Buerckel of Vienna but without even being favored
with any reply at all, which is characteristic of conditions in
Germany. I demand that 1 be informed whether Mr. von Remnitz died
of natural causes or whether his death was due to other causes.
In the latter event I reserve to myself the right of taking
further steps.
Only three copies were taken of this Memorandum which are
all certified. No other copies exist. The copies are still in
my possession at this moment and are in safe keeping.
Letter to Fieldmarshal Goering, dated October 1, 1939.
-
Dear Fieldmarshal General,
I refer to my letter to you of September 22nd, 1939 to-
gether with enclosure which was handed over by messenger to Mr.
Terboven, District Leader, to be forwarded to you. (with that
-5-
explanatory letter the Memorandum of September 20th, 1939 was
sent to Mr. Goering).
Thereupon I received from the District Leader the following
statement:
'1) I declare in the name of the Fieldmarshal that
neither a telegram nor a letter came into his hands; it was
established, moreover, that the Fieldmarshal's Office did not
receive said telegram or letter either.
2) From this fact it appears that the closing sentence
in the speech of the Fuehrer could in no way have been aimed at
any particular person.
3) in the event of your prompt return, the Field-
marshal guarantees that no consequences whatsoever of a personal
or economic nature will result to you. ,
To this 1 wish to state as follows:
1) It is quite impossible that my urgent telegram of August 31st,
from Badgastein, did not arrive. It is to be hoped that in Germany
a telegram addressed to the Fieldmarshal will always arrive. Also
my letter dated September 22nd must have arrived, for otherwise the
District District Leader could not have expressed his position as
defined above.
2) It may be that my telegram did not arrive in time although it
had been dispatched by me immediately upon receipt of the order to
-6-
keep ready for the meeting of the Heichstag. If therefore the poss-
ibility is to be admitted that the speech of the Reichkanzler was not
influenced by it, 1 was nevertheless entitled to presume that such was
the case in view of the situation, the more so, as 1 was convinced
that I had been the only one of all the members of the Reichstag who
dared to voice his dissenting opinion.
3) I had never asked you to spare me from personal or economic
consequences resulting from my political actions. 1 do not comprehend
how the thought of it could have entered your mind. It is true, I
have given my support to the party ever since 1923, first upon the
request of General Ludendorff, afterwards 1 have fully complied, for
which there is proof, with all of your wishes, and of those of Mr.
Hitler and Mr. Hess, and also of others, but I have never discussed
with you or with anyone else any wishes of an economic nature con-
cerning myself. I addressed myself to you only threetimes - much
too rarely , I am sorry to say --, namely:
1) when Mr. Weitzel, the Police Chief of Duesseldorf, whom
you promoted to the tank of State's Counsel, distributed a more than
vulgar pamphlet against the Catholic Church whom I shall always
keep faith, and now even more so than ever before. To this no
answer from you was forthcoming!
2) when on November 9th, 1938, the Jews were robbed and
tortured in the most cowardly and brutal manner, when the Government
Chief of Duesseldorf whom you had appointed yourself, was almost
killed and driven away. There again was no answer! As a sign of
-7-
my protest I resigned at that time my post as State's Counsel;
1 asked the Prussian Minister of Finance to stop paying my salary
as State's Counsel. There was no answer! The payments, however,
which were made in disregard of my request, are now standing on
a blocked account with the Thyssen Bank waiting for disposal.
3) When the greatest of misfortunes happened and Germany
was once more plunged into a war, without the opinion of Parliament
or of the State's Council even being asked. I declare with all
clearness that I am against this policy, and always shall be
against it, even at the risk of being branded as a traitor. In
view of the fact that in 1923, though unarmed and not protected
by armaments worth 90 billions, 1 called into existence the
Passive Resistance on territory occupied by the enemy and in this
way (way) saved Rhein and Ruhr, such accusation sounds almost as
grotesque as the fact that national socialism suddenly abandoned
its teachings and its mysticism for concluding a pact with
communism. But even from the viewpoint of a policy purely
realistic, this new policy means suicide, for its sole benefactor
will be the Nazi arch-enemy of yesterday, though Nazifriend of
today: Russial The same Russia in regard to which Mr. Keppler,
the intimate adviser of the Fuehrer, said only a few months ago,
on the occasion of a meeting of the Central Committee of the
Reichsbank, that it must become German as far as the borders of
the Ural.
I can but address the urgent appeal to you and to the
Fuehrer to cease pursuing a policy which at best will drive
-8-
Germany into the arms of Communism, or otherwise will mean the
finis germaniae. Please try to find out under cover the terms
by which it would be possible to still prevent a catastrophy.
it will be necessary, of course, that Germany returns to
constitutional conditions so that contracts and agreements will
once more have a meaning.
In closing 1 wish to express my regret about having to
write to you from abroad in order to be able to openly express my
ophion. You will understand, however, t hat it would be sheer
idiocy on my part to do otherwise, in view of the examples of 1934
showing how political opponents - to which I too now belong - were
treated. That these methods have not changed is proven, deplorably
enough, by the case of Mr. von Remnitz who, as stated in the
enclosure to my letter of September 22nd, died, true to Dachau
methods, allegedly without any visible cause. Novel only is the
fact that Mr. von Ribbentrop did not shrink from taking possession
of the dead man's property.
Accept the expression of my high esteem
signed Fritz Thyssen, M.d.R.
-9-
Obviously with a view to that letter, the following circular
letter was sent out to every Bank in Germany but was not allowed
to be mentioned in the press.
"By virtue of a letter addressed to me by the Secret
State Police, State Police District Berlin, dated October
13th, I give notice to our members for their attention, of
the following Decree issued by the State Police District
Duesseldorf:
'In compliance with an order given by Fieldmarshal
General Goering to Mr. Terboven, District Leader and
President in Chief, Commissioner of the Reich's Defence,
Defence Unit 4, the total property of Fritz Thyssen,
Dr. jur. hon. c., Muelheim-Ruhr, Speldorf, is confiscated
by the State Police according to section 1 of the Law
concerning the Secret State Police. It is Mr. Terboven,
Commissioner of the Reich's Defence, District Leader and
President in Chief, appointed Trustee by Fieldmarshal
General Goering, WO is exclusively authorized to dispose
of the property.
'As it was not possible to accurately establish the
extent of the property of Fritz Thyssen, Dr. jur. h.c.,
or of his wife, I request that all banks be instructed by
a confidential circular letter to report without delay
and within five days to the State Police at Duesseldorf,
attention of Dr. Haselbacher, Government Chief Counsel, or
his substitute in the Office, all accounts, deposits and
-10-
safes carried by them in the names of either Fritz
Thyssen, Dr. jur. hon. c., or of his wife, Amelie
Thyssem, née zur Helle, born in Muelheim-Hhein on
December 9, 1877.
Heil Hitler
The Director of the Economy Group of Private Banking-
Central Union of German Banking Firms and Bankers
signed Reinhart
Director of the Kommerz- and Privatbank Berlin.
Mr. Terboven, Commissioner of the Reich's Defence, District
Leader and President in Chief, conferred this "ffice of Trustee
upon Baron Kurt von Schroeder, proprietor of the banking firm of
I.H. Stein, Cologne who accepted the appointment.
The crime of which Mr. Fritz Thyssen is accused (it does
not appear of which crime Mrs. Thyssen is accused) cannot have
been very grave for there is the following note in his files dated
October 1st, 1939:
"When on September 26, 1939, Mr. A.Voegler,
Dortmund, delivered to me District Leader Terboven's
written declaration mentioned in the letter to
Goering of October 1st, 1939, Mr. Voegler added
verbally that on my return I should take along
all the certified copies in my possession of my
Memorandum dated September 20, 1939, and that they
then would be destroyed together with the original.
"This would have meant, in fact, that 1 would
-11-
have sacrificed my political creed in exchange for
being granted personal and economic freedom. 1 refused
to do so and, instead, sent the letter of October 1,
1939 to Goering whereupon the confiscation of my
entire property was decreed.
"Subsequently a notice appeard in the "Reichs-
anzeiger" which again was not to be published by the
press and which is quoted in the following letter of
mine:
Dr. Fritz Thyssen, Member of the Reichstag, Muelheim-Ruhr, Speldorf.
Luzern, December 28,1939.
Mr. Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of the German Reich,
Berlin.
Mr. Chancellor of the Reich!
In the German Reichsanzeiger Nr. 293 of December 13,1939,
I read the following notice:
"In view of the Law of May 26, 1933, concerning the
confiscation of communistic property (sic) (Legislation
of the Reich, Issue 1, page 293), in conjunction with
section 1 of the Decree of May 31, 1933 (law No. 39), and the
law of July 14, 1933, regarding the seizure of property of
individuals hostile to the People and the State(Legislation,
Issue 1, p.479), the entire movable property of Dr. Fritz
Thyssen, formerly of Muelheim Ruhr, at present abroad, and
-12-
also the real estate owned by him, is confiscated in favor
of the Prussian State, with the effect that in making
this decree publicly known by inserting it in the German
Reichsanzeiger and in the Prussian Staatsanzeiger, the
property indicated above passes into the ownership of
the Prussian State.
No appeal against this decree is legally
admissible.
Duesseldorf, December 11, 1939
The Government President, Reeder.
A statement as to the reasons of this measure is lacking.
I state herewith that no procedure whatsoever of Court or
Administration has been instituted against me. To this day I
have never received any communication from the Government of the
German Reich; except the one, Dr. A. Voegler by order of the
District Leader at Essen handed over to me in hich it was said
that I should withdraw a political Memorandum I had filed in my
capacity of Member of the Reichstag and also should destroy the
copy of it, and that thereupon no political or economic conse-
quences would result to me. As pointed out, I declined this
"peace offer" on the ground that being a member of the Reichstag
my political creed was not for sale. Moreover, I have never been
called upon to account in any way for my personal or political
attitude. Your Ministry of Propaganda even denied that any action
-13-
against me was pending. The confiscation of my property as
promulgated in the Reichsanzeiger is an undisguised and brutal
violation of law, a measure contrary to the Constitution, to Law,
and to Rights. I protest most vigorously against this measure
and declare the Reich as well as particularly all persons
aiding in this confiscation now or in the future, among them
especially Baron von Schroeder, Cologne, the appointed Trustee,
as personally responsible to me. The time will come when my
rights will irrvocably be restored to me. 1 specially warn
of touching any of my wife's property, or that of my children,
the Count and Countess Zichy, or my father's bequest, August
Thyssen, to whom, among others, Germany owes in the first place
the greatness of her industry.
My conscience is clear. I feel free of any guilt. My sole
error was that 1 believed in you, Adolf Hitler, as the Fuehrer,
and in the movement you led; believed with all the ardor of one
passionately German. Since 1923 I have indorsed the national-
socialistic movement notwithstanding the heavy sacrifices that
were required of me; I solicited membership for the movement
and fought for it, without ever wanting anything for myself or
asking for anything, always filled with the hope that our unfortune
ate German people would be helped. When the national-socialistic
regime came into power, the initial developments seemed to justify
my belief, at least as long as Mr. von Papen to whom, after all,
you owe your appointment as Chancellor by Mr. von Hindenburg ,
President of the Reich, was still Vice-Cnancellor. It was he
-14-
before whom you took a solemn oath in a sacred place - the Church
of the Garrison of Potsdam - to uphold the Constitution. Don't
forget that your rise was not the result of some great revolutionary
deed but was owing to the country's liberal constitution to which
you are bound by your oath.
In the course of time however a disastrous change took place.
At an early stage already 1 felt it necessary to voice my protest
against the persecution of christianity in taking brutal measures
against its priests, and in insulting its churches. I did so for
instance when the Police President of Duesseldorf distributed a more
than vulgar pamphlet against the Catholic Church. I voiced my
protest in a letter to Fieldmarshal Goering, using the strongest
language. But without result.
When on November 9th, 1938, the Jews were robbed and tortued
in the most cowardly and most brutal manner, and their synagogues
destroyed all over Germany, I protested once more. As an outward
sign of my protest I resigned my post as Counsel of the State.
This too brought no answer.
Now you have concluded a pact with Communism. Your
Propaganda Ministry even dares to say that the good Germans who
gave you their votes as the professed opponent of Communism are,
in essence, identical with the Russians, those bloody revolutinnaries
who have plungedRussia into such misfortune and whom you yourself
called "bloodstained common criminals" ("Mein Kampf", page 750).
-15-
when the greatest of all disasters occurred, that is, when
Germany was once more plunged into a war, without Parliament or
the State Council even being asked their opinion, I declared with
all clearness that I most vigorously reject this policy.
Being a member of the Reichstag, it is my duty to express my
view and also to stand for it. It is a crime against the German
nation if their men and particularly their delegates behind whom
you seek protection from world opinion, are no longer allowed to
openly speak their minds. 1 do not submit to such force. I refuse
to cover your actions with my name -- even though you declared in
the Reichstag Session of September 1st, 1939: "He who is not with
me is a traitor and will be treated as such."
I refuse to indorse the policy adopted of late and in
particular as regards this war into which the German nation has been
plunged so frivolously and for the horrors of which you and your
advisers will be held responsible. As to the accusation of being
a traitor, 1 am immune to it in view of my past life. In 1923,
unarmed and not paying heed to the dangers threatening my life,
I called into existence the Passive Resistance on territory occupied
by the enemy, and thus saved the Rhein and the Ruhr. 1 stood before
an enemy Court Martial and openly spoke my mind as a German. Now it
is just this adherence to my belief that makes it impossible for me
to abandon the true ideals and the original teachings of national
socialism which as you pronounced yourself when you were at my house,
was to lead back to the monarchy -- leaderhsip by the Germans and
-16-
monarchy, in their essence, are identical -- and through social
justice to permanent peace within the country. I may remind you
that with such object in mind you charged me with erecting at
Duesseldorf the Institute of the Guilds though, one year later, you
completely relinquished the idea and you even permitted that the
Chief of the Institute who had been appointed by me and in agree-
ment with your Mr. Hess, was interned in your notorious concentration
camp at Dachau. It was that same Dachau where my nephew had died
suddenly. Of his castle, Fuschl near Salzburg, you made a present
to Mr. von Ribbentrop who was not ashamed of himself to receive
there the Foreign Minister of Italy's King and envoy of Mussolini.
I want to call to your mind also the fact that you surely
did not delegate your Mr. Goering when calling in Rome on the Holy
Father and at Doorn on the Kaiser , to get them both prepared for
your impending alliance with communism. And yet you suddenly entered
into this alliance and thus committed an act that nobody would
have condemned more strongly than you did in your book "Mein
Kampf", older edition, pages740 - 750. There you said: "Thus in the
fact of an alliance with Russia the directions for the start of
the next war are already indicated. Its outcome would be the end
of Germany!" Or: "The men at present in power in Russia do not even
think of honestly entering into an alliance and even less do they
think of adhering to it." Or: "One does not however conclude a
contract with a partner whose sole interest is the annihilation of
-17-
the other one. II
Your present policy is equal to suicide. Its beneficiary
will be the Nazi arch-enemy of yesterday who is the Nazi friend of
today -- unless the valiant Finns with their trust in God reverse
all prophecies -- namely Bolshevist Russia; the same Russia in
respect to which your intimate adviser, Mr. Keppler, Secretary of
State in the Foreign Office and outstanding diplomat, said as late
as May 1939, on the occasion of a session of the Central Committee
of the Reichsbank that she must become German as far as the borders
of the Ural. I do hope that these words so openly expressed by that
trusted diplomat will not tend to weaken the strong impression yo-ur
so sincerely meant birthday cable must have made upon your new friend
Stalin.
Your new policy, Mr, Hitler, is driving Germany into an
abyss and will result in the destruction of the German nation.
Turn back as long as this is still possible. Your policy in its
final stage will be a "finis germaniae." Think of the oath you
have taken at Potsdam. Give back to the Reich a free Parliam ent,
give back to the German nation freedom of conscience, freedom of
thought, and freedom of speech. Procure the guarantees necessary
for restoring their meaning to right and to law, and for laying
the foundation upon which treaties and agreements can be built
again and be trusted. Then it will certainly still be possible
for Germany, if only further disaster is prevented, and useless
bloodshed is stopped, to conclude an honorable peace that will save
its unity.
-18-
World public opinion presses for an explanation of the
reasons that prompted me to leave Germany. I have not spoken as
yet. All the documents and writings produced during a struggle of
more than 15 years will be kept secret. I do not intend, at a time
when my fatherland is struggling so hard, to furnish the enemy with
moral weapons. I am, and always shall be, German with all my heart,
with all my thoughts and endeavors. I profess proudly and loudly
my German nationality and shall continue to do so to my last breath.
Just because I am German, 1 neither want, nor have a right at this
moment when my people are in deepest distress, to speak up in
public, though this might be the thing to do some day , for the
sake of truth. But in my call I want you to hear the voice of the
tormented German nation that cries out to you: "Turn back, let
freedom, right and humanity rise again in the German Reich."
I shall keep silent, I shall wait to see what you are going
to do; making it a condition however that this letter will not
be kept from the German people. I am waiting. Should the German
nation however be kept in ignorance of my words, which are the
words of a free and upright German, then I shall call upon the
conscience of the world and shall let the world pass judgment.
I am waiting.
"Heil Germany"
Fritz Thyssen
P.S. I am going to hand this letter over to the German Legation
at Berne to forward it to you and, in addition, am sending a copy
-19-
by registered mail to the Chancellery of the Reich at Berlin and
another copy to your personal address at Obersalzberg near Berchtes-
gaden. I am forced to take such measures because it has been
officially stated that my letters and telegrams addressed to
Fieldmarshal Goering never reached him.
Copies will be received also by:
Fieldmarshal Goering and Government President Reeder of Duesseldorf
who decreed that my property be confiscated. Baron Kurt von Schroeder
of Cologne, allegedly the present administrator of my property,
will receive copy of the first paragraph of this letter.
PSF:
April 17, 1940
Dear Sam:
Just a line to thank you ever so
much for your awfully nice letter. That
was a lovely peaceful Sunday and such fun
to have you and Dorothy at Hyde Park with
me. We must do it again soon.
My best to you all.
As ever,
Honorable Samuel I. Rosenman,
135 Central Park West,
New York, New York.
mal/tmb
Supreme Court
PSF, Rosenman
of the
State of New York
in
Prepare PS line Thanks
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, . N.Y.
SAMUEL I, ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
Triduesday
Dear her. President 1
Thanks for a lovely day,
last Anday, going through The Lebrary
and also through The hills and words
at styde Park. the Library is po charming,
and is going to be a all source who of such have
genuine pleasure for these twelve
worked with you during years.
The day was much like
the older days an altany when we same
form used to drive down from altory
to take Jicnic hunch on the floor of the
big room next to the fire - no crowds, no
newspaper men, no pushing In a way,
it was Juhaps anticipatory of the
quieter days to come for you and those
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
EXPERIÓR
SAMUEL 1. ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
close to you, to be spent in the Hudson River
Valley It was especially prophetic of the
statements about the next National
less stremous years ahead, heanse of your
Convention you know, of course, how
distressing to those who look democracy
and liberal will be a decision dn
by you not to a again.
would be pilly for me to attempt to mge
any point of view upon you, who have
given the question your bret prolonged
thought, and who have had the benefit of
suggestime and advice, solicited and
misolicited, since the election of 1936.
If, howaver, the name of F.D.R. is
among those seventeen or cighteen which
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
EXTLAIOR
NEW YORK, N.Y.
SAMUEL 1. ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
you have placed away in that Land imaginary
and mystenoms upper right
desk drawer, it is my thought While that the what
will probably Lappen is this metaphor,
"diving others, off to use the bridge your will to rescue Themselves the pick in the 'The
own child, are
american people the water and place in
your events of yesterday maybe
chied lap out - of especially price that the is European only
wishful whatever thinking final choice, l know
that it will be based your upon your concep the Tim
of the best interests of The people of
United States from the rong lange
point of view, rather than upon personal
conventence and comfort, and not wen
upon the attractions of life 3. at Hyde Park. In
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK. N.Y.
SAMUEL 1. ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
that choice, your friends, was though they
do not agree with the wisdom of it, will
accept it as your best judgement as to the
vetimate walfare of The country.
again, thanks for a lovely day
as Hyde Park
Cording fam your
THE WHITE HOUSE
file
WASHINGTON
November 25, 1940
MEMORANDUM FOR
HON. EDWARD J FLYNN
To speak to me about after
you get back.
F. D. R.
Enclosures
PSF
Supreme Court
of the
Posenman
State of New York
in
JUSTICES CHAMBERS
NEW YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE
NEW YORK, N.Y.
SAMUEL 1. ROSENMAN
JUSTICE
November 18, 1940.
Miss Malvina Thompson,
White House,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Malvina:
I do not know what to say about this enclosed
file which you sent me. Judge Lewis while he was on the
bench had a fair reputation. He was denied renomination
at the end of his term; but I do not know the facts.
He ran independently but was defeated by the regular
nominee. At the time he ran the Bar Associations and
the Citizens' Union endorsed his candidacy. I do not
think that Mrs. Roosevelt would be making any mistake
in trying to help this man but I am really at a loss
as to what to suggest she might do.
With kindest regards,
Yours fam very sincerely,
SEP 1940
September 16th, 1940.
Dear Mrs. Roosevelt:-
Your kindness is deeply felt.
The enclosed tells the story. It is well known at the bar.
My husband worked a life time to get on the
Municipal Court bench. He was elected in 1927. He served a
full term of ten years. He made a " most able, useful, im-
+
parial and distinguished record ".
At the end of his term the local district
leaders ( under the control of a man since indicted and
convicted; but then the most powerful district leader in
our community- James Hines ) told my husband to his face ill
that he would have to get off the bench because he would
not take contracts from the district leaders.
So
BECAUSE OF HIS REFUSAL TO BE SUBSERVIENT
TO DEMANDS OF POLITICIANS HE WAS REFUSED
REDESIGNATION BY THE POLITICAL POWERS.
THIS CHALLENGE TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF
THE JUDICIARY CALLS FOR CONCERTED ACTION
BY AN ENLIGHTENED BAR. ( N. Y. County
Lawyers' AssN.)
This same group of local district leaders are
still in control of our section ( Washington Heights). Con-
sequently my husband one of the longest serving democrats in
the community cannot get their backing. And it seems so far
as his party is concerned recognition by anyone from the Pres-
ident down is imossible P without such sponsorship.
You will find that my husband has the the en-
dorsement of every recognized authority for character ability
and reputation. But if a local leader does not give you an
O. K. the County leader will not emdorse you; and if the County
leader will not submit your name you cant get recognition.
That has been the actual experience of my husband.
The facts are all available.
Now unless my husband gets back into public office
within five years of 1937 he cannot save his small retirement
rights.
Just now for example there is a vacancy in our own
district on the very bench from which my husband was exited.
It is acknowledged that he is the most qualified man in the
district for this very short appointment. Indeed by every
token of Democracy he should be the candidate. And if you
want to see how politicians are manipulating nominations for
this "Poor Man's Court, just look into this situation.
Well men like Charle E. Hughes Jr., George Z Medalie
and the Mayor's former partner and personel counsel-Judge Sicher
have asked the Mayor to do something to redress the injustice
to my husband. But we dont know what the Mayor will do. Not-
withstanding the Walker appointment. And there is adred about
bothering the Mayor about these things; EVEN ON THE RECORD OF
A MAN.
I know you are most busy and hesitate to go into
imprtant details. But I do hope you have some one verify my
husband's experience.
When men like Judge Knox, upon whose affection
my husband has no claim, tell him that he is the only living
example of virtue being its own reward you will get some not-
ion of how I feel.
I cannot believe that if the President knows this
case ( particularly in view of his note in 1930 to Hon. Henry
Morgenthau Sr. ) he would not find some apointment for which
my husband is qualified. Please dont think I am presumptous-
but there must be a way of getting the truth before a fearless
and fairminded leader.
Now if my husband gets back- aside from any vindication
- he will then be in a position to pay up some $9,000.00 in
arrears on his pension contributuions, and become entitled to
a City pension of $2100.00. He could borrow from the pension
fund some $5800.00 anf get a pension pf $1700.00. But regard-
less of the great difficulty in raising the money he has to get
back to at least be in a position to save the City's contribut-
ion to his pension, which we are told is worth $15000.00.
Please be good enough to call on me for any further facts.
Of course you will observe that the Governor or the Mayor also
have the opportunity to do something. And some outstanding men-
not- politicians- have also written strong recommendation to
the Governor? You know more about how these things work however
than I do.
Had I the slightest doubt about the disgraceful
treatment a fine man received as the punishment for plain honesty
I would not dare to write you.
Again thanking you; and asking for your early
consideration, believe me
Sincerely
P.S.Will please
Mrs. David Cheurs
return the citizens union
letters and I took them from my
ny. County Lawyers
histands Campaign
CITIZENS UNION OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
A UNION OF CITIZENS, WITHOUT REGARD TO PARTY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECURING THE
HONEST AND EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
WM. JAY SCHIEFFELIN
CHAIRMAN
ALBERT S. BARD
DANA CONVERSE BACKUS
S. STANLEY KREUTZER
LINCOLN CROMWELL
MILTON M. BERGERMAN
MRS. LAURENT OPPENHEIM
WALTER FRANK
VICE-CHAIRMEN
GEORGE A. BoeHM
MRS. JAMES LEES LAIDLAW
SAMUEL H. ORDWAY, JR.
Net there
be Might1
WINSTON PAUL
LUCILLE J. BUCHANAM
STEPHEN K. RAPP
HARRIET T. RIGHTER
BENJAMIN DREYER
SIDNEY A. ROSENBLOOM
JOSEPH D. MCGOLDRICK
TREASURER
HENRY FLETCHER
WALLACE S. SAYRE
GEORGE H. HALLETT, JR.
SECRETARY
BERNARD HERSHKOPF
SAMUEL D. SMOLEFF
DOROTHY STRAUS
COUNSEL
ELEANOR C. TANZER
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
WALTER M. HINKLE
LAURENCE ARHOLD TANZER
JOSEPH ECKERT
OFFICE MANAGER
ORRIN G. JUDD
EDWARD R. WHITTINGHAM
EDWARD W. WRIGHT
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
41 PARK ROW, NEW YORK
TELEPHONE BARCLAY 7.0342
September 14, 1937
154
Honorable David C. Lewis,
427 Fort Washington Avenue,
New York City
Dear Judge Lewis:
I take pleasure in informing you that the Citizens
Union 18 supporting your candidacy in the Democratic primary
contest for Justice of the Municipal Court in the Seventh
District, Manhattan. The Union 18 giving out the following
statement of its position for publication in Wednesday's
newspapers:
MUNICIPAL COURT
Seventh District, Manhattan, Democratic Primary
"DAVID C. LEWIS strongly recommended. In respect
of character, personality and legal ability, Judge Lewis
is one of the outstanding judges on the Municipal Court
bench. His uprightness and independence have apparently
disqualified him in the eyes of the local Democratic
machine, which has denied him a renomination.
This
presents an issue of the first importance for the decent
Democratic voters of the 7th district, the issue of club-
house control of the courts. The machine will win if the
decision of this issue is left to the clubhouse vote; it
is bound to lose if the larger body of independent voters
does its duty by going to the polls on primary day. The
voters of this district have an opportunity by renominating
Judge Lewis to strike a blow for good government and for the
integrity of the courts which will redound to the benefit of
the entire city."
Very sincerely yours,
Secretary
GHH:O
NEW YORK COUNTY LAWYERS' ASSOCIATION
October 4th, 1937.
Dear Member:
The Honorable David C. Lewis during his term on
the Bench has proven himself to be a most capable and competent
jurist. He has earned a reputation for unimpeachable integrity.
Because of his refusal to be subservient to demands of politicians
he was refused redesignation by the political powers. This
challenge to the independence of the judiciary calls for con-
certed action by an enlightened Bar.
This letter is a non-partisan solicitation to
join those now active in sponsoring the re-election of Justice
Lewis to the Municipal Court, Seventh District of the Borough
of Manhattan, as an independent candidate.
Your cooperation is necessary to successfully meet the
challenge that is ours; a challenge to the ideals and principles
that we cherish. Justice Lewis needs volunteers to forward his
campaign. He needs contributions for campaign purposes.
With the authority of the officers of this Asso-
ciation, we earnestly request your offers of personal help and
contributions to Justice Lewis' Campaign Committee, of which
John M. Keating is Treasurer. These may be forwarded to the under-
signed at 11 Park Place, Manhattan; but checks should be made
payable to John M. Keating, Treasurer.
Yours for the Independence of the Judiciary,
A. ALAN LANE,
Chairman, Committee on the Municipal Court.
Report of Charles E. Hughes, Jr.
President N.Y. Co. Lawyers Ass'n.
1938
"In connection with the last election the Assocation took
an unusual step, feeling that unusual circumstances demanded it,
in making a non-partisan campaign for one of the candidates for
election to the Municipal Court. Justice David C. Lewis had
completed a full elective term as Justice of that court. He
was known among members of the Bar to have a fine legal mind
and had been most conscientious in the discharge of his duties.
He was not renominated by his own party. Mr. Justice Lewis
publicly stated that the reason he was not renominated was
that he declined to discuss pending cases with district leaders,
and this was not denied. Our Committee on the Municipal Court
concluded that the fact 8.8 stated by Mr. Justice Lewis was
clearly established. It reported:
"His independent attitude toward political
INFINENCE interference has caused his failure
to be redesignated. The committee can find no
reason and no merit for such refusal to re-
designate him. The situation is apparently due
to a reprehensible attitude of party politicians,
threatening the independence of our judiciary.
Justice Lewis is running an independent campaign
for re-election and the committee is rendering
active support. He is an excellent justice and
he deserves active support for re-election."
The officers of the Association, feeling that this case
raised questions going to the integrity of the judicial function
and the independence of the judiciary from political influence,
concluded that X the full power of the Association should be
Court had already undertaken and authorized the Chairman of that
marshalled behind the effort which the Committee on the Municipal
Committee to address a letter to the entire membership asking
active support in the form of voluntary service as campaign
workers, watchers, etc., in behalf of Mr. Justice Lewis and in
soliciting contributions to his campaign fund. That action was
ratified by the Board of Directors and many members of the
Association participated actively in or made contributions to
that campaign. The odds were too heavy and the effort was not
successful; but it was a worthy effort and we may entertain
strong hope that its effect will outlive the immediate occasion.
This is not the first time that the organized Bar has risen in
denunciation of political interference with judicial functions;
nor, political conditions being what they are, is it likely to
be the last. Some of its past efforts have succeeded; others
have failed. What is important 1s that the reaction of the Bar
to any such attempt be instant and vigorous; that not a single
instance of this sort be permitted to pass unresisted. In time
the lesson will sink in."
The Annual Reports of Officers and Standing Committees
Report of the President - Charles E. Hughes, Jr.
Presented at the Annual Meeting - May 19, 1938.
Pages 126-127.
Supreme Court
of the
State of New York
Justices Chambers
New York County Court House
New York, N. Y.
Bernard Le Shientag
Justice
August 30th, 1937
Hon. David C. Lowis
Justice of the Municipal Court
8 Reade Street
New York City
Dear Judge Lewis:
I have always felt that a sitting Judge should not
participate in any political controversies, and it has been
my policy to refrain from doing so. The question here in-
)
volved, however, is not at all politionl in character. I
do not even know who your opponent 15. All I know is that
I am familiar with your fine record as a Judge. When I sat
in the Appellate Term of the Supreme Court for several years
I had occasion to review a number of your decisions. [As a
result of my personal familiarity with your work, I can say
without hesitation that you remiered most able, useful
impartial and distinguished service on the bench, and I
believe that in the interests of an independent judiciary
both parties should have joined in renominating you. I
sincerely hope that your judicial career will not be ended.
With kindest personal regards, I am
Very sincerely yours,
(signed) Bernard L. Shientag
Last Fall, a Justice of the Municipal Court of the
City of New York, who for ten years had tried to demonstrate
that justice obligated the man on the Bench to decide his
cases "under the law and the Constitution UNINFLUENCED BY
ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION" (address of Chief Judge Crane,
N.Y. State Constitutional Convention), was abruptly informed
that he had to get off the Bench because he had refused to
take orders from Hines, Torrens, Kelly, et al.
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York
broadcast their declaration:
"The obligation of our association in
safeguarding and maintaining the high-
est traditions of the Bench does not
and should not end with such endorsement."
The Citizens Union published their call in which
they announced:
"His uprightness and independence have
apparently disqualified him in the
eyes of the local democratic machine
which has denied him a re-nomination."
The New York County Lawyers Association denounced
this attack by these district leaders as
"A CHALLENGE TO THE IDEALS AND
PRINCIPLES THAT WE CHERISM" -
and they called upon the entire Bar to meet the challenge.
The entire press also added its protest and support.
Thus, the Judge who thought he had a right to be
loyal to these principles which Judge Crane declares
essential to democracy, was exited from the Court; and
Hines, Torrens, Kelly, et al. walked in.
This is not a personal matter. The individual
does not count. But what happened last November must not
happen again.
This brings up the issue of making the judioiary
a career instead of a political campaign. Here again we
are reminded of the plain pronouncement of Chief Judge
Crane to the Constitutional Convention:
"We believe in the freedom of the
judiciary and its independence.
It follows that there is a duty on the part of
those of us who believe in these principles, to see that
justice 18 done to the one man who had the courage and
character to continuously refuse to allow political
influence to enter his mind.