Cruise of the Myth

After he was elected President four years ago, Herbert Hoover got on a battleship and cruised around South America to rest and to allay hostile economic feelings engendered by the policies of Calvin Coolidge. After he was nominated for President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt got on a 40-ft. yawl and cruised around New England co rest and to allay hostile political feelings engendered by his defeat of Alfred Emanuel Smith at the Chicago convention.

With him as crew aboard the Myth II, Nominee Roosevelt took three of his four toothy sons, James. Franklin Jr. and John; Robert Delano, a nephew; and George Briggs, Boston friend. Trailing the Myth II around Cape Cod went the Ambassadress, a yacht full of political friends. Close behind the Ambassadress came the Mar con, a cabin cruiser used in the Lindbergh baby search, loaded to the gunwales with newshawks and cameramen.

The first night was spent at anchor at Morris Cove near New Haven. Frank P. Walsh, chairman of the New York Power Authority, boarded the Myth II to discuss the St. Lawrence seaway. The second day. Skipper Roosevelt piloted his craft 50 mi. along the shore to Stonington, Conn. That night's visitors included J. Howard McGrath, Rhode Island's Democratic State Chairman.

The third day's run carried the Myth II to Cuttyhunk, Mass, where the Governor's skill in piloting her to a difficult mooring won praise from landlubbers of the Press. The captain of the Ambassadress sent over a roast duckling to go with pork & beans and canned peaches.

After beating up Buzzards Bay to Sippican Harbor for the night, Governor Roosevelt confided to the Press that he was going to ask Lieut.-Governor Lehman this summer to make the usual gubernatorial inspection of public institutions throughout the State. Wiseacres immediately jumped to the conclusion that Nominee Roosevelt was preparing to put the Lieutenant-Governor forward as his successor at Albany. Acting Governor Lehman has run the State quietly and well for many a week while its chief executive was in Georgia having his lame legs treated. Last week Mr. Lehman gave a 30-day reprieve to a murderer, condemned to death in Sing Sing prison.

Early the fifth morning the Ambassadress towed the Myth II through the Cape Cod Canal. Little groups of citizens lined the banks, waved & cheered. Coast Guardsmen delivered five telegrams to the yawl. Vessels in Massachusetts Bay tooted salutes. . . . Sunset found the Myth II almost becalmed off Boston as the Marcon pulled alongside for a megaphone interview.

The Senate had just passed the Borah resolution to investigate the St. Lawrence treaty agreement. What did Governor Roosevelt think of that? Governor Roosevelt showed what he thought by waving his white duck hat and grinning.

Three hours after dark the Myth II dropped her hook off Marblehead. "Howdy, Colonel!" exclaimed Governor Roosevelt next morning when mousey little Edward Mandell House went aboard for a cockpit chat. A fair breeze whiffed the Myth II around Cape Ann, carrying her snugly into Portsmouth harbor. "Wonderful! Perfectly grand! Simply splendid," bubbled Cruiser Roosevelt & crew at the end of their 300-mi. voyage.

On Sunday noon he left the Myth II ,for the first time, was motored to Portsmouth and on to Hampton Beach. Passing his son James' summer cottage, he spotted his 4-month-old granddaughter Sara Delano Roosevelt blanketed in her nurse's arms. The motorcade was halted while the baby was carried out to be kissed. Some 50,000 New England Democrats were gathered on the beach to hear & see their leader. Said he: "This is a delightful welcome home for an ancient mariner. . . . We've had a very wonderful week with no casualties except losing some skin off our noses and some long hair that almost fouled the main sheet. . . . This is not a political gathering. It's just a great, big, nice family party. It couldn't be political because today is Sunday."

Nominee Roosevelt then proceeded to tell mild anecdotes about his previous visits to Portsmouth as Assistant Secre tary of the Navy. He recalled that his Republican "uncle," Theodore Roosevelt, as Assistant Secretary of the Navy sent an ironclad to Portsmouth during the Spanish War./- The crowd cheered. Mayor Curley of Boston presented a portrait of the Governor to him.

Fun over, Nominee Roosevelt next day motored back to Albany, to the Walker case and the serious business of getting himself elected.

/-Theodore Roosevelt was the uncle of Franklin Roosevelt's wife. At Portsmouth PresidentRoosevelt also settled the Russo-Japanese War.

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