The Roosevelt Week

Before starting for Washington to confer with President Hoover on War Debts, President-elect Roosevelt spent a quietly busy week which, for him, began in his big, high-backed mahogany bed in the Albany Executive Mansion. Recovering from a mild attack of influenza, he wore a blue silk dressing gown over a white sweater and pajamas when a dozen newsmen trooped into his high-ceiled bedroom for an interview. His bed was littered with letters and telegrams. On a table stood a glass of milk.

"Well, well, well, here you are!" was the loud greeting of the next President as he ground out his cigaret in an ash tray. "You've arrived just in time to see me sign the papers that commute the death sentence of one prisoner to life in Sing Sing and granting another condemned man a reprieve of three weeks."

"How do you feel, Governor?"

"Great! Great!" Grinning broadly, he shot out his fist like a prizefighter. "I had flu and fever with it. I think I caught my cold on my New England trip. We went through plenty of rain. . . ."

When newsmen tried to interrogate him about War Debts. Prohibition or Taxes, he mockingly put his finger across his lips, hoarsely whispered: "Hush! Hush!"

P:Next day he got up, went to work on State business.

P: At 2:45 a. m. a long distance call got Mrs. Roosevelt out of bed. After borrowing $10 from the Secret Service man on duty at the Executive Mansion, she caught the 3:18 train south. She arrived in Manhattan at 6:30. one hour after the birth of her fourth grandchild,* an 8-lb. son to Mr. & Mrs. Elliott Roosevelt, at Harbor Sanitarium.

P: Much to their surprise President-elect Roosevelt received in his study three unkempt Communist leaders planning a "hunger march" to Washington, spent 45 minutes listening to their "demands." Among other things they wanted $100,000,000 in relief funds, use of State armories, free transportation to Washington in State trucks, a guarantee against police interference. Polite but firm. Governor Roosevelt granted them nothing. Dialog:

Communist: How do you stand on unemployment insurance?

Governor: Didn't you read my speeches?

Communist: You made a lot of speeches but anyone can do that. Now it's up to you to make good. We've got to have something more than just talk.

Another Communist: In the next six weeks many people will be dying.

Governor: Don't be silly! No one is going to starve. We've plenty of [relief] money.

Third Communist: We want you to tell President Hoover the Federal Government must--

Governor (tartly): I can't tell the President to do anything. I'm simply a private citizen so far as the Federal Government is concerned.

*The other three: Anna Eleanor ("Sistie") Dall, 5; Curtis Roosevelt ("Bruzzie") Dall, 2; Sarah Delano Roosevelt, 8 months.

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