The Roosevelt Week

President Roosevelt snapped on his radio with more than usual interest and anticipation one morning last week. The world was still ringing with applause for his public appeal to the heads of 54 nations to keep the peace and cut offensive armaments. Now, over the radio, would come the first practical test of his words. Chancellor Hitler was addressing the Reichstag. Not until he was half way through was his speech cut in for U. S. broadcasting. Then President Roosevelt, listening intently, translated aloud in snatches as the German phrases came over the ocean: "Germany is ready to join a solemn non-aggression pact. . . . Germany would be ready to dissolve its whole military establishment if. ... The German Government sees in the English plan a possible basis. . . ." The President stayed to hear a summary translation of the whole address (see p. 12). When he walked out of the study he felt he had succeeded in supplying Germany with a ladder on which to climb back aboard the peace-bound international bandwagon.

President Roosevelt's next international move was toward France and her demand lor security before disarmament. He informed the resurrected Geneva Conference, through Ambassador-at-Large Norman Davis, that the U. S. was ready to consult with other powers on defining and bridling aggressor nations--provided arms were actually reduced (see p. 14).

Real progress towards Disarmament was the necessary prelude for next month's World Economic Conference. Preparations for that also occupied the President last week. As his first three delegates he picked Secretary of State Hull, Ohio's James Middleton Cox, his Democratic running mate in the 1920 national campaign, and Senator Key Pittman of silver-producing Nevada, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Four more were sought. The President tried to induce Senator Hiram Johnson, California Republican, to join the party but that old xenophobic isolationist hesitated. The U. S. delegation will sail May 31, on a per diem allowance of $8, compared to the $20 drawn by U. S. delegates on the London Naval Conference three years ago. Also under consideration by the President was a second-string conference delegation, to be based in Washington and built around Assistant Secretary of State Moley. This delegation would keep the President informed of what was going on at London, advise him on moves and countermoves.

Meanwhile Secretary Hull drafted and redrafted legislation which would give the U. S. delegation authority to strike tariff bargains at London. President Roosevelt pondered sending such a measure to Congress before adjournment about June 10.

Continuing his White House talks on world economics. President Roosevelt last week saw Chinese Minister of Finance T. V. Soong and Mexican Minister of Finance Alberto Pani on silver stabilization. Next on his calling list was Viscount Kikujiro Ishii, Japanese Privy Councillor, on his way as chief delegate to the London Conference.

P: One night last week NBC got the White House Portico Quartet to sing "Home on the Range'' over a network. The quartet: Roosevelt Secretary Marvin Mclntyre, United Press's Fred Storm, Chicago Tribune's John Boettiger, Universal Service's Edward Roddan.* President Roosevelt interrupted a White House conference on the National Recovery Act to listen in. When the singers finished, the President telephoned the broadcasting studio. Disguising his voice he got the quartet leader on the wire. Approximately the following dialog then took place:

President: That's a fine act you've got. I could sign you up for a regular job.

Leader: We're not looking for a job. Who's this speaking?

President: Never mind. I'd like to get your bunch under contract for a performance once a week. How about it?

Leader: Who the hell are you?

President: I'm the advertising manager of Cascarets.

P: President Roosevelt took Harry L. Hopkins away from New York's Governor Lehman as State Relief Administrator, appointed him Federal Emergency Relief Administrator to disburse the Government's new $500,000,000 fund. Administrator Hopkins declared that the peak of unemployment was passed.

P: Other appointments by the President: Stephen Bernard Gibbons of New York to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury; Herbert Jackson Drane of Florida to be a Federal power Commissioner; Conway P. Coe of Maryland to be Commissioner of Patents; Fred W. Johnson of Wyoming to be Commissioner of the General Land Office. Ewin Lamar Davis, Tennessee "lame duck," brother of Ambassador-at-Large Norman Davis, got a minor job as trade commissioner.

P: The press of public business last week forced President Roosevelt to cancel his engagement to open Chicago's Century of Progress Fair May 27. Neither could Vice President Garner go. Postmaster General Farley, the Administration's routine banqueteer and speechifier, took the assignment. Chicago's Mayor Kelly cheerfully declared a "Let's Go, Chicago'' week.

* Associated Press removed its Francis Stephenson from the original quartet in line with its policy to permit no broadcasting of its news facilities.

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