Doctor of Laws

Doctor of Laws One hot noon last week President Roosevelt sat in the back of his open touring car, a roll and a hot dog in one hand, a glass of beer in the other. Once more he was in his native Dutchess County and once more he was completing a whirlwind circuit of fun and play.

Four nights before he had cleared his White House desk, reeled off a Cabinet meeting, bantered his way through with a press conference, signed a batch of bills left by Congress and said good-by to his private secretary, Marguerite Le Hand, off for a holiday in Europe (see p. 30). Shortly before midnight the Presidential special pulled out of Washington. Next morning it halted in Manhattan, just long enough to pick up Mrs. Roosevelt, Son James & wife. Two hours later President & party reached New Haven.

There Governor Cross of Connecticut came forward with outstretched hand to greet Harvard Alumnus Roosevelt. Through crowded streets the visitors drove to Yale's auditorium, Woolsey Hall, to attend the University's 233rd Commencement. While an orchestra played the overture to Die Meister singer, the President, leaning on his son's arm, marched upon the platform in black gown and took his seat among notables. One by one Yale's graduate students were given their degrees. William Lyon ("Billy") Phelps, himself unexpectedly presented with a doctorate of laws by President Angell, turned to citing the University's guests for honorary degrees. Last of all he came to Franklin Roosevelt.

Said Professor Phelps: "The President has done more to make the first page of the newspapers interesting than any other President in time of peace. We do not know what will happen in the next two years, but we know" it will be interesting. ... As a leader of the people, President Roosevelt might be described as exactly the opposite of Fabius the Cunctator. Former Presidents have had Congress on their hands; Franklin Roosevelt has Congress in his hands. . . ."

Yale's President Angell: "Brave leader of your people in a time of peril, with indomitable courage and good cheer . . . you have brought high intelligence and complete devotion to the service of the nation."

Then they slipped a purple hood over the President's head. A few minutes later he lunched with other Yale men in Memorial Hall. Doctor of Laws Roosevelt extemporized:

"While there has been a certain amount of comment about the use of brains in the national government, it seems to be a pretty good practice--a practice that will continue--this practice of calling on trained people. . . . Qualification from the standpoint of ability rather than from politics enters into most of the choices that are made. . . . I couldn't tell you today the party affiliations of probably the majority of people holding responsible positions in Washington. . . ."* After this informal meal with his "fellow Elis" the President was taken for a drive by President Angell, shown Yale's new buildings. Late in the afternoon, the President's party went down to New Haven's harbor and boarded the Government's converted inspection boat Sequoia, which had steamed up from the Potomac. That night they anchored at Saybrook, next morning at New London. On the Thames, opposite the Harvard crew house at Red Top, the President received aboard his son Franklin Jr. and other members of the Harvard freshman, junior varsity and varsity crews. Then the Sequoia dropped down to Gales Point and the Yale crews were received. Bags of Government mail were carried aboard the Sequoia from a Coast Guard cutter, and the President did his official stint. Next morning at 10, the Sequoia lay anchored next to the judge's boat at the finish line of the Harvard-Yale crew course, but President Roosevelt was not aboard her. Wearing a duck hat and white trousers he was seated in an arm chair on the forward deck of the referee's boat following the Harvard and Yale freshman shells downstream. His highest hope was to see Son Franklin, pulling No. 6 oar in the Harvard boat, win a glorious victory. While Father Franklin excitedly clasped the arms of his chair, the Harvard freshmen got away with a small lead, but Yale overcame it, then pulled ahead by half a length, by a full length at the end of a mile. The President cheered when Harvard staged a sprint but at the finish line, another mile beyond, the Yale crew was still three-quarters of a length ahead. Franklin Jr., like many another, wilted in his seat.

With Presidential impartiality, the disappointed father pronounced it "a good race." Later from the same vantage point he saw the Harvard junior varsity and varsity lose two more good races (see p. 40).

Next morning, abandoning the water, the President and Mrs. Roosevelt, followed by the usual cortege, motored 120 miles overland to Hyde Park on the Hudson, stopping at a roadside stand to lunch on hot dogs. By early afternoon they arrived at the President's mother's home. Inside the spacious house, they greeted Son Elliott, Daughter-in-Law Ruth Googins, Granddaughter Ruth Chandler, 6 weeks old and not yet photographed. It was the first meeting between the President and the Fort Worth girl whom his second son married last July a few days after getting his Nevada divorce. The Elliott Roosevelts, infant and nurse had flown up from Texas. The President gave them a warm welcome behind closed doors before settling down for two days as the Hudson River squire. Meanwhile the U. S. S. Houston, fitted and furbished as never before, was steaming to Annapolis to pick up President Roosevelt for the longest holiday out of the U. S. ever taken by a President.

* Republicans promptly remarked that if the President could not tell, Postmaster General Farley could.

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