FRAN ROOSEVELT An Informal Biography BY ALDEN HATCH NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY . Foreword THIS is a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a full length portrait drawn to scale but necessarily impressionistic. It is not a photo graph least of all is it a definitive biography. There is no attempt to weigh or measure, or to assess the effect of his actions in the light of history. The great historic events are described, not objectively, but as they may have looked to him in the heat of action or in his hardily bought ...
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FRAN ROOSEVELT An Informal Biography BY ALDEN HATCH NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY . Foreword THIS is a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a full length portrait drawn to scale but necessarily impressionistic. It is not a photo graph least of all is it a definitive biography. There is no attempt to weigh or measure, or to assess the effect of his actions in the light of history. The great historic events are described, not objectively, but as they may have looked to him in the heat of action or in his hardily bought moments of contemplation. But, though the method of approach might be called novelized biography, it is based on the most exhaustive research possible at this time. The facts are absolutely accurate, the conversations, except in the earlier part of the book, are generally verbatim reports. In the case of the thoughts attributed to President Roosevelt the interpretation is based upon his public speeches, private letters, and intimate conversations. Often a man talking casually with a close friend will disclose more of what is in his mind by emphasis or expression than by the words themselves. In my talks with the Presidents intimates, I have tried very hard to get their impression of what he was thinking the feeling as well as the substance of a particular conversation. For instance, when the President ordered the Tuscaloosa to return to Washington on receipt of the news of the Russo-German pact in August, 1939, Admiral Mclntire is convinced that he had accepted for the first time the probability that the United States would have to enter the approaching European war if the democratic way of life were to be saved. Roosevelt did not make the absolute statement, but he implied it so strongly by what he did say, and by his attitude, that it becomes a reasonable assumption, I checked this opinion with a number of Roosevelts other advisers of that period, my question being When do you think that the President decided that the REWORD 0nijfed SMte5lwp df jy Mfjly have to enter the war In every case tliereply fixed tfie time witliin a few weeks of that day. This ip qfi has been followed in all the other attempts to probe the wordings of the Presidents mind, and while there is a wide pos sibility of error in particular instances, I believe that the over-all picture of the man is more true to life than a coldly objective state ment of provable fact could possibly be. In gathering the impressions on which this portrait is based, I have had the enthusiastic cooperation of many men and women who took time from their vastly important tasks to help me in the work of presenting a description of the man they either loved devot edly or hated passionately according to their creeds. Mrs. Roosevelt was most helpful first at the White House in the last glorious days and then in the time of grief that followed. She personally read considerable portions of the manuscript which con cerned her most intimately. James Roosevelt read the entire manu script and checked it for matters of fact. Others who contributed information and personal impressions were The President of the United States, Harry S. Truman Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, Vice-Admiral Ross T. McIntire, Stephen P. Early, Judge Samuel I. Rosenman, Irita Van Doren, Mrs. J. M. Helm, Miss Laura Delano, Miss Margaret Suckley, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., Miss Malvina Thompson, former Ambassador and Mrs. William Phillips, Justice Felix Frankfurter, Raymond Moley, Commander George C. Elcey and Majors Ogden Kniffen and Henry Putnam of the White House Map Room Ralph Page, Lieut. Col. John Stack, Frederic B. Adams, Jr., Mrs. Price Collier, Mrs. Allan Ryan, Arthur A. Ballentine, George Allen, William M. Chad bourne, Edgar B. Nixon, Josephus Daniels, Dr. George Draper, Charles Michelson, Mr. and Mrs. Hambly and the Misses Catherine and Roulie Hambly, Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Judge and Mrs. Clarence Norton Goodwin, Gilbert Golden, Francis B. Sayre, Cap tain Dashiel L...
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