M Y MOST VIVID MEMORIES OF WASHING-
ton political life and social life started with the election of
1932.

The new candidate for President, Franklin Delano Roose-
velt, invigorated the scene at the Democratic Convention
that year with decision and speedy action. Yet newspapermen
who knew him as Governor of New York doubted that he
would make an unusual President, if elected. They liked
him in a casual, but unenthusiastic manner.

They were asked, "If elected, could he deal with the
crises?" Well, they doubted it, because he never had done
anything spectacular. Yes, he had made a competent gover-
nor, but they weren't sure that he was big enough for the
Presidency in time of crisis.

Everyone enjoyed hearing personal sidelights about
Roosevelt, but overshadowing all else in every mind was the
depression. The news was crowded with stories of bankers,
brokers, and business men committing suicide. We bought
apples from the unemployed men on street corners until we
loathed the sight of red apples. We knew that the poor of
many great cities were being fed in municipal soup kitchens
while factory chimneys cooled, farm mortgages were fore-

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