THE PRESIDENCY: New Quarters

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His devotion to Franklin Roosevelt has its obverse in that he does his jealous best to keep others from growing equally close to his idol. Other close Presidential friends such as Lewis Douglas and Raymond Moley have come and gone (and sometimes come again) but Louis Howe has maintained himself in a place unique and apart, the President's closest counselor.

Marguerite Le Hand is next to Louis Howe, the senior member of the Roosevelt entourage and, like him, dwells in the White House. She was a stenographer for the Shipping Board when she was hired for the Democratic Vice-Presidential campaign of 1920. She has never left the Roosevelts since. She handles all the President's personal affairs, knows his literary style so well that he can glance at a letter, direct "Say yes" or "Say no" and the answer she writes cannot be told from a Rooseveltian original.

Marvin Hunter ("Mac") Mclntyre, like most of the White House assistants, is an ex-newshawk. During the War he helped handle Navy press relations, afterwards worked for Roosevelt in the 1920 campaign. Later he mooned around the Navy press room, tried to peddle freelance stories on the plight of the fighting fleet. From Pathe Newsreel Louis Howe got him back for the pre-convention campaign in 1932. A genial fellow whose hollow cheeks and sunken eyes belie his good disposition, Marvin Mclntyre made himself valuable as Franklin Roosevelt's contact, first, with the Press, later with politicians and bigwigs. He lingers perpetually in the Presidential offing, chatting with those to whom the President wants to be nice without seeing, with those who are waiting their brief moment in the Presidential presence. He is the welcomer and the handshaker and in Washington he is the member of the White House staff Who dines out at all functions. He is, in short, the reflection of Franklin Roosevelt's engaging smile.

Stephen Tyree Early is Franklin Roosevelt's Master of Newshawks. Unlike skinny Mr. Howe and skinny Mr. Mclntyre, he is a big, fat-jowled fellow, of the type that appeals to Postmaster General Farley. His newspaper experience was largely gained as an Associated Pressman in Washington. His business now is to jolly the Press along, see that the "boys" obey the White House rules on quoting and not quoting the President, bark out his angry displeasure at those who do not play his game. For those who dance to his piping he frequently finds good jobs as pressagents in various Government bureaus. He is also given credit for conceiving the President's "fireside" broadcasts and arranging them at such intervals as to maintain the maximum amount of public interest.