At 10 a. m. one day last week Doorman Pat McKenna swung open the door into the private office of the President of the United States and announced: "The Gentlemen of the Press!"
Into the sunny oval room shuffled some 120 newshawks, the corps of eyes & ears through which the country sees its President from day to day. Behind a flat-topped desk sat Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his mouth stretched wide, his eyes half closed in a vigorous grin. He was smoking a cigaret in a long ivory holder. Behind the President stood his three secretaries, Col. Louis McHenry Howe, Marvin Hunter Mclntyre, Stephen Tyree Early. Miss Marguerite Lehand, his personal secretary, sat in the window ledge. Near his elbow sat his stenographer, Grace Tully, with pad & pencil. Another stenographer, Henry Kannee, occupied one end of the desk.
Uncertain how to behave in this, their first formal press conference with the new President, the newsmen hesitated. Doorman McKenna said: "Pass by in single file, please, and meet the President. Mr. Young will introduce you." John Russell Young of the Washington Star, oldest White House Correspondent on the job, took post near the President.
Reporter Young: Mr. President, this is Mr. Tucker of the World-Telegram.
The President: Of course, I know Ray.
Reporter Young: . . . and Mr. Stephenson [of the Associated Press].
The President: Hello, Steve, how's the quartet?
Reporter Young: . . . and Mr. Storm of United Press. . . .
Reporter Storm: How do you do, Governor—I mean . . .
The President (laughing): That's all right. Some of you men have known me as "Governor" for a long time. I hope you'll keep right on calling me that.
So it went down the list of White House correspondents, many of whom were long known to the President. Ernest Lindley of the New York Herald Tribune had covered Mr. Roosevelt since he began his first gubernatorial term at Albany. U. P.'s Storm had been with him since the winter of 1929. Universal's Edward L. Roddan, International's George Durno, A. P.'s Francis Stephenson, Chicago Tribune's John Boettiger had been on the job since the Presidential campaign.
Immediately the conference began, seasoned White House reporters were aware of a new atmosphere of pleasant informality. They could recall friendly expressions of "cooperation" which opened their dealings with Presidents Hoover, Coolidge, Harding, Wilson; but not such cordial warmth as this. Presently they learned of a more important innovation. President Roosevelt intended to answer questions—not only written questions, but impromptu verbal questions popped to his face. He would try it, he said, despite advice by wiseacres that no President since Theodore Roosevelt had been able to keep it up.