Act of God

Colonel Edward Starling of the Secret Service and the converted Coast Guard cutter Potomac last week arrived in Miami. The same day two of the Navy's most up-to-date destroyers, the Monaghan and the Dale skidded into Port Everglades. The U. S. was mobilizing on Florida. Same day in Washington Mrs. Roosevelt wrote in her syndicated diary:

"This has been a grey rainy day, and I happened to choose the rainiest part of it to go for a ride. My dogs and I looked like drowned rats on our return."

Next afternoon when she and President Roosevelt should have been rattling southward by train, they and Secretary of War Dern were splashing by motor car over Maryland's drenched roads to see the flooded Potomac (see p. 17).

For 24 hours the President postponed his pilgrimage to Florida's fishing grounds; again for 24 hours; finally for 24 hours more. With pen instead of fishing rod in hand, he signed a proclamation urging citizens to contribute $3,000,000 for Red Cross flood relief. Around his desk assembled his Flood Emergency Committee: War Secretary Dern (rescues), Red Cross Admiral Gary T. Grayson (food, clothing, medicine), CCCommandant Fechner (rescues and patrol duty), WPAdministrator Hopkins (repair of dikes, sewers, water supplies), Treasury Secretary Morgenthau (finance). After three days Secretary Dern appeared with the announcement that the flood was receding. Next noon, with this act of God behind him, President Roosevelt was Southbound for fun.

First significant stop of the Presidential special was at Charleston, S.C. There shortly after midnight, General Johnson Hagood, recently ousted from his Texas command because he spoke of WPA "stage money" (TIME, March 9), boarded the train by previous invitation from the President. Next afternoon they conferred. After a two-hour session, the President announced that General Hagood would have a three-month leave of absence. Meanwhile in Washington Major General Frank Parker was ordered to Texas to take over General Hagood's old command.

Tardy by 48 hours, the President and Mrs. Roosevelt arrived at Rollins College, Winter Park, Fla., he to receive a Litt. D. to take on his fishing trip; she to receive a bronze medallion to take back to Washington.

The President drove 50 miles to Titusville, entrained for the South. At Port Everglades he marched up the gangplank of the Monaghan, put out to sea where his yacht awaited him.

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