My Life

My Life - Oswald Mosleyup more money for good causes from people who believed in nothing. Is that just thecynical judgment of later life? Should the older self salute the idealism of the youngerself? Or should the younger self salute the wisdom of the older self? These are agelongquestions which can only be determined by fusing the fiery resolve of idealisticyouth and the cool, calm judgment brought by the years, into the tempered steel ofmaturity.The studies and pleasures of Florida were curtailed by the arrival of F. D. Rooseveltin his boat, and the journey along the Keys began. The objects were fishing andtalking. In the sport we met once more the savage barracuda, which was caught on theline as in trolling for salmon. His bite was severe and you had to watch his teethduring the landing. The best fun was going fast in a motor-boat over the shallowlagoons to get the sting-ray. It would lie flat on the bottom, easily visible, and thebusiness was to get the harpoon into it and to pass on at speed before the sting tailcame lashing over to retaliate; thereafter you slowly exhausted it by playing the cordattached to the harpoon. We used to set bait for shark at night when the boat was atrest. Much commotion would then ensue during dinner, and I would climb down theladder on the side of the boat to finish the shark with F.D.R.'s revolver, under thelights flashed by the coloured crew. Next day it was impossible to swim near the boat,for many sharks would be attracted by the blood.F.D.R. himself, on account of his infirmity, only bathed sitting in shallow water offthe beach, while we without much difficulty would beat off with wooden oars therelatively harmless little sand-sharks who would come wriggling in to have a look.The sail fishing and tarpon fishing—which were the main sports of Florida—were amore elaborate business which would have taken too much time, and belonged chieflyto another season. We were there for the interest and fun of a trip with F.D.R., for talkand good company.These fine things we had in full measure, accompanied by all his gaiety in cookingwaffles and other American dishes which were novelties to us. Did I change my firstimpression of F.D.R. as a result of this journey in daily contact? He was, first andforemost, essentially the politician. It was a paradox that a man from his relativelygentle background should come through the rough-house of current American politicson his way to the top. But that kind of man, once he faces up to it, can be the toughestof the lot, as I had already learnt in the war. In the world of daily political manoeuvreit would be difficult to match him, but he showed no sign of far-reaching ideas, oreven of any deep understanding of such matters. A good thing, according to the truepolitician, for ideas are liable to lose the vote tomorrow afternoon. Yet lack of farvision and consequent failure to find real direction can lead to final disaster. In thosehigh qualities of politics F.D.R. was not comparable to the great Europeans. Still morenotably, he lacked the clarity and grasp so often to be found in American businessmenand economists. The attraction of the best minds to business rather than to politicswas at that time a menace to America, which now fortunately appears to bediminishing. F.D.R. remained to me just a consummate politician of the short-termvariety, animated by genuine liberal principles and considerable emotionalism.It was impossible not to like Roosevelt as a host, for his charm and evident goodnature encompassed his guests. Yet this companionship did not suggest to me that hehad the mental equipment or the stature of character requisite in the President of the173 of 424