National Affairs: The Head of Cromwell

James H. R. Cromwell may be rich but he loves ideas. He is the author of two books on the Synchronization Theory for the production of wealth. He himself is the production of wealth, partly by virtue of his widowed mother’s marriage to the late Philadelphia Financier Edward T.Stotesbury, partly by marrying (in 1935) fabulously rich Doris Duke. Jimmy finds his position in the world significant, not to say symbolic. Says he: “You might say that I am a symbol of a great change that is taking place, as a result of the depression, in the ruling class.

” Many an aspect of life has kept Jimmy’s mind humming: the 2,400-acre Duke estate in New Jersey, a million-dollar cottage in Hawaii, his Synchronization Theory, birth control, sterilization of defectives, libel laws, publicity and, most recently, politics. Four years ago, shy, handsome Doris Duke Cromwell, who up to then had taken no part in the political conversation, gave the Democrats $50,000. By happy coincidence, or perhaps synchronization, last January Jimmy was appointed U. S. Minister to Canada.

Last week he spoke as guest of honor before the Canadian Club and the Empire Club of Canada. Wide he opened his mouth, and firmly he put his foot in it. Said he, referring to his fellow U. S. citizens : “To me, it is only too apparent that the life, the liberty, the livelihood and the very safety of this same neutral citizen may be dependent upon the outcome of the present war.” The outcome Minister Cromwell hoped for, he made clear, was the victory of the Allies. Picturing himself as a sentry who “sees approaching a force which frankly and openly seeks to destroy,” Jimmy thundered: “Upon this interpretation of my duties as a diplomat I am content to risk my official head. If I be wrong then let the executioner be summoned and wield his ax. Head chopping is just an old family custom with the Cromwells anyhow.”

For three full minutes the audience applauded, forgiving Jimmy’s historical dustiness* for the sake of his heat. But if Canada was pleased, hopping mad was many a U. S. Congressman. “An outrageous and disgraceful breach of his office,” growled Missouri’s Senator Clark, demanding Jimmy’s immediate recall. Ohio’s Representative Sweeney: “We should have the courage to tell Cromwell and his lawfully wedded fortune, Doris Duke, to get the hell out of this Republic.” Senator Gerald Nye of North Dakota accused Jimmy of being a mere mouthpiece: “All that Cromwell was doing was reflecting the language and wishes of the President.”

Promptly Jimmy’s boss, Secretary of State Hull, demanded to see a transcript of the speech, and as Jimmy flew back to his New Jersey estate, delivered a stinging and public rebuke: “The address contravened standing instructions to American diplomatic officers. . . . Such public statements by our diplomatic representatives are likely to disturb the relations between this and other governments.” The Hon. Mr. Cromwell, his head still on but his diplomatic bottom well spanked, was told to observe in future the “standing instructions.”

At week’s end, Mr. Roosevelt had also entered the row. Furious at reports in several newspapers which cited “an unimpeachable authority” for the allegation that the President had seen a copy of the Cromwell address before it was delivered, Mr. Roosevelt ordered his secretary, Stephen T. Early, to say: “The public is hereby warned, this time through a formal White House statement, against believing certain types of so-called news stories carried by certain types of so-called newspapers. …”

What readers of the Saturday Evening Post last week wondered was how much the Hon. Mr. Cromwell’s sound-off had to do with a story of his career written by Jack Alexander, published last week. “It was all a surprise to us,” chorused Post editors and Mr. Alexander, denying they had put Mr. Cromwell up to any synchronizing publicity stunt.

Another guess about what possessed Jimmy to go and do such a thing was that he will shortly resign from his Canadian post, try for a spot where the acoustics are even better. Declared the Newark, N. J. evening News: “High Democratic sources said today that James H. R. Cromwell would announce his candidacy for the party nomination for U. S. Senator ‘not later than Monday or Tuesday.’ “

*It was not Oliver Cromwell who got axed, but Charles I.