(article is
from the news section of the Jamestown Post Journal)
7/30/2004 - By JOHN WHITTAKER
One of the most influential speeches of the 1930s not only played a part in
helping save a foundering Chautauqua Institution, but it was also possibly
written by Robert H. Jackson.
On Aug. 14, 1936, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took the podium at the
Chautauqua Institution and made his case for peace as war in Europe loomed
on the horizon.
While there were more than 12,000 people trying to make their way into the
Amphitheater to hear the president speak, more than 40 people attended a showing
of the rare film version of Roosevelt's speech on Thursday at the Robert H.
Jackson Center.
Jon Schmitz, Chautauqua Institution archivist, introduced the film and made
a few remarks about it following the 18-minute dialogue.
The 1936 speech was the fourth time FDR had been to Chautauqua, Schmitz said,
and the seventh presidential visit.
''Among the speeches, none is remembered more than Franklin Roosevelt,'' Schmitz
said. ''The reason for this is his talent and the talent of those who worked
with him to adapt the oratory of the pulpit to a new medium. The speech that
you'll be hearing was essentially a speech prepared for radio, but it of course
makes the video no less interesting.''
Among the most memorable - and rare - pieces of footage contained in the film
is a short segment that shows Roosevelt walking to the podium.
The film also shows Jackson seated to Roosevelt's right in the film and, barely
visible, Jackson mouthing the words as Roosevelt speaks them - something Schmitz
said was first noted by Jackson scholar John Q. Barrett, the Elizabeth Lenna
Fellow to the Robert H. Jackson Center.
''When Roosevelt comes to the part of the speech when he discusses the horrors
of war, and then finishes by saying 'I hate war' you can see Robert Jackson
mouthing the words with Franklin Roosevelt,'' Schmitz said.
''Indicating
that he was thoroughly familiar with the text of the speech at that point
and is very suggestive that he, himself, is the author of those words and
probably at least that part of the speech.''
At the time, Chautauqua Institution was experiencing financial troubles and
faced the possibility that 1936 would be the last Chautauqua season, according
to Schmitz.
Donald Bestor, Institution president, then tried to put together a series
of programming that would stimulate interest in the Institution by outside
parties. Enough money was raised after the season to keep the Institution
open, Schmitz said, due in large part to four of the 1936 presidential candidates
speaking at the Institution.
It was Roosevelt, however, who was the true star of the presidential speeches.
''Roosevelt never lost sight of the fact the real audience was out in the
rest of the nation,'' Schmitz said.
The film was showed for the first time locally in 2003 with two showings at
the Chautauqua Institution. Thursday's presentation was the first time the
speech was shown at the Robert H. Jackson Center.
''You're seeing a product today that was filmed in 1936 as a newsreel that
had no sound to it,'' said Greg Peterson, Jackson Center board president.
''It was then dubbed in with the audio and long story short, the piece was
prepared in 1972, lost in the archives, unearthed and now is here in Jamestown.''
Send comments to jwhittaker@post-journal.com