An Easy Call   

Few stories cause as much newsroom angst these days as those dealing with the extramarital affairs of politicians. But back in the 1940s there wasn't much to argue about, at least in the view of one newspaper publisher.

During World War II — unknown to the public — President Franklin Roosevelt had renewed an old friendship with Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd. Washington Post government columnist Jerry Kluttz got wind of this and also of various peccadillos of FDR's four sons, then in uniform.

Before he wrote anything, Kluttz wisely went to see the Post's publisher, Eugene Meyer (father of Katharine Graham and grandfather of Donald Graham). Kluttz later filled me in — I was writing the Post's history — on what transpired.

The columnist recounted that Meyer heard him out, "puffing away on his cigar, clearing his throat and spitting every 30 seconds or so. I could tell he was furious... He looked me in the eye and measured every word. It went along this line:

"Mr. Kluttz, you must understand very clearly that the Post will never use any stories such as those you mentioned that would bring disrespect upon the president of the United States, and particularly in a time like this when we are looking to the president for leadership. I personally believe no representative of the Post should engage in such filthy and untrue stories... If we destroy the president, we destroy ourselves."

— C