Evening star., 1932-07-17

of the two new candidates-Rooseve
and Garner-since the personalities of
the Republican nominees are we'll
known through four years in office.
What sort of men are Roosevelt and
Garner, and particularly what promise
do they give for the future, what pro-
gram do they have? That, in compari-
son with the known personality OF
President Hoover and his known atti-
tude toward public questions, will have
much to do with the shape the cam
paign will take.
Gov. Roosevelt seems to realize this.
His trip by airplane with his wife and
family from his home to Chicago and
doubtedly meant in part and legiti-
mstely designed to call attention TO
himself, TO give the public an impress
sion of the sort of man he is. Four
months is none too long an opportunity
for a presidential candidate to get the
picture of his personality effectively in
the public mind. in comparison with
President In Office who has had four
years. Gov Roosevelt made quick
and dashing start.
So far as the campaign turns on eco-
nomic issues, the cleavage will be Re
publican conservative versus Democratic
radical. Il use the latter word in its
true and dignihed sense, without argu-
mentative imputation)
This distinction Is not to be found
in the respective platforms. Both plat
forms are, In slightly differing degree,
conservative. The Republican platform
reads as II 1t deliberately meant to be
unequivocal in its conservatism; as II 1t
meant to say, in the spirit Of Gen.
Grant, Here We take our stand, and
we propose to fight and build our way
out of this depression without material
depart ture from old American ways, no
matter how long it takes No platform
of either party, at any time. ever went
SO far in affirming its support of ortho-
dox policies as this present Republican
platform chose to 60 in time of de-
preston, when discomfort clamors
against the old and suggestions for
change and panaceas thrust themselves
forward from hundred sources.
The Democratic platform is really not
explicitly less conservative than the Re-
publican. The principal craftsman OF
the Democratic platform is one of the
most conservative men in the country,
Mitchell Palmer. Attorney General of
the United States in the Wilson ad-
ministration during the war. On the
question that is always fundamental in
a time of extreme depression, currency
and the gold standard. the Democratic
platform is as orthodox as the Republl-
can Neither cffers any welcome to fiat
/ money. So far as there is a difference,
! the Republican platform is more firm
and explicit: The Republican party
will uphold the gold standard
The Democrats do not use the word
4 = I@,,t 20 NIIr
maintained at all hazards"
About refusing compensation to vet
Grams whose disability was not caused
by the war. the Democrats are more
firmly conservative than the Republi-
cans. Both parties put their position
in terms of describing what class OF
veterans should have compensation
The Democrats would give 'compensa-
ton to all war veterans who have suf-
fered disa bility or disease caused by OF
resulting from actual service in time OF
war" The Republicans would give full
and adequate relief for our service dis
abled men,
Thus the two parties agree, by what
they omit, in excluding from compen-
sation men whose disability arose In
time pursuits (ThiS Is an I'M
portant point; much will be heard OF
it because it is fact that the Govern
ment literally cannot go on paying com
pensation to all veterans on the scale
now established, unless the value of the
dollar should materially change)
In essentials, then. both platforms
are conservative True. the Democratic
one at spots lends itself, with appar-
ent deliberate intention, to radical in
depreciation, as for example the cryptic
phrase about a highly controversial
issue:
I'VE advocate . development and
| use of the Nations water power in the
I public interest"
That Democratic dogma might, OF
might not, mean Government owner
ship or operation or both. That phrase
does not repel from the Democrats Sen
ator George w. Norris of Nebraska, who
believes in Government ownership. Par'
enthetically, does the country, aftel
what it has recently seen. really want
to make an immense addition to tht
army of Government employees who bur.
den and harass us in normal times. anc
in hard times resist and flout efforts Il
reduce their numbers or their pay?)
Under that plank Of the platform Gov
Roosevelt is permitted to be for Govern
ment ownership-or against 1t.
The Democratic platform. whil
mainly almost as conservative as th
Republican, has several little squint
like that. permitting radical interpreta
ton. giving their candidate the opening
to take the radical line if he wishes.
And that is likely to take place. A.
between Gov. Roosevelt and Presiden
Hoover, the latter will hold the con-
servative position with which he i
already identified. Gov. Roosevelt vii
take the radical.
To impute this likelihood to Gov
Roosevelt Is not argumentative. HI
would be the last to call 1t invidious
His temperament inclines him towarc
change. He believes in change. radica
change He took an obviously gleefu
pleasure in getting rid of one ancient
institution, the acceptance ceremony
and as he did 1t he added Tin hi!
speech to the convention in Chicago:
81 have started out bv breaking ths
absurd tradition. Let it be SYM
bolic that l broke traditions. Let 1t bt
from now on the task of our party tt
break foolish traditions"
That Gov. Roosevelt will take the
radical line, the line that proposes in
novations, as distinguished from Repub-
lican conservatism, is the understanding
| VI CfCly OllC SiOoC w tA1C tdAiAPoA6AA
David Lawrence, speaking as alway.
without bias, says, "Radicalism versu.
conservatism? This is the choice th'
voters will be asked to make" Mr.
Frank Kent, in the Democratic Balti.
more Sun, says in effect the same
Mr.. Kent, incidentally. speaks OF tht
convention which nominated Roosevelt
as dominated by radical Senators from
the South and West"
That point is important. 1t is Gov
Roosevelts associations. rather thar
anything yet known about himself Of
his own temperament and convictions
that creates the universal impression
that he is radical The Senators wht
had most to do with Roosevelt's nomi'
nation and were most vociferous in hi!
behalf, include Burton K. Wheeler o.
Montana, Clarence C. Dill Of Washing.
ton, Huey P. Long Of Louisiana. Since
the convention some Of the Republican
radical Senators, notably George w
Norris of Nebraska, have announced
~ L. 4 u.