Evening star., 1933-03-05
ROOSEVELT MUST RECEIVE
SUPPORTER ENTIRE NATION
Failure of Administration Would Add to
Peoples disappointment and Bring
Dangerous Results.

In similar manner symbol after SYM
Dol turned out not to mean the thing
the people thought it meant. In some
cases the failure of the man to live up to
the public expectation of him was the
mans own fault-in more cases, mere
accident The distinction between ac-
c1dent and deserving made no differ
ence in the disillusionment which the
country suffered
The fallen gods lie all about us. The
greatest public utility magnate in the
country. symbol of strength and secur-
ity, Samuel insult, turned out to be
Juggler Of finance, or worse. Today he
lives precariously in Greece, resisting
extradition to the United States to face
charges made by grand jury, and his
brother clings to a similar refuge in
Canada. Apparently insult was one Of
the cases in which the man had fault.
But insult by his fall tarnished other
men, completely innocent men, and
these were added to the priests of
sound business practice who became,
to the public, false prophets.
Some great banking houses, one Of
which had had the confidence of gen.
erations of investors, sold to the pub
lie quarter Of billion of securities
issued by man, 1var Kreuger, who
turned out to be the most colossal
swindler, forger and criminal in all
history. The venerable and Justly re-
spected banking house was utterly
guiltless OF anything except that they,
too lightly gave their own confidence
to the swindler-their fault was lack
of suspicion leading to lack of care.
But these, also, were added to the
fallen gods. the sum Of the peoples
disillusionment.
Destroys Peoples Faith.
Such shattered idols lie all about US.
To the many national ones are added
countless local ones; heads of banks
that failed, local gods of politics Ur
other types Of public men who turned
out not be the parochial Gibraltars
their communities though them The
| sum " their fall IS a tragic destruc-
ton OK the peoples faith in their SYM
bols. .irhis is the particular result
of the depression which is at once the
most pathetic and also the most dan
gerous Of our institutions, to the So
cial orcec
The people, as q mass, can think
and feel and act only in terms Of
their accepted symbols-and the men
behind the symbols turned out to be
not the thing the symbols implied.
True, the people themselves were not
without folly and stupidity in their
faith, and not without cruelty in their
Disappointment They looked to the
gods Of business and politics to pro-
vide them with plenty, much as the
Indians looked to the medicine man
to see that the crops were abundant
the buffalo plentiful and fat When
business weather turned out to be not
within the medicine mans control t;lc
people turned upon him with s2T-
agery less brutal only than that G
the angry Indians.
The American people do not ca. :
an unmbrella." Is Mr.. AL Smiths pun
ent expression Of our national opt'r.
ism, our faith in things as they sr-
For the umbrella we rely on our lesJ-
ers: and when the storm proves heaI.."'
than the umbrella can protect |
against we do not blame ourselves.
Disillusionment Dangerous.
Another dsillusionment is the one
thing this country must not have. Il
would be too saddening, too dangerous
All men Of good will must wish against
it. That means they must wish that
Mr. Roosevelt have the kind and de-
gree of success that will come up to
| the faith of the people who have
made him President Great expecta-
tions have been built about him. 1t
does not matter how much or how
little he invited the people to place
their hopes in him. To have expec-
tations arise which you cannot live
up to Is one of the highest causes OF
tragedy, and fate does not discrimi-
nate between expectations deliberately
held out and expectations that arise
as the fruit Of conditions.
Regardless of promises held out by
! Mr. Roosevelt or on behalf of him,
he was, in the peoples minds. the con-
trast to President Hoover; and as they
visited resentment for disappointment
upon Mr.. Hoover, SO did they, and so
do they now. place reliance upon Mr..
Roosevelt. The people expect his ad-
ministration to coincide with prosperity.
It is all one whether Mr.. Roosevelt can
bring prosperity or whether prosperity
happens to coincide with him. Either
way toward the same outcome. pros
perity would bring the satisfaction of
faith in him that is the countrys
greatest need.
That is why success for Mr. Roose-
welt must be wished for by thoughtful
men, responsible men, men of good will
everywhere.