Evening star., 1936-11-20


terday banging ~ ~
away at each other, it is as if Mr.
Roosevelt had said-"let's adjourn
politics, let's have an end, for the time
being anyway, of party polemics."
To the so-called conservative and
radical divisions of public opinion,
1t is as if the President had said:
Lets enjoy bit of recovery momen-
tum and get stronger economically
and then we can take up reforms and
see how to make them practical and
effective"
Allays Dictator Fear.
To the persons who have become
frightened over the overwhelming
majority achieved in the election and
who fear one-man rule, it Is as If Mr..
Roosevelt had said, with character
istic smile: See how the country gets
along without it's 'dictator'-the Gov
eminent goes on just the same"
To the non-political world. to the
European world, to the hundreds of
millions of men and women on the
continents of North America and
South America as we'll as Europe it
Is as if Mr.. Roosevelt were saying:
Europe has re-established auto
eracy. Over here are the last
fortresses of democracy. Twenty-one
republics want democracy and want
peace not only with each other but
with the Old World. We are unit
for peace and for democracy-con-
slider carefully the effectiveness of 81
nations with a single purpose"
For some time it has been apparent
that Mr.. Roosevelt viewed with con-
cern the breakdown of democracy in
Europe He has referred to it
guardedly in his speeches. Secretary
of State Hull has been even more
specific in his addresses in insisting
that a restored trade was essential
as means of offsetting economic
nationalism Nobody can doubt that
the Government of the United States
today not only stands committed to
q course of peace. but believes that
world peace can be insured if the
world is made safe for democracy's
continuance.
Can ArtfulIy Sell Democracy.
It would not be proper, of course
or tactful for the United States to
tell other people, in Europe or else
where, what form of government is
best for them. 1t is not, OF course,
undiplomatic to praise democracy in
the abstract, but there is no way by
which Mr.. Roosevelt, as the spokes-
man of the people of the United
States, can engage in an attempt to
make over the European governments
by exhorting their people directly to
change their system.
The same objective, however, can
be sought in another way. 1t is by
emphasizing the solidarity of the
democracies of the Western Hemi-
sphere, by recreating their treaties
of goodwill and mutual trade, and
by revising their rules and laws gov
erning the maintenance of neutrality
and the shipment of arms and am
munition to the Eastern Hemisphere
from the nations of Pan-America.
There are many aspects to a practi-
cal program of peace. Mr.. Roosevelt
knows better than anybody in
America, for he has access to con-
fidential information from all over
the world. just how much there is
today a spread of communism and
fascism and other forces inimical to
democracy. He undoubtedly feels that
the moral forces of the two Americas
can be and should be modified for
world peace. His speeches in South
America ostensibly will be addressed
70 the Pan-American Conference. but
the whole world will read them or
listen to them, for they will be re-
broadcast almost everywhere.
Gives Sense of Newness.
This alone, incidentally, will give
the American people feeling that
their President is not far away-for
his voice will still be within reach
Of their radio sets.
As far as the conduct of official
business is concerned, the President
will be in as close touch with the
executive offices here as when he is
travelling on the Pacific Coast, 5000
miles away.
Mr.. Roosevelt likes the sea--he will
no doubt come back physically re-
freshed by the ocean voyage and in
spired also by his receptions abroad
as disciple of peace to work even
more actively in his second admins
tration than in his first for the cause
of international collaboration.