Evening star., 1936-07-27

void Of any revolutionary notions, were
devoted only to simple reform of the
American system. Prof. Moley, who
during the 1882 campaign was semi
official head OF Mr.. Roosevelt's ad-
visers. was 30 far from having funda-
mental change In mind, that today,
disturbed by much that Mr.. Roosevelt
has done, he is Utmost q critic of the
administration. The much discussed
Prof. Frankfurter is not. I think, q
collectivist. But some of Mr.. Roose-
velt's academic advisers were con-
vinced believers in collectivism and
wished q reorganization of American
society on the collectivist model.
Looking backward, we ask, Would
it have been possible for Mr. Roose-
welt and his more radical advisers
actually to have taken America
through peaceful revolution into a
collectivist form of society and gov
ernment? There was time when, !
think, it could have been done The
hour of decision for Mr.. Roosevelt,
were he a man of ruthless decisiveness,
an authentic Mussolini or Lenin, was
while all the banks Of the country
were closed, during March, 1888. That
was the hour when Mr.. Roosevelt had
his real rendezvous with destiny"
He did not keep it, or kept 1t only
haif-heartedly, and one doubts If
the lady will renew it.
Urged to Act Then.
At least one Of Mr.. Roosevelt's more
radical advisers, familiar with the
technique Of peaceful revolution,
recognized the hour. He urged Mr..
Roosevelt to keep the banks closed
indefinitely, to thus completely para
lyze and destory the old economic
system, and in the vacuum build
new. But Mr. Roosevelt was not
ruthless enough. With that hour
passed. with the banks reopened and
the old economic order functioning
again. with the people emerging from
paralysis and terror, there has never
been a day after April. 1888. when Mr..
Roosevelt could have subjected the
country to a new economic order and
form of government.
But Mr.. Roosevelt kept his radical
advisers close to him. From time to
time they renewed their suggestions
looking toward q new order Some of
the suggestions Mr.. Roosevelt ac-
cepted, others not. Some he accepted
only in part. At the same time, from
other advisers or upon his own ini-
tiative, he adopted projects which
were as conservative as the Constitu-
ton itself. Some of the best parts
of the 1882 platform were carried out.
In Several Directions.
AS net result. the three and
half years record is a picture of one
hobbled step toward collectivism, fol-
lowed by another back toward in
dividualism; one dash toward re-
covery, another toward reform. The
actions, as Gov Landon put it In
his acceptance speech. worked at
cross purposes and defeated them
selves"
To add, as Landon did, that "the
frequent and sudden changes in the
administrators policy caused a con-
Giludl uIlcdSllcSS, LS tOO IeStTdlINQ
statement. As respects recovery,
the program was like Q rapid sue
cession of first stepping on the ac-
celerator, then pulling hard on the
hand brake. As respects the funda-
mental economic system and form
Of government, 1t was a similar sue
cession of one dash toward COLLECTIVE |
ism followed by another back toward |
individualism.
What we have today Is partial
recovery-cluttered up with the debris |
of a half-hearted and now aborted
revolution. To take us out of this
situation, to put our house in order
and lead us forward. which presi-
dental candidate will the country
choose? To this QUESTION there is in |
the Baltimore Sun q sage though in |
conclusive answer. 1t is "the choice |
between a cautious man to take over |
the daring mans program and the |
daring man to continue his program"
fN,uvvtrkt 1noaN