The Washington times., 1936-09-30

Tonight you and join forces
for the 1885 campaign. We enter
1t with confidence. Never was
there greater need for fidelity
to the underlying conception Of
Americanism than there is to-
Gay. And once again it is given
to our party to carry the mes
sage of that AmericaniSm to the
people.
The task on our part is two
fold: First, as simple patriot
ism requires, to separate the
false from the real issues; and,
secondly, with facts and with
out rancor, to clarity the real
problems for the American
public.
To Divert Attention
There will be-there are
many false issues. In that re-
spect, this will be no different
from other campaigns. Parti-
sans, not willing to face realities,
will drag out red herrings-aS
they have always done-to di-
vert attention from the trail Of
their own weaknesses.
This practice is as old as our
democracy. Avoiding the facts
fearful of the truth-a malicious
opposition charged that George
Washington planned to make
himself king under a British
form of government; that
Thomas jefferson planned to
set up q guillotine under a
French revolutionary form Of
government; that Andrew Jack
son soaked the rich Of the East
ern Seaboard and planned to
surrender American democracy
to the dictatorship Of a border
mob. They called Abraham Lin
coin a Roman emperor; Theo-
dore Roosevelt a destroyer;
woodrow Wilson a Self-consti-
tuted Messiah.
Not a Controversy
In this campaign another her
ring turns up. 1t has been British
and French-and a variety Of
other things. This year it is
Russian. Desperate in mood,
angry at failure, cunning in pur-
pose, individuals and groups are
seeking to make communism an
issue in an election where COM
muniSm is not a controversy be-
tween the two major parties.
Here and now, once and for
all, let us bury that red herring,
and destroy that false issue. You
are familiar with my background,
you know my heritage, and you
are familiar, especially in the
State of New York, with my pub
lie service extending back over a
quarter of a century. For nearly
four years I have been President
Of the United States.
A long record has been written.
In that record, both in this State
and in the National Capital, you
will find a simple, clear and con-
sistent adherence not only to the
letter but to the spirit Of the
American form Of government.
Rests on Record
To that record, my future and
the future of my Administration.
will conform. I have not sought.
I do not seek, I repudiate the
support of any advocate of COM
munism or of any other alien
'ism" which would by fair means
or foul change our American
democracy. That is ny position.
1t always has been my position.
1t always will be my position.
There is no difference be-
tween the major parties as to
what they think about COM
muniSm.
There is a very great differ
ence between the two parties
in what they do about COM
muniSm.
Communism is a manifesto
ton OF the social unrest which
always comes with widespread
economic maladjustment. We
in the Democratic party have
not been content merely to de-
nounce this menace. We have
been intelligent enough to do
something about it. And the
world has seen the results of
what we have done.
HOlU Crisis Was Faced
In the spring of 1888 we
faced a crisis which was the
ugly fruit of IL years of neg
lect of the causes of economic
and social unrest. It was a
crisis made to order for all
those who would overthrow our
form of government.
Do 1 need to recall to you