The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-07-16

we Witnessed a good many south
ern states voting to abrogate the
two-thirds rule over protests Of
some of their own numbers.
There is another circumstance
about the Philadelphia convention
that I believe war
Quote rants mention. It
Jefferson may have gone un-
noticed generally
but just $50 years after Thomas
Jefferson drafted the Declaration
of independence, the Philadelphia
convention of the Democratic par
ty copied from the immortal Dec
laration the famous phrase: 1--WE
hold these truths to be sef-evi-
dent"
1t was bold move on the part
Of the New Dealers to lift that
Jeffersonian expression and to
place it among the many new the
cries and new ideals which they
advance under the banner of what
was the Jeffersonian party. Some
observers point out that this ac-
ton may invite comparison be-
tween the political ideals of Thorn
as jefferson and Franklin D.
Roosevelt because surely there Is
much more In the Declaration of In
dependence than the simple express
sion that certain truths are self
evident.
fancy that the Republican op-
ponents will not overlook the op-
portunity to attack the New Deal
ers on this action. 1t viii be re-
called, as history records It, that
the Declaration of Independence
was drafted and accepted largely
because of the intolerable actions
of King George III. His tyrannical
actions bred the Declaration. His
ruthless and inconsiderate DEGREES
induced support for those who
loved liberty and the pursuit Of
happiness In the ways that they
chose. So, 1t appears at this dis
lance that the use of the Jeffer-
sonian statement by the New Deal
ers may provide their opponents
with a type of ammunition seldom
made available as campaign argu-
ment.
In these days when the world, as
well as the American nation, is
>, sorely troubled and
iotR disturbed, thos e
About Peace Americans who are
convinced that iso-
lation may ruin our country, can
find little satisfaction either In the
Democratic or Republican plat
forms. This may not seem i'm
portant until one looks back over
the last two decades. Examination
of what has happened IN that time
is sufficient to demonstrate the sig
nihcance of this isolatiolnst trend
by both major political parties.
The Republican plank on foreign
affairs has little to say and what it
says is chiefly negative The plank
drafted by the Roosevelt admin
stration and adopted by the Phila-
delphia convention is as nebulous
as the milky way. Each platform
talks about peace but it is de-
cidedly doubtful that either plat
form has offered a genuine way
to obtain or maintain peace.
Tt was only natural that the Re
publicans should restate their OPP
position to the League of Nations.
1t was likewise only natural that
the Democratic plank on foreign
affairs should be full of glittering
generalities because it is yet to be
remembered that the late Woodrow
Wilson has countless followers In
the New Deal party who hold the
conviction that the League of Ma
tons, with American support,
would solve most world problems.
It is obvious, therefore, that the
Democrats could not commit the
party either to League adherence
or non-adherence.
Except for the party split over the
old Wilsonian policies whose ideals
s.ood as a ghost IN the background
IN the Philadelphia convention, one
might have expected more definite
declarations from the Philadelphia
conclave. For example, the Roose-
welt administration has sponsored
reciprocal trade agreements. II
has broadened American foreign
policy IN many other ways but
some leader In the group that
drafted the 1896 platform was
smart enough to realize that dec
laration on internationalism that
was too strong would have brought
about a vicious outburst at Phila-
delphia. In consequence, almos.
nothing of tangible character was
forthcoming.
Therefore, IN summing up,
think il must be concluded that
both platforms have been drawn
to appeal to Americans as isola-
tionists. Likewise, it occurs to
me that the Interpretation of their
promises and plans and foreign
policies by the two contending can.
didates viii be the more interest.
ing as the campaigns proceed.
1 G Western Newspaper Union