The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-11-12
No Need To Rush

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Roosevelt's more exuberant journal
istic Spokesman that there was no one
in the country opposed to him at all
and that his election was unanimous.
Imbued with this not entirely bal
anced notion they have begun to exude
lot of nonsense about new ezra Of
Good Feeling" in which Mr.. Roose-
velt's critics will join his admirers and
all anti-New Dealers promptly get be-
hind the President in his new program
when and if developed. A nice senti-
mental, slushy time is to be had by
all. No discordant note is to be sound
ed. Everybody is to sing in the angel
chorus, with robes, harps and haloes
provided by jolly Mr.. Farley, who has
promised there are to be no reprisals
and is beamingly modest and magnani-
nous.
1t is a lovely idea, but slightly
premature. In the first place, the COM
plete returns show that some eighteen
(not fifteen but eighteen) million peo-
pie voted against Mr.. Roosevelt. While
not in the least detracting from the
magnitude of his victory, still eighteen
million people cannot be dismissed as
wholly negligible. They constitute a
considerable number, and it seems
hardly possible all Of them could have
been economic royalists" or "crea-
lures Of intrenched greed" The truth
is that, while Mr.. Roosevelt got more
votes than were ever cast before for a
Presidential candidate, there were also
more votes cast against him than were
ever cast against a candidate. 1t is
further true that when the enormous
political advantages on the Roosevelt
side, coupled with the dreadful inepti-
tude and Encouragement of the Re-
publican campaign are considered,
eighteen million is no small vote.
And there is the further truth that
the great bulk of this eighteen million
were not, as the New Dealers endeav-
ored to convey, malodorous million
aires and oppressors of the poor but
very average American citizens, who
deeply distrusted the wisdom Of the
Roosevelt policies-and still do. Now
that he has been overwhelmingly
elected, it is a little sudden to rush
them into an ezra of Good Feeling"
where they are expected to pledge CO.
operation with a man whose direction
is uncertain and support a program
before they know what it is. Nor is it
fair to regard those who do not imme-
diately subscribe to such an era either
as disgruntled losers or full Of bile and
bitterness. On the contrary, it does
seem that for those on the other side
to leap now for the Roosevelt band
wagon, proclaiming him their hero too
and calling upon everyone to uphold
his hands, involves a loss of dignity
and implies lack of self-respect. Mr..
Roosevelt does not become right just
because he won.
Those who opposed him from con-
viction will hope sincerely he makes it
possible for them to support him. If
now, with added power and prestige,
he sloughs off his shrill radical advis-
ers, devotes himself to getting us back
on an even keel, abandons his vengeful
attitude toward business and restores
orderly administration, he will have a
right to expect and will be entitled to
the support of those who opposed him
particularly of the anti-New Deal
Democrats. Such support under such
conditions would not only be due but
it would be merely enlightened self
ishness to give it.
49,
But there was in his campaign and
there has been since the election no
indication that such will be his course.
The gentlemen who now urge cooper
alton are not in position to know the
Presidents intentions and have fire.
quently been misled by his words.
He has within his close circle of
friends, representatives of two widely
different and exceedingly incongru-
Gus elements, each of which will at
tempt to steer him in it's direction.
1t remains to be seen which prevails,
but until that is clear it is little silly
to talk about everybody unfolding
the Presidential hands.
***
1t would be pleasant to think Mr..
Roosevelt intended to make that posi-
Die, but it will not be possible unless he
turns arouid-at least not possible
Tor some. This business of breaking
leg to get in line with the winner
may be smart, but it isn't pretty. Nor,
until it is justified by acts, does it
seem good citizenship. The more power
Mr.. Roosevelt has the more need there
would seem to be for critical opposi-
ton.