Evening star., 1937-10-31
A Pundit PrOclaims.

Herbert George Wells-who is perhaps
better known by his initials, H. G."-is
Britain's most prolific writer. He has
written so much that his condensed
biographical sketch in who's Who
occupies more than column, which is
very large space indeed for that work.
He has written on almost every subject
under the sun, and some that pertain
to the limitless universe beyond the orbit
of that comparatively small sphere. He
has discussed sociology, international af-
fairs, domestic questions, peace, war and
economics Thus he qualities as philos-
opher and thinker without limitations.
1t is therefore not surprising that he Is
just now dabbling-not to use the word
unpleasantly-in American political
matters, speaking with the voice of wis
dom and even venturing in some
what cryptic manner upon the delicate
ground of prophecy.
The other day he was interviewed in
Philadelphia, shortly after he had
lunched with President Roosevelt, and
In answer to a question relating to the
matter of third term for the Presi-
dent he declined to make prediction.
That was wise. For the question is one
that only the President can answer, ac-
cording to some of his American sup
porters. Mr. Wells indeed, put the mat
ter rather more broadly. He said:
That is a matter for Mr. Roosevelt and
yourselves to answer" Then he added
these somewhat cryptic words: Il do
not see the preparation at present of
any alternative to it."
Just what Mr.. Wells meant by prep
sration" is not explained. Does it mean
the advancement of candidacy that
will unite the opponents of the New Deal
in majority vote for another than
the incumbent? Does 1t mean the groom
ing of a successor as the Democratic
candidate of 1910? The word "alterna-
tive" has its significance. Does 1t mean
that in Mr.. Wells judgment there is no
Democrat big enough to succeed Mr..
Roosevelt upon the completion Of his
present term of Office and to carry on
the administration on New Deal lines?
Or does it mean that the Republicans
have no man in prospect big enough to
carry the country if pledged to re-
vision of national policies along anti
New Deal lines?
Then Mr.. Wells dropped into mood
of comparison. He said,
Suppose the President died tomorrow,
what have you ready? The thing that
held the Roman Empire together, the
thing that is holding England. is the
existence of civil service Even If some
body did put some dynamite under 10
Downing street and even If we do change
a king en- passant, these things do not
change England very much, but compar-
able happenings might have q great ef-
feet on America.
One might suggest that Mr.. Wells
ought to have remembered, as respects
his hypothesis OF the passing "tomor-
row" of the President, that the United
States boasts Of such an executive under
study as Vice President, an office not
titularly existent in England, though on
certain recent occasion when the
monarch was, in effect, deposed, there
was ready a successor to the crown,
whose accession was effected without
difficulty or delay, as Mr. Wells notes.
Admirers of Mr.. Wells will be prone
to wish that he would not venture into
the field Of American politics and eco
nomics. There are enough American
muddlers in this field, without the i'm
portation of even so learned and uni
versally competent philosopher as the
scholarly author of that great work
which is known as "The War That
Will End War" a reference to the
four-year skirmish that has been fol-
lowed by fighting in we'll nigh every
part of the world, save America, ever
since.