Evening star., 1938-06-11

wise the broadcasting systems furnish
free radio facilities and they cannot
very well assume in advance the
things the President might say which
would class his speeches as political.
Thus the country will witness a
full-fedged political campaign trip on
the part of the President and vet
camouflaged as merely the summer
journey of Chief Executive in search
of relaxation. Mr.. Roosevelt WILL to
be, sure, take sea voyage after he
reaches the Pacific Coast, but en-
route across the continent he will
make series of impromptu addresses.
More important politically is the GUS
tom of inviting to his train favorites
inside a State and thus implying to
the voters of the Democratic party
which candidates bask in the sun
light of the presidential smile.
Boldly Uses Device.
Mr.. Roosevelt is by no means the
discoverer Of this technique but no
President in recent years has used it
as boldly. AS matter of fact most
Presidents have felt a certain COM
junction even about campaigning for
their own reelection, let alone striv-
ing to interfere in the election of the
members of a coordinate branch of
the Government. The customary at
titude has been for Presidents to re-
frain from active political campaign
ing after they reach the White House.
The theory that when man reaches
the Presidency he should not use that
Office to influence voters in a political
campaign has been more or less as
sociated with the idea that the presi- |
dental Office is above partisan poll
tics.
Back in 1918 when the late Presi-
dent Wilson called for the election of |
a Democratic Congress, widespread re-
sentiment resulted. No President since |
has repeated that mistake. But it does |
look as If Mr.. Roosevelt is going to |
approximate Mr. Wilson's position by
making trip not only to influence
the choices inside the Democratic |
party, but to lay the foundations for
another campaign in the autumn. Mr..
Roosevelt may be expected to cam
paign openly for the election of New
Deal Senators and Representatives. It
is difficult to see how he can make an
appeal for Democratic" Congress
as such, because there will be many
Democrats on the ballot who will have
won their respective nominations be-
cause of and in spite of their opposi-
tion to the New Deal.
Example for U. S. Employees.
Mr.. Roosevelt's participation in
party politics is far more important
than a mere indication of presidential
views on current problems. 1t says,
in effect, to Office holders throughout
the country that civil service rules and
previous inhibitions about Federal en-
pleye participation in politics may be
regarded as more or less dead letter.
When the head of the whole Govern
ment uses time-for which he is paid
q S75, 5,000-a-year salary and $4,000
travelling expenses by all the people
not just the New Dealers-to engage
in politics, there is bound to be from
that example an implication that it is
all right for the rank and file to do
likewise and particularly for the Fed
eral Office holders in executive posi-
tions in the various bureaus, commits
sions and agencies scattered in the
5000 or more branches of the Federal
Government throughout the country.
Mr.. Roosevelt may not have given
consideration to the ethics or propriety
of his forthcoming political trip, but
1t is conception of the presidential
Office which will not square with the
record of other Presidents. If his
philosophy becomes the prevailing one
in the White House, the Nation may
expect hereafter to see the White
House used more and more as a
vehicle for partisanship and less and
less in the interest of all the people
irrespective Of party.
Unrepayable Debt.
Such trend leads so naturally to
q White House control of the legis-
lative branch of the Government
for those elected with Presidents
help are forever in his debt-that
1t must inevitably mean breakdown Of |
Government by party and-a substi-
tuition of personal government with
one man as the dictator not only of |
party personnel but public policies.
This is not new either in America.
Boss rule Is a familiar experience in |
States and cities, but It Is somewhat |
novel to have political boss operating
from the Executive Mansion and with |
public funds at his disposal for use in |
political campaigns. Maybe some day
the voters irrespective of party will |
express their revulsion against the use
OF the presidential Office for political
purposes-they have such an oppor-
tunity on two occasions this year-in
the nominating primaries and in the |
autumn elections.
tcopyrisht, 193S.)