Evening star., 1938-06-25

IN one State, where q conservative
Democrat is running for nomination
and not to attack in another.
That the President intends to take
an active part in some of the Demo-
cratic primaries is made entirely
clear. He will not speak. however, as
President Of the United States.
Would Speak as Party Head.
"As head of the Democratic party,
however" he continued, Charged with
the responsibility Of carrying out the
definitely liberal declaration OF prin-
ciples set forth in the 1886 Democratic
platform. l feel that I have every
right to speak in those few instances
where there may be a clear issue
between candidates for Democratic
nomination involving these principles.
or involving clear misuse of my own
NAME
II Democratic candidate. extolling
the President by name. seeks to ride
into Office again on the Presidents
coat tails although he has opposed
some of the Presidents pet measures
the President apparently is going after
his political scalp. >
Discussing what he means by
liberal candidates. the President said ::
Roughly speaking the liberal school
Of thought recognizes that the new
conditions throughout the world call
for new remedies.
THE opposing or conservative
school Of thought, as a general PROPOSE
! tion. does not recognize the need for
Government itself to step In and take
action to meet these new problems
1t believes that individual initiative
and private philanthropy will solve
them-that We ought to repeal many
of the things We have done and 90
back. for instance. to the old gold
standard, or stop all this business OF
old-age pensions and unemployment
/ insurance, or repeal the Securities and
Exchange Act, or let monopolies thrive
nchecked-return, in effect, to the
kind of Government We had in the
20s.
Puts Yardstick in Words.
Assuming the mental capacity of
all the candidates. the important ques-
ton which it seems to me the, primary
voter must ask is this: To which of
these general schools of thought does
the candidate belong?
The President said he was not ask
ing the voters 'as President of the
United States to vote for Democrats
next November as opposed to Repub-
licans or members of any other party.
When he urges the people to vote
for liberals the President said, he
wishes it distinctly understood that
he means the believer in progressive
principles Of democratic, representa-
tive government and mot the wild
man who. in effect, leans in the direc-
ton OF Communism, for that is Just
as dangerous as Fascism."
The President left himself loop
hole. He said that he did not wish
to be understood as opposing a can
didate in a State primary merely be-
cause the candidate, otherwise liberal
in outlook, had conscientiously diff
cred with me on any single ISSUE"
Il should be far more concerned
about the general attitude of a can
didate toward present-day problems
and his own inward desire to get
practical needs attended to in a
practical way.
we all know that progress may be
blocked by outspoken reactionaries and
also by those who say yes to a
progressive objective, but who always
f1nd some reason to oppose any specific
proposal to gain that objective. I call
that type Of candidate a yes, but
fellow"
Takes Shot at Press.
The President took a shot at the
press before closing.
This being free country with
freedom of expression-especiall with
freedom Of the press-there will be
a lot of mean blows struck between
now and election day. BY blows
I mean Misrepresentation, personal
attack and appeals to prejudice. 1t
would be q lot better, Of course, IL
campaigns everywhere could be waged
with arguments instead Of blows"
The President concluded with 4
hope that liberal candidates would
confine themselves to argument and
not resort to blows.
Discussing the depression" now at
hand, the President placed the blame
on leaders Of business, of labor and
Of Government. He said that last
year the leaders of business had
pleaded for . sudden curtailment of
public spending and said they would
take up the slack They made the
mistake Of increasing their inventories
too fast and setting their prices too
high. Labor leaders "goaded by dec
AIDES Of oppression of labor, made the
mistake Of going too fast"
Sees People Frightened.
"They were not WISE" said the
President, "in using methods which
frightened many well-wishing peo-
pie"
The Government, he said, had made
the mistake Of being too optimistic
in Asuimin0 that ha,sipaee spd 1eho,