Evening star., 1938-06-25

kind Of Government we had In the
twenties.
Asks TO Which School Do
The Candidates Belong.
Assuming the mental capacity Of
all the candidates, the important
question which 1t seems to me the
primary voter must ask is this: ITO
which Of these general schools of
thought does the candidate belong?"
AS President of the United States
I am not asking the voters of the
country to vote for Democrats next
November as opposed to Republicans
or members Of any other party. Nor
am I. as P1esident, taking part in
Democratic primaries.
AS the head Of the Democratic party,
however, charged with the response
bility Of carrying out the definitely
liberal declaration Of principles set
forth in the 1896 Democratic platform,
I feel that I have every right to speak
in those few instances where there
may be clear issue between candi-
dates for Democratic nomination in
volving these principles, or involving
a clear misuse Of my own name.
DO not misunderstood me. I GER
tainly would not indicate a preference
in a State primary merely because a
candidate, otherwise liberal in outlook,
has conscientiously differed with me
on any single issue. should be far
more concerned about the general at
titude Of candidate toward present.
day problems and his own inward de-
sire to get practical needs attended
to in a practical way. We all know
that progress may be blocked by out
spoken reactionaries and also by those
who say yes" to a progressive objec-
tive. but who always find some reason
to oppose any specific proposal to gain
that objective. call that type OF
candidate yes, but" fellow.
Champions Right to Assemble
And Express Views.
And am concerned about the atti-
tude Of a candidate or his sponsors
with respect to the rights of American
citizens to assemble peaceably and to
express publicly their views and opin-
ions on important social and economic
issues. There can be no constitutional
democracy in any community which
denies to the individual his freedom to
speak and worship as he wishes. The
American people will not be deceived
by any one who attempts to suppress
individual liberty under the pretense
of patriotism.
This being . free country with
freedom Of expression-especial with
freedom Of the press-there will bt
a lot Of mean blows struck between
now and election day. BY blows
mean Misrepresentation. personal at.
tack and appeals to prejudice. Il
would be q lot better, of course, i,
campaigns everywhere could be wagec
with arguments instead Of blows.
I hope the liberal candidates viii
conf1ne themselves to argument anc
not resort to blows. In case.
out Of 10 the speaker or writer who
seeking to influence public opinion
descends from calm argument to un.
fair blows hurts himself more thar
his opponent.
The Chinese have . story on this
a story based on three or four thou.
sand years Of civilization: Two Chi.
nese coolies were arguing heatedly IL
the midst Of crowd. A stranger ex.
pressed surprise that no blows were
being struck. His Chinese friend
replied, THE man who strikes first
admits that his ideas have giver
out"
know that neither in the summer
primaries nor in the November elec.
tions will the American voters fai
to spot the candidate whose ideas
have given out.