Evening star., 1939-12-05
Why the ComoufIoqe?

Senator Norris of Nebraska has
issued a plea to President Roosevelt
not to tell the politicians in the
Democratic and Republican parties
whether he will be a candidate for a
third term. 1t may not be material
In Mr.. Norris opinion, but as long as
the President fails to let the poll
ticians know what his purpose is,
Just so long are the American people
also kept tn the dark.
Underlying Mr.. Norris plea for
silence on the part of Mr. Roosevelt
lies the desire of the Nebraska Sena-
tor that the President shall run
again. He cloaks it with assertions
that mo man can tell what may
happen in the next several months"
apparently referring to the war sit
uation in Europe and the possibility
Of the United States being drawn
into the conflict. He suggests that if
Mr.. Roosevelt should remove him
self from the picture as potential
candidate, the liberals, the New Deal
ers and even the Democratic party
might be split even further into con-
flicting groups-and that in the end
1t would be impossible for a real New
Dealer to be nominated by the Dem
ocratic party, of which, incidentally,
Mr.. Norris has never been a member.
Senator Norris reveals in his state
ment, however, that he regards
President Roosevelt as the only man
in the country who can carry on the
New Deal. He says the President
must remember" that he cannot
surrender his leadership, while the
battle is still on, against the wishes
of millions of progressives who "look
upon him as the only man who can
lead them to victory" That is the
real milk in the Norris coconut.
1t is not surprising that Senator
Norris should favor a third term for
President Roosevelt-any more than
that Secretary Ickes, Secretary Wal
lace and Senator Guffey of Pennsyl-
vania should do so. He has expressed
similar sentiments at various times
in the past. In 1882 and in 1886,
Senator Norris supported the Presi-
dent and the President reciprocated
when Senator Norris was up for re-
election in 1886 and running, not as
the Democratic nominee for the Sen
ate, but as an independent" Presi-
dent Roosevelt took up Senator Nor
ris' long fight against the public
utilities, and set up the T. v. A. with
Congress aid.
Mr.. Norris assumes that it is only
President Roosevelt's enemies who
now desire to know whether he is to
run again, at least, that it is only the
Presidents enemies who wish him to
make an open statement 1t would
almost seem that Mr. Norris does
not believe in the strength of
the New Deal-as such. It is the
personal leadership of the President
which is needed to keep it alive and
to prevent return of more conserv-
ative government. For Senator Nor
ris warns that, unless Mr.. Roosevelt
leads, the united opposition might in
convention-supposedly the Demo-
cratic National Convention-succeed
in nominating a reactionary, or, at
least candidate who was progress
sive only in spots.'"
It is possible to read into Mr. Nor
ris' statement belief that this has
become one-man country-that no
one except Mr.. Roosevelt at this
time is capable of leading it. If that
were admitted today, it might easily
be admitted at the close of another
four years of Mr.. Roosevelt in the
White House. What then becomes
of tie democratic principle?