Evening star., 1939-05-22

the New Deal puts reform ahead
OF recovery, whereas businessmen
inslst-and most businessmen are
Republicans-that reform and re-
covery should go together without
one destroying the other.
What the Republicans really want
is man who understands the eco
nomic situation, who has had some
experience with the large mechanism
called business and who is broad
gagged enough to deal with political
factors as we'll. But it is significant
of our political habit and tradition
to date that only men who have
been active in the political arena,
as for instance Senators Taft and
Vandenberg or District Attorney
Dewey of New York, are considered
eligible.
The Democrats are bolder group.
If they want to violate tradition
or ignore a precedent they do so
because they are fortnight in their
conviction that the thing they pro-
pose or the man they put forward is
more important than the precedent.
Would the Republicans, there
fore, dare to name a businessman
for President? And is there any
businessman who could combine
political ability, economic experience,
a good radio voice, good debating
skill, keen sense of public policy
with the usual qualifications OF
nominee for the presidency?
Willkie Self Made Man.
There are doubtless several busi-
nessmen who could fill that bill, but
there is one in particular who lately
has been talked about as the very
type who could make real presi-
dental race and give the country an
insight into the economic and buSi-
ness problems that must be solved if
jobs are to be created and pros
perity is to be restored. The indi-
vidual in question is Wendell L. Will
kie, native of Indiana, a self-made
man, lawyer, an excellent debater
and a liberal rather than con-
servative or reactionary.
. Right off the bat, the politically
minded will say, You couldn't elect
utility man." But that's tradition or
precedent and presupposes that be-
cause man has been the success
full head of successful business and
is himself honest and conscientious
he must not be nominated because
his position can be misrepresented
by demagogic attack. The Repub-
licans, on the other hand, will have
as their principal appeal next time
the desire to get the country out of
the economic mess into which it has
been plunged. If, despite the fact
that Wendell Willkie has been a
utility man he could be depended
upon to lead the Nation to recovery,
the circumstance of his business af-
filiation would disappear.
A good example of the exaggerated
Importance of such alleged political
disadvantage was the fact that
President Roosevelt used to take
trips on the yacht of Vincent Astor,
millionaire, and it never prevented
his denomination or reelection. The
reason is that the public is much
more interested in a mans phi
losophy and deeds than in attacks
on his imaginary position. If Mr..
Wilkes Identification with a public
utility has made him blind to social
evils or to the rights of the under
privileged he would be politically in
eligible, but he happens to be the
kind of a businessman who knows
much more about how to make New
Deal objectives practical and work.
able than the men in the New Deal.
Democrat by Tradition.
1t is one of the tragedies of the
era that he was not called to public
service by the President for he is a
Democrat by tradition and liberal
Democrat, too. His point of view
comedies far more, however, with
that of Vice President Garner or the
independent Democrats in the Sen
ate than with ultra-c conservatives.
Many Republicans have said they
would vote for that sort of Demo-
crat if named to the Republican
ticket. In Wendell Willkie, the Re-
.publicans would have an independ-
ent Democrat with business ability
and a leadership capacity which
would fit the pattern that 9 out Of
10 Republicans really want but do
not venture to ask for.
Mr.. Wilkes latest pronouncement
Is an article in the current issue of
Atlantic Monthly which already has
been widely commented on. 1t was
written in the same objective spirit
that he has tackled public questions
for the last several years. For Wen
dell Willkie was not a part of the
utility business during its financial
pyramiding era, having come from