Evening star., 1939-10-16

to win, whereas the poll six months
ago showed that So per cent wanted
Republican President in 1910?
The answers to these questions
can be found by examining the Re-
publican tactics and strategy of the
last four months. In other words,
the Democrats have done nothing
Affirmative to improve their posi-
ton, while the Republicans have
played a negative role that has lost
them public support.
Last summer this correspondent
ventured the assertion that the Re-
publicans, by blocking a vote in the
Senate Foreign Relations Commit
tee on the embargo repeal and
threatening f1libuster, were hand
ing Mr.. Roosevelt the best possible
issue he could want, especially If
foreign crisis arose. Today such
a crisis is here and the Repub-
licans have not been quick enough
to see that their partisan opposi-
tion has been resented by large
number of independent voters.
Majority Opposed Policy.
1t is true that some of the Re-
publicans in Congress have gone
along with the administration for
eign policy, but the majority in the
Senate have not. The strange spec
tacle OF major political party diff
ferlng with the party in power on
a foreign policy question in period
of great crisis has literally driven
indignant voters to the Democratic
side.
Not all the Republican leaders
have been in opposition and it is
significant that Senator Taft, Re-
publican, and Senator Austin OF
Vermont, together with Messrs.
Landon and Knox, have stood by
the administration even though a
substantial number of Republicans
have gone off on the Hoover-Lind-
bergh tangent.
The source of much of the Re-
publican opposition unfortunately
is a deep-seated belief that Presi-
dent Roosevelt wants to drag
America into the war so he may
have third term. This accusation
simply has not been accepted by
the country and has been publicly
repudiated as unworthy by Repub-
Ican leaders like Col. Frank Knox
Trend Believed Not Permanent.
AS matter of fact, the latest
Gallup poll would seem to make
less than ever necessary the re-
nomination of President Roosevelt
by the Democrats. For, if the Ma
ton wants and expects the Demo-
cratic party to continue in power
there Is no logical reason why a
man like Secretary Hull or some
other. Democrat acceptable to both
wings of the party cannot now be
nominated to carry on.
But Is the trend shown by the
Gallup poll permanent? This writer
does not think so, believing instead
that the sooner the minority of Re-
publicans stop their dilatory tactics
and let the embargo issue be dis
posed of-for the votes to repeal
the present law are plainly there
the quicker the country will return
to an interest in domestic ques-
tions.
The Republican strategists who
have been handling the party ma
neuvers have unwittingly obscured
domestic issues by handing the
President prolonged opportunity
to bring about a new alignment
behind him on foreign policy, espe-
cially when there are so many
groups which have become highly
emotional over the use of dictator
ships in Europe.
Evidence of Dissension.
Former President Hoover was
never adept in appraising public
psychology, and, in the present |
crisis, he has missed the opportunity
of his career. He has publicly re-
fused to support the Roosevelt ad-
ministration in foreign policy, as did
Mr.. Landon, and this evidence of |
dissension in the Republican ranks
is in contrast with evidences of |
growing cohesion among the Demo-
Gratis.
The country does not want petty
pickering on foreign affairs, but |
wants unity instead, and those Re-
publicans who stand in the way of
that unity are bound to hurt their
own party's chances to win public
confidence. That is the lesson of
the Gallup poll, and, once the en-
barge is out of the way and the
Republicans begin concentrating on
domestic issues again, there will
be rising trend for the Republicans,
because, on the domestic record
alone, the administrator is plainly
vulnerable.
(Renrnductinn Rirhfs ReserYedl