Evening star., 1939-04-20
Roosevelt Warns
Democrats Against
Party Suicide
op
Conservative Principles
Will Doom It to Defect
In 1910, He Says

principles would doom the party to
defeat In 1910 was before the coun-
try's Democrats today.
In a letter read to the Junior Jack
son Day dinner Of the District Young
Democratic Club at the Mayf1ower
Hotel last night, the President
warned the party Of political suicide
by abandonment Of the policies
which brought it to power. He said
hopes for victory rest In continuance
of New Deal liberalism.
There is no use fooling ourselves -
Mr.. Roosevelt wrote. IF we are to
have q reactionary regime-call it a
conservative regime-you may de-
pend on It that 1t will be the other
fellows regime"
That there is tacit agreement be-
tween Mr.. Roosevelt and his ablest
political lieutenant, Democratic
National Committee Chairman Far
ley, on this issue was indicated by
the latter's address during the after
dinner program. Both made it clear
they have no illusions Of a 1910
landslide for Democracy, Mr.. Farley
warning the diners, and those lis
tening to his Nationwide broadcast,
that the comparatively easy sue
cesses of 1892 and 1896 will not be
Predicting that "the next Presi-
dent Of the United States will be a
Democrat" Mr.. Farley told the
gathering that the 1910 platform "is
the splendid record In Office of Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
"Can Commit Suicide"
I'm the campaign we are now ap-
proaching," the President wrote,
there Is just one agency potent
enough to defeat the Democratic
party, and that is the Democratic
party itself. 1t can commit suicide
by abandonment Of the policies
that brought it to power"
The message carried the most di-
rect political statement Of the Presi-
dents views on the stand the party
should take in the 1910 presidential
which the White House
yet has issued.
Mr.. Farley insisted to the Dem
ocrats at the dinner, who in
cluded many OF the administrations S
leading ofncials and congressional
spokesmen as we'll as more than 1000
Of the country's 100000 Young
Democrats, that "pessimism has no
place in the Democratic outlook for
l940." But he said in the nature OF
a warning:
Even the G. o. p. can hardly be
relied upon to exhibit the same brand
Of blind indifference to the national
welfare that marked its conduct in
those elections 1882 and 1936).
"The Republican party, in fact, has
bowed to the inevitable and is ready
to offer the country a diluted brand
Of Roosevelt policies as a substitute
for the original. The party leaders,
OF course, are just as barren of con-
structive ideas as they ever were"
Condones Intra Party Changes.
Mr.. Farley concentrated his fire on
the Republicans, while the President
ignored the Republicans and concen-
trated on the question Of harmony
In his own party. OF anti-New Deal
Democrats. the President said:
Il do not mean that they are not
quite within their rights when they
seek to change the program. It
would be a poor sort of politician or
statesman who did not fight for his
sincere principles, but that is q diff
ferent thing from allying themselves
with their party's enemies and get
ting in a stab wherever and when
ever they can do so safely"
The President said that the Demo-
Gratis would forfeit the multitude of
Liberals who voted with
us in 80 and SO if we shift our
ground" He said that the Demo-
Gratis have won the presidency
whenever they held to their own
principles, but lost whenever they
offered the country "an ersatz Re-
publicanism."
Mr.. Roosevelt addressed the letter
to my Young Friends" It was read
by Pitt Tyson Maner Of Alabama,
president Of the Young Democratic
Clubs of America, who was one of
the banquet speakers. The diners
heard rousing Democratic speeches
from Senate Majority Leader Bark
ley, the toastmaster, and House Ma
jority Leader Rayburn.
II do despise," Mr.. Rayburn said,
II do abhor, I stand terrified In the
presence of Democrats who are 60
ing around with their tails between
their legs, already beaten. It mat
ters not who he is, our candidate will
be better than theirs. We will elect
a candidate who will carry the ban
ner of the towering leader who now
sits in the White House.
Republican Spirit Worse"
"They (the Republicans are worse
split than we are, and they will be
worse split In their next campaign. I
want to see the platform that Hoover,
Landon, La Toilette, La Guardia or
Lemke can stand on"
The other speakers were Mrs.
Thomas F. McAllister, director of
the Women's Division, Democratic
National Committee, and Mrs. VOL
sey B. Heddy Of Oklahoma, vice pres
ident of the Young Democratic Club
Of America. Both emphasized their
oyalty to the Roosevelt policies.
RULES |
the American Legion again are