The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-11-16
(By Staff Writer)

including Sucn SLduIlC1 P1A' ~
as Senator Carter Glass OF VII
ginia, elected to 60 along with the
Administration in advocating the
renal of the arms embargo, has
been taken in some quarters as
proof that the split in the party
ranks has been closed up and that
all is harmony once more pet
ween the New Dealers and the
traditional Jeffersonians.
Nothing could be farther from
the truth, as the political events
of the next few weeks are GER
tain to demonstrate. The recalcl-
trants who jumped the party
lines last year are still as bitter
" opposed to the President ana
the acts of his administration as
thew we're before. They SIMPLY
REGARDED the Neutrality matter
as something outside OF party
lines, went along with the Presl-
dent not because repeal OF the
embargo was his idea, but be-
cause they believed in it as the
best way of keeping America out
of the European war. Their attl-
tude was much like that of GOV.
ALI Landon when he went to the
Lima Pan-American Congress:
"Politics ends at the water line.
Opposition Still Strong
When it comes down to the
struggle for delegates to the par
ty nominating convention and the
effort to pick a candidate for
1910. the same Senators and Re-
representatives. and party organiza-
ton men who have opposed Mr..
Roosevelt on domestic questions
will be found opposing him again.
It is generally admitted. how
ever, by astute political observers
here, that it is likely to be more
difficult to prevent him from get
ting himself nominated for a
third term than it would have
been had the European war not
broken out.
Beyond any question, the very
fact that the President, as chief
executive, is responsible for the
management of our international
relations, has strengthened Mr..
Roosevelt's position immensely.
Even if there is no untoward in
cident to stir up public indigna-
ton and make people believe that
we are bound to get into the war,
reports from the nation at large
indicate a growing feeling that
the Administrator intends to in
sist upon the recognition of
American rights by all the belli-
gerent nations.
That puts the President, per-
sonally, in the position of the
outer guardian Of American Ii
berries, insures him first-page
publicity and distinctly improves
his popularity with the masses of
the voters. It also puts him on
a tremendous responsibility to
watch his step and see to it that
no act of the Administration gets
us embroiled.
So long as he makes no mis-
step in the handling of foreign
affairs the Secretary of State
is, after all, merely the Presi-
dents personal aide whom he
could dismiss at any time-Mr
Roosevelt is bound to enlarge his
personal prestige with the voters.
Talk Of Incident"
There is much speculation 60
ing on in Washington as to what
sort of an incident" might pre-
cipitate a crisis in our foreign re-
lations which would give the
President an opportunity to fur
Their assert himself and gain still
greater popular acclaim. The Ger
man government has always been
VIGOROUSLY inept in its handling
of foreign affairs, and many who
understand the international sit
uation are expecting some move
on Germany's part which could
be taken as seriously here as was
the German effort to line up
Mexico against the United States,
which was the final straw that
brought us into the last war.
The effort to make such an Gin
cident'' out Of the seizure of the
American ship 'City of Flint" by
a German sea raider is being pro-
NOTED by some of the little group
who believe that for the United
States to get into the war would
insure their jobs for another four
years, and so would like to see
the shooting start right off.
There is no concern among So
ber-minded observers here over
the Flint" affair, since Germany
has only applied the rules of con-
traband which were first formu-
lated and made to stick in inter-
national law by our own Govern
won't I,,r;oo tho civil Wor