The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-09-28
LOOKING FORWARD
By FRANKLIN MAILMAN
Publicity Director Republican National Committee

One difficulty about Washington IS
that you become so intent looking at
the trees you cannot see the forest
President Roosevelt frequently has
said as much and puts his words to
practical application by annually maxi
ing a journey across the country. He
proposes to do so this year-in Octo-
ber 1t is a good idea. Everyone con-
nected with national affairs should get
out of Washington regularly and take
a look around the country to see and
hear what is going on.
But we wonder whether Mr. Roose-
welt on such trips really gets the
heart beat of the country. He rides in
a special train and seldom gets a
chance to rub shoulders with ordinary
folks. Democratic leaders, anxious to
please, come aboard and whisper to
the President that he is still the idol OF
the people. None have the courage tc
tell him unpleasant things. That is
only human nature. Those who are
critical of the Roosevelt Administra-
ton, of course, are not invited to come
aboard the train.
F. D. r. Popularity Waning
If, despite such obstacles, Nh
Roosevelt really does feel the heart
beat Of the country this fall, he is in
for the surprise of his life. In the first
place he will find out that he is not
nearly as popular as he was year or
two ago. Secondly, he will learn that
the country, generally speaking, is
souring on the New Deal. Mr.. Roose-
welt will be surprised because his ac
tions in recent weeks indicate an as
sumption or pretense that the country
is as strong for him as it was in 1886
We say this with some confidence
because, adopting Mr., Roosevelt's rule
the writer has made a trip across the
country-not in a special train--riot
guarded by Secret Service men, but
rubbing shoulders with all types Of
people in some dozen States out to the
Pacific Coast and back.
We have avoided the viewpoints of
the people who ride in the Pullman
cars or who stay at the best hotels.
We have chosen to talk with farmers.
cattlemen, little businessmen, small
town editors, men in overalls, and
/ housewives. We visited the big cities
but we also went down the dirt roads
in the mountain and prairie States be-
cause we really wished to know what
people were saying and thinking.
G. O. P. Enthusiasm Grows
Undoubtedly we talked with more
Republicans than Democrats or New
Dealers. Yet that does not impeach
the value of the evidence we found be-
cause the spirit of these Republicans
reflected the situation in their home
communities. The fact that Republi,
cans are more enthusiastic about their
future prospects than it any time since
1880 indicates the switch that has
taken place in public opinion.
In general it might be said that a
shift in sentiment away from the New
Deal and toward sense and sanity in
government has taken place in all
parts of the country. Apparently taxa
ton has commenced to pinch the aver
age man and woman and they are
reacting as people always do when
they are hit on the pocket-book nerve.
The reasons which prompted the
House of Representatives to refuse
even to consider the last Roosevelt
spending bill become obvious to one
visiting arodHd the country. A popular