Milford chronicle., 1939-11-03

Since the war began in Europe,
there has been quiet on the politi-
cal front in this country. The atten-
tion of the great bulk of the Ameri-
can people is today largely center
ed abroad where history of the most
mOmentous kind is being made. And
so partisan politics. for the time
being. has pretty much dropped out
of the spotlight You can't stir up
much interest in Candidate WhOOzis
political ambitions when ships are
being sunk and armies of unprece-
dented size are facing each other on
the Western Front.
President Roosevelt has several
times said, in effect, that partisan
ship should be adjourned for the dur
alton of the emergency-tha nation
al unity should be the paramount
goal sought by all, Republican, and
| Democrats alike. This viewpoint has
naturally been endorsed by his pO-
litical opponents. But the fact re-
mains that partisan politics is an es-
sential mOtivating factor in any
democratic natiOn-it exists and
must continue to exist. Both parties
will have candidates in the field next
year. Both will have platforms
Both want to win. And you cant
fight a campaign without PARTISAN
ship.
The problem facing the politicians
is how to fight their verbal battles
without alternating a public which
feels strongly that this country
IN, h, ,f
the world. That's a tough problem,
and the burden Of it, of course, falls
on the Republicans The Democrats
are in the saddle now, and the Re
publican3 hope is to unseat them.
And the question of what Iiasue to
use for that purpose is causing many
a severe headache among party chief
tains
OF late. the only domestic issue of
great moment has been our neutral
ity legislation. And over that the
party lines split wide open. Where,
for instance. potent Republican Sen
ator Borah Immediately announced
he favored rigorous isolatiOni3m, pO-
tent Republican Senator Taft stood
with the President in support of
cash-and-carry for arms as well as
everything else. Neither political
group. as a result, can make a good
campaign issue out of neutrality
unless something happens to change
the picture drastically.
Republican strategy now seems to .
be to bide its time and wait and see .
what happens. Leaders apparently
feel it would be suicidal to take an
aggressive partisan line now, and
most independent commentators
think they are right
On the Democratic side of the
fence. matters are somewhat simp-
Ter. But there is a big question mark
there tOO-and Il concerns the poss-
ibility that Mr.. Roosevelt may be
planning to do the unprecedented
and seek a third successive term. Ii
the President Is thinking OF that.
recent public opinion polls must
have encouraged him-they indicate
that opposition to the third-term has
dropped rather sharply in the past
month or two.
Some think the fact that the Pres
ident has refused to say he will not
run again-as was recently request
ed by Governor LandOn. who said
that would be of great benefit in fur
thering the national unity the Pres
ident asks-indlcates that he plans
to- On the Other hand, a PreSiden-
tial declaration to that effect now
would undoubtedly start a tremen-
ious scurrying about among Demo-
cratic aspirants to the White House.
At the expense of unity within the
party. Those in the know in Wash
ngton think tina: the President has
not expressed himself on the third ,
Term issue even to his closest advis- ,
Jrs-that no one, save the Chief Mag =.
strate himself knows whether he ,
will run or not And it is obvious ,
hat unforeseen events of the future !
n this uncertail world could deter
nine the decision.
600
The war has brought one boon to =
his hemisphere-it has immensely ,.
;olidified the American Republics, T,
Ill the way from the Great Lakes to -
ape Horn. \
The Latin American countries, !
ike their big brother" the U. S, :
ire extremely eager not only to keep =
'ut of war. but to take any and all !
teps which might help prevent the =
var from dislocating their econo-
MES more than is necessary In this
ndeavor, they naturally look to us, !
he principal military and economic !
'Ower in the hemisphere. When I'm l
er Secretary of State Welles went :
o the Pan-American parley at Pan
ma, he was given an extremely en-
husiastic welcome by Lation Am
rican statesmen. L
Biggest thing to come out of the Q
arley was the safety zone" which \
surrounds North and IL
outh America with the natural ex- II
option of Canada) for a width of e
bout three hundred miles. The war
ing powers were requested to do
heir fighting outside of that tre- II
lendOus area. D
AS Life puts ii, This bold extern ID
ion OF the Monroe Doctrine far be- al
Ond the traditional three-mile limit
1T the world gasping." And. once
ne gasps were over. protests began "
curing in. Biggest and most ag- ii
ressive came from Britain. The +
ondon Times went so far as to say ia
lat the zone has no standing in in ii
irrational law. and that any at JC
,mpt to enforce the declaration, by j..
lie U. S. or another participating W
)untry. would be an act of war. So Xxi
lie future of the safety zone re- Pi
aims in doubt. ii
-'s----------- G,
Earmars ranort that a gang no Tn