Evening star., 1939-01-08
Roosevelt Jackson Day Speech
The President Communes With Old Hickory
And Receives Some Advice

AnO N0(0IV0S ~
The text of President Roosevelt
address last night at the jackson
Day dinner in the Mayfower Hotel
Last night I was thinking about
this gathering, about our Demo-
cratic party, and what we ought
to do to help it. I decided to 60
right to headquarters. So I put
in radio call for Gen. Andrew
jackson.
Young fellow" he said to me,
''I don't know what's bothering
you"
General" said I, you see it's
about the Democratic party. I'm
very fond of it myself, but the
Republicans are saying it's rotting
away like a pollywog's tail, and
some of our fellows are worried.
Is there anything we ought
to do?"
Son." replied the general, my
eyes are getting old and I'm some
distance away, but from what
can see from here the only trouble
with your fellows Is that they've
been feeding too we'll and they
scare easily.
Young fellow, do you realize
that If you live out the term you
now have, you'll be the only Presi-
dent of any party who's had two
full terms with majority of his
own party in both the House and
the Senate all the time, since
why, son, since James Monroe
and he left the White House
nearly ia years ago!
woodrow Wilson didn't have
majorities as safe as you have
now when he first came into
Office.
And as for me, son, my Dem
ocrats licked old Nick Biddle
when we didn't have a majority
in the Senate and had few votes
to spare in the House. Tell your
fellows to learn to count. You
Democrats today get scared and
let the other fellows tell you
you've lost an election just be-
cause you don't have majorities
so big that you can go to sleep
without sentries."
I am passing on the advice of
Old Hickory.
Time to Examine
Its Conscience
But despite the generals op-
timism, I think this is good time
Tor the Democratic party to "ex-
anime its conscience" to think
over most seriously what we have
done that we should not have
done, what we have left undone
that we should have done.
Let us start by being realistic.
From 1920 on, the Republican
party fed too we'll and. got fat
and lazy. 1t gave the American
people "do-nothing" govern
ment for which they suffered
through the terrible days. That
was one reason why in 1892 they
turned to the Democratic party.
The other reason was that the
Democratic party during that
summer and autumn had q pro-
gram of action and sounded sim
cere.
In the election of 1896 the Re-
publican party looked like a
straddle-bug. The Democratic
party, however, was carrying out
its pledges of 1892 and was still
fighting. Hence the overwhelm-
ing victory of 1896.
Millions who had never been
Democrats gave us the power in
1882 and again in 1896 to get Ger
tain things done. And our party
can continue in power only so
long as 1t can, as a party, get
done those things which nom
Democrats as we'll as Demo-
Gratis put it in power to do.
Ought to Take Letter
To Jackson to Heart,
In 1884, when Jackson was
President, shrewd observer
wrote a letter, which we ought to
read and take to heart today. He
said in 1t:
There are two parties here
one which would do anything to
put down Jackson and the other
anything to sustain him. But
there Is a third party-and a
very large one-which cares not a
straw about who is President
but who anxiously desire to see
some measure of relief for the
country, let it operate against
or In favor of whom it may"
Today, as in Jackson's day, a
majority of the people want only
President who honestly cares
for them and a party anxiously
and unitedly seeking a way to
serve them without regard to
personal or political fortunes.
Less than half OF the voters of
America are Democrats. Less
than half are Republicans. But
more than half of the voters are
for the Democratic party when-
ever the Democratic party Is for
the majority of the people.
I welcome the return of the
Republican party to q position
where 1t can no longer excuse