Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1939-10-12
Publnheo Every Thursday Morning
In the Interest OF coulso City ana
the Nsayhboring Vicinity.
Adjournment of pantizan politics for

Adjournment OF partlZan politlcS 1ol
the period of the present emergency
that is, the situation created by the
outbreak of declared war in Europe
continues to be the theme of spokes-
men Of both major parties.
Alfred NJ Landon, the most recent
of Republican nominees for the presl'
dency, while indicating his accord
with the Presidents desire to have
the existing neutrality" act revised
or repealed, expresses the thought that
his notion of the most important ac-
ton to keep politics out of the s1tua-
ton would be for the President to de-
clare that he would not be third
term candidate. Doubtless all the 9th.
er active or passive candidates of both
parties might agree with the former
Kansas Governor in favor of such q
statement from the White House,
though they might not agree with Mr..
Landon g expressed reason for it.
Most people, I think, would figure
that such a declaration by Mr.. Roose-
welt, so far from mitigating the fervor
CT political activity, would fan the
political flames more than anything
he might do. It would unleash the full
fury of campaigning by twenty or
more ambitious gentlemen. Just think
what would be the effect Of score OF
presidential Blooms all going the limit
to amass prospective convention votesE
Every one of the of the aspirants
either because Of his own views or be-
cause of what he deems expedient
for his own candidacy, would be vocif:
erously for the President g program, OF
against it-as to neutrality and every
other element dealing with the situa.
ton which calls for the burying for
the time being of partnership in order
that this country should present an
united front to the respective bellig-
erents who are vitality concerned with
what America does.
The uncertainty Of the President g
ultimate course-which uncertainty is
as great in my own mind as in that
Of the next man-to some extent, at
least, keeps the Indicated campaigns
ouiescent, which makes for considera.
ton of the big issues in calmer, less
political atmosphere. Incidentally,
think as I stated long ago. that the
ultimate decision depends on future
events over which the President has
no control. In other words, he will
not take another nomination unless he
has to, ad 1 believe it is his ferveni
hope that that necessity will be avert
ed.
In the controversy over the neutrali.
ty processes, for the consideration of
which the President called Congress
back, there is no need for calling nam.
es or of ascribing unworthy motives
to those who take one position or an
other. The President believes that re.
peal or revision of tne act is our best
hope of peace. Those who insist on
the retention of the law as it now
stands believe that the administration q
program involves greater war danger.
There IS no more reason, for example,
to doubt the sincerity of Senator Hi.
ram Johnson's recent assertion that
"the repeal of the embargo will mean
that this nation is one-half in and one.
half out of the war" and his insis
tence that there be no repeal, than
there was to doubt his sincerity when
the law was under consideration, OF
when he voted against the very bill
ne now insists must be kept on the
statute books.
"There is a simple straightforward
ecurse,' said the veteran California
senator when he was arguing in the
Senate in 1887, "that this nation