Evening star., 1939-06-16

Charles G. Ross. completely over
shadowed by that of his glamorous
opponent, he wound up with only
two States in his column. He
seemed to be headed for a quick
exit from the public view.
What Is said here is not intended
as boost for the Kansan as a
presidential possibility-for he has
formally renounced all ambition in
that direction and there is no rea-
son whatsoever to doubt his good
falth--but it is set down in recog-
milton of Mr.. Landon's fine con-
duct as an American citizen and a
leader Of the Republican party since
his defeat. If poll could be taken
on the subject, there is no doubt
it would show that his course since
1886 has raised him enormously In
public esteem.
I have always felt that If he had
not been pulled and hauled by rival
sets of advisers in 1896. If he
had been permitted to campaign
throughout as his natural homespun
self and along his own lines, he
would have made a much better
showing than he did. AS the event
showed, he could not possibly have
won, but his admirable qualities
would have been apparent much
earlier.
Proved Himself Good Loser.
The American people love
good loser, and MIR. Landon-unlike
Al Smith-quickly proved himself
all of that. None who heard him
will forget the craftsmanship of
his clever speech at a Gridiron
dinner mot long after his defeat.
Then came his effective aid to the
administration in putting down the
ill-advised Ludlow resolution; he
showed then, concretely, that he
had meant what he said when he
recalled the old adage about
politics ending at the water line.
The same conception Of American
ism animated him last year when
he accepted the Presidents ap-
polntment as member of the
American delegation to the PAN
American conference at Lima, and
made speech exhibiting to the
Latin-American nations the non-
partisan character of the good
neighbor" policy. The service which
Mr.. Landon on that occasion
rendered to the State Department
and to the Nation-was invalu-
able.
Mr.. Landon is now, in his ca
pacity of titular leader of the Re.
publican party, giving some sound
advice to the party as to the kind
OF policy it should adopt for 1910
and the kind of candidate it should
nominate. His experience as
candidate, his freedom from rancor
in defeat, his stanch adherence to
his principles while refusing to
indulge in petty sharpshooting at
the Observation-Disclosures are at
tributes which entitle him to be
heard with respect.
Does Not Spare New Deal.
Mr.. Landon says it is dangerous
idea that we can elect any one we
nominate" He is warning the
party against the nomination of a
candidate who might want, or
might seem to the people to want,
to take the country along a road of
reaction. He faces up to the reality
that much Of the change wrought
by the New Deal was compelled by
the pressure of events and is now q
part OF the accepted and inevitable
pattern Of American life. He does
not spare the New Deal; he says its
fantastic financial theories" must
be repudiated if we are to have re-
covery; he says that, of course, We
can't have recovery as long as the
head man of the New Deal persists
in throwing monkey wrenches"
into the economic machinery. But
and this is the important thing
for the Republican party chieftains
to read, mark and learnt is not
only the President who has been
throwing monkey wrenches." That
Is practice that has been indulged
in by the Presidents enemies AZ
Well-by extremists on the reac-
tlonary side, people who are blind
to the reality that the duties Of
government in the United States
are different and will continue to
be different from what they have
been. regardless of what party Is In
power"
1t Is wise elder statesman and
a good American talking-a sub
scriber to none Of the "isms"-and
his counsel of moderation fits the
political needs of these troubled
times like glove. Certainly 1t Is
counsel which the Republican party
can ignore only at grave peril to its
chances in the next election.