Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-06
Peace in All
Factions Is
Need Now
Putting on End to
Disunion Is Task
Facing Roosevelt
BY JAY FRANKLIN.

Inc reelection OF Franklin D.
Roosevelt as President for a third
term means that he, his admins
tration and the entire country ara
on their honor to make democracy
work in a world which is increas-
ingly hostile to the American ideal.
The third term tradition" has
been broken. Rather it has proved
to be an unsubstantial myth, since
the sovereign voters did not permit
1t to defect them from their choice.
Perhaps it would be more accurate
to say that abandonment Of this
principle was the price we were pre-
pared to pay in order to avoid the
necessity for changing horses in the
middle of the stream.
This was undoubtedly the decid-
Ing factor in the 1910 election. The
stream-the world wide attack of
the axis powers and Japan upon the
status quo and upon our interests
was not created by President Roose-
welt. To change administrations
would have meant to change poll.
cies, parties, administrators and OBJ
1ectives-a process which would
necessarily consume several months
and would lead TO confusion, discord
and uncertainty.
A Symbol for Defenders.
New men would have to be trained
to their jobs, and the result could
hardly have failed to encourage Hit
Ter and Mussolini in their plans for
worldwide dominion. 1t was this
consideration rather than any posi-.
tive lack OF support for the anti.
axis policy by Mr. Willkie which led
their partisans and their press to
hope for his victory at the polls.
Their stake in our election was the
prospect of immobilizing our power
and resources during the coming
six months. On these terms Mr..
Roosevelt's victory represents
world victory for democracy. an
omen Of encouragement to Britain
and Free China and a hope of lib
Grafton to millions of Europeans
and Asiatics now under totalitarian
rule.
1t should be President Roosevelts
first consideration to broaden this
electoral victory into a national tri-
umph over the forces Of disunion,
bitterness and suspicion which have
poisoned so much OF our recent pub
lie life. No matter what was said
and done in the heat of the cam
palgn. he cannot afford to act as
though his were q narrow, partisan
victory. In the past I have sug-
gested that President Roosevelt
ought to call on Mr.. Willkie to serve
as chairman Of the National De-
Tense Commission. What was de-
sirable in August seems imperative
in November. Both by temperament
and association Mr.. Willkie is SUI.
perbly fitted to mobilize the in
dustrial and financial energies Of
this Nation for a program Of tough.
realistic and imaginative defense. I
feel that Mr.. Willkie should be called
on to serve, and that the people
should insist that he respond to the
call.
For whatever happens. the fate
OF France shows all too clearly that
the price of national disunity may
be the loss Of national freedom. and
that nation which is split by eco
nomic controversy is a nation made
TO order for the blitzkrieg. Not
since 1885 has President Roosevelt
received any substantial support
from the large industries and the
powerful banks. This has caused a
cleavage In our country. which not
only engendered great bitterness but
deprived the people of the services
Of many trained. able and patriotic
men and women. The defense OF
America cannot be achieved with
one hand tied behind our backs,
and the time has come to end this
sterile schism by a policy Of mag.
nanimity and reconciliation.
Stands by Guns.
For it is now clear that America
intends to stand by her guns and
to enter the growing crisis with full
faith in the principles of popular
sef-government and liberal reforms.
For four years more at least, and
perhaps for longer. the measures
enacted by the Roosevelt admins
trations will constitute the basic
structure of American life. Not yet
are we going to embark on the
syndicslism of Moscow or the cor.
poratism Of Berlin. Neither are we
going back to the rugged individual
ism of the 1905 or rule by big
business and big labor, which
seemed to underlie the Republican
campaign deals in 1910.
Mr.. Roosevelt is our man and the
New Deal is our policy, and we
showed that our consistency was proof
against all appeals to fear. ignorance
and prejudice. 1t now remains to
lay the ghosts OF class warfare and
racial hatred which have leaked
into our public opinion from the
Old World, to set our shoulders.
hold high our head and to prove
that democracy can not only take
1t but can dish 1t out without losing
its faith, its good humor or its lib
critics. I bespeak a truce on past
partisanship and national unity
which will rise above the ouarrels
OF the past six years. So far as lies
within my power I shall continue
to strive for these things and to
hold fast TO my belief that America
under democracy can make democ-
rscy worth defending and an Amer.
lea too formidable to threaten or
aSsAil