Evening star., 1940-11-12
By the Associated Press.

prepared teIt OF Wendell L. Will
kie'S address to the Nation last
night tolloWS.
People of America:
Twenty-Five years ago today. a
great conflict raging on the bat
tlefields of Europe came to an
end. The guns were silent. A
new era of peace began and for
that era the people of our West
ern World-our democratic world
held the highest hopes.
Those hopes have not been full
filled. The democratic way of
life did not become stronger-it
became weaker. The spirit of
constitutional government flick
cred like a dying lamp. And
within the last year or so the
light from that lamp has disap-
peared entirely upon the conti-
nent of Europe.
We in America watched dark
ness fall upon Europe. And as
We watched, there approached an
important time for us-the ma
tional election of 1910.
In that election and in our at
titudes after that election, the
rest of the world would see an ex-
ample of democracy in action, an
example of a great people faith
full to their constitution and to
their elected representatives.
Nearly 5O,O00,O 900 Took Part
In Process of Democracy.
The campaign preceding this
election stirred us deeply. Mil
lions upon millions of us who had
never been active in politics took
part in it. The people flocked to
the polling places in greater
numbers than ever before in his
tory.
Nearly 5O,0O0,0OO people eXer-
cised on November 5 the right OF
the franchise-the precious right
which we inherited from our
forefathers. and which we musC
cherish and pass on to future
generations.
Thus 1t came ABOUT lndI d.
though government had been
blotted out elsewhere, here men
and women kept it triumphantly
alive.
No matter which side you
we're on. on that dav remember
that this great, free expression
of our faith in the free system
of government must have given
hope to millions upon millions
of others-on the heroic island
of Britain-in the ruined cities OF
France and Belgium-yes, per-
haps even to people in Germany
and italy. It has given hope
wherever man hopes to be free.
In the campaign preceding
this election. serious issues were
at stake. People became bitter.
Many things were said. which,
In calmer moments, might have
been left unsaid or might have
been worded more thoughtfully.
But we Americans know that
the bitterness is distortion, not
a true reflection of what is IN
our hearts I can truthfully say
that there is no bitterness IN
mine. I hope there is none IN
yours.
We have elected Franklin
Roosevelt President. He is your
President. He is my President.
We all of us owe him the respect
due to his high Office. We give
him that respect, We will sup
port him with our best efforts
for our country And we pray
that God may guide his hand
during the next four years in
the supreme task Of administer
ing the affairs of the people.
Strong, Alert and Watchful
Opposition Is Needed.
It is a fundamental principle
of the democratic system that the
majority rules. The function OF
the minority, however, is equally
fundamental. 1t is about the
function of that minority-22,-
100000 people, nearly half Of our
electorate. that I wish to talk to
you tonight.
A vital element in the balanced
operation of democracy is
strong, alert and watchful oppo-
sition. That is our task for the
next four years. We must con-
stitute ourselves a vigorous, loyal
and public spirited opposition
party.
1t has been suggested that in
order to present a united front
to a threatening world, the
minority should now surrender
its convictions and join the
majority. This would mean that
In the United States of America,
there would be only one domi-
nant party-only one economic
philosophy-only one political
philosophy of life. This is
totalitarian idea-it is slave
idea-it must be rejected utterly.
The British people are unified
with a unity almost unexampled
in history for its endurance and
lDS NdlOI. 1cG llIdU NilIty w
exists with an unimpaired free
dom of criticism and of sugges-
ton.
In the continual debates of the
House of Commons and the House
of Lords, all of the governments
policies, its taxation, its eXpendl-
lures, its military and naval
policies, its basic economic poll
cies, are brought under steady,
friendly, loyal, critical review.
Britain survives free. Let us
Americans choose no lesser free
dom.
In Britain some opposition
party leaders are members of the
government and some say that
similar device should be adopted
here. That is false conception
of our Government. When a
leader of the British Liberal
party or of the British Labor
party becomes member of the
Churchill cabinet, he becomes
from the British parliamentary
point of vieW-an equal OF Mr..
Churchills.
This is because the British