Evening star., 1940-07-11


tunity either to smear Mr. Willkie
or to corroborate the impression of
wide popularity which the Republi-
can nominee has enjoyed.
To make fair inquiry-and Sem
ator Gillette is fair minded man
1t will be necessary to get an accu-
rate record of the total of all the
persons who telegraphed or wrote
to delegates in Philadelphia and
then to separate the organized from
the unorganized and give the country
true picture of what happened.
In every telegraphic campaign
there are artificial ties. Undoubt-
friends of a cause bring about the
sending of kilograms identically
wor6ed because that's the easiest
way, as a rule, to get action right
away. But all this has to be
weighed against the original COM
ments and the unsolicited kilograms
which fairly deluged the conven-
ton.
Will be of Little Use.
To make such a study will cost
great deal of time and money and
in the end will be of little use during
the campaign to either side There
is simpler way to get at the facts.
All the persons who sent kilograms
or letters to Philadelphia might now
send letter or wire to Senator Gil
lette, care of the Capitol, and tell
him whether the communications
they sent to Philadelphia represented
their own independent judgment
and were transmitted of their own
free will. This ought not to be done
unless the Senator publicly requests
1t, but it would be a quick way to
get count. The telegraph compa-
nies might later be asked to make
check of all these new kilograms
with the old and thus fair cross
section of the spontaneity of the
action Of the Willkie supporters
would be obtained. Maybe the COM
mittee will next want to interrogate
or investigate the millions of per-
sons cheering Willkie in the movie
houses nowadays.
If Senator Gillette, however, feels
he must satisfy the New Dealers who
want TO cast doubt on the remark
able demonstration for Mr.. Willkie
in Philadelphia-and he admits
there is no law against telegraphing
delegates at convention-then the
Iowa Senator probably will feel
kindly disposed toward the requests
which presently will be made of him
to investigate exactly how President
Roosevelt will have won a third
nomination.
Third Term Promotion.
1t would be interesting to get
record of all the long distance calls
these last several months from Gov
eminent Offices to forthcoming dele
gates to the national convention and
to the political bosses throughout
the country and a record, too, of all
letters and kilograms to such dele
gates from persons on Uncle Sans
pay roll.
Scarcely a month has gone by
since the third-term prospect for
Mr.. Roosevelt began to be discussed
seriously that chairmen of delega-
tions or influential political bosses
have not visited important admin
istration officials interested in pro-
noting the third term.
1t would be revealing to know
how many trips were made by ad-
ictr 0PE nio 1e Of ~
expense ostensibly for Government
purposes on which conferences were
held with local political leaders. If
the method of getting the Republi-
can nomination is to be thoroughly
investigated, fairness and good
craftsmanship would seem to indi-
cate the necessity of probing in
tensively all the moves which will
have led up to the denomination
next week of President Roosevelt
for third term
Inquiry Into Methods.
Again and again it has been
asserted by historians, and by such
eminent figures in American public
life as President Wilson, that the
harm in renominating a President
for even a second term is related
to the method of getting the nomi-
nation. A third term would have
much of the objection to it removed
If it were clear that a President
with all his vast authority and in
fuence over the nominating machin-
cry of his party were to refrain
from what has been called an illicit
means of getting the nomination.
Certainly the prospect that third