The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-10-03
Editorial

Republshed from the Baltimore Sunday Sun, Sept 29
The Presidential campaign is at the halfway mark
There has been about month of debate
and about month remains before the Election in No
vember is therefore, possible to make assessment of
developments.
Mr. Roosevelt has tacty surrendered in the domestic
field and is basing his fight his foreign policy 1t is
charged by his critics that in his years in office this
country has suffered the longest period of stagnaton in
new enterprise it has known 1t is charged that
of this continued stagnaon in new enterprise the
country has suffered the largest pool of permanent
employment it has known If the statements are adj
mtted the result is admission that Mr. Roosevelt has
failed to establish normal durable prosperity But there
has been no denial of these statements from Mr. Roosevelt
or his chief spokesman.
1t further charged that he failed to redeem his 1892
promise to bring public finances under control that de-
spite TINS failure IN his first term he renewd the promise
IN 1885, that despite this renewal of the promise again
tailed IN his second term and that today Federal
are three times the total when he office and vet
the national debt is runaway debt There denial
Neither is there REPUTATION by Mr. Roosevelt of the state
ment OF critics that the runaway debt eopardze the ma
tional credit and thus eopardizes every bank deposit
every insurance policy every pension The President
silent on this record
Mr. Roosevelt is basing his campaign upon the foreign
issues His course in accordance with the strategy which
secretary lckes revealed when Mr. Wkie challenged the
President to joint debate Mr. Roosevelt saying in eff
ec TO the voters OF this country Pay attention
nomlc conditions at home Pay attention to failures and
90 not ask to mention the subject For and alone
can save you from the peril that has arisen abroad
hesoundngy as this argument is being offered it falls
10 pieces upon examination In the first place. Mr. Wilkes
attitude toward the and the whole foreign question is
like Mr. RooseVets practically Identical with that of the
great majority OF Americans There nothing mysterious
personal about this policy In the second place Mr. Will
ke is more stable He has stood up vaanty against pres
sure from leaders within his own party, whereas Mr.
Roosevelt for all his ardent speeches. has not acted until
sure he had majority with him In the third place. for
elgn policy is normally continuing process from Admins
traon to Administration and the State Department does
not turn somersaus with each change the Presidency
Thus Mr. Huls admirable insistence upon respect for
treaties and his policy of non-recognon of conquests
roots IN Mr. Stmsons refusal in the Hoover Admnistra-
ton to recognize Japans conquest of Manchura Thus Mr.
Hus admirable work for solidarity with Latin-Amerca
roots in Calvin Cooidges dropping of hghhanded meth
DDS IN Mexico his appointment of Dwight W. Morrow as
Ambassador to that country and the institution of pol
icy of reconciliation.
At the halfway mark in the campaign then, the voters
able to find division basic ISSUE between Mr. Roose
welt and Mr. Wilke in domestic affairs, but no essential
issue in foreign affairs In this domestic issue certain facts
stand out plainly.
Mr.. Roosevelt has dealt in improvsatons He has had
no Weldefned policy He first elected on platform
which called for free enterprise Soon after taking office
he turned to RECOMMENDATION of industry trade under
MIA and RECOMMENDATION of agriculture under AAA. To
some extent he has backed away from these policies
ery he has again insisted that he favors enterprise
But he has not renqushed voluntarily single one of the
controls he demanded
Mr. Wikie the contrary is steadfast in principle
He supported Mr. Roosevelt the 1882 platform of re-
form based free enterprise He has continued unceas
gy in these years. to argue that the country must
return to the Democratic principles of 1882 He has in
sisted that they the principles under which goods are
produced most abundanty He insists today that cannot
lift the standards of living and also pay vast armament
costs unless genuinely restore the productive power of
free enterprise
The conclusion is clear.
Mr.. Wikie is the who will restore the productive
powers OF this country By restoring the productive powers
ne will enable the Government to collect revenue which
will protect the public debt and the national credit By pro-
tectng the national credit he will safeguard the now in
creasngy endangered bank deposits insurance policies
and pensions held by millions of and women in this
land Further by restoring productive powers and there
by protecting the public debt and the national credit he
will put this country in position to without riskng
bankruptcyand if to worst to defend itself
IN war without paying the price of financial collapse.
AS the lines drawn the nation approaches the
hour when it must choose between two men, the whole
record tells that the truly indispensable is Wendell
L. Wlke Not because he is the only in $780, 900