Evening star., 1940-07-20

ership along the lines of policy out
- lined by the President?
II only one man is capable. the
country will be in a sorry plight
when the end of a third term
comes. For the crises that lie
ahead will be as great as those of
today. The whole trend of world
affairs has been changed and will
not be crystalized into an equi-
librium for many years to come.
IT Mr.. Roosevelt had made plain
request for third term on the
ground that he did not believe the
Republican party would maintain
his domestic policies, he would have
been on far better and more under
standable ground.
The reaction here to the Presi-
dents address is one of mixed emo
tlons. Obviously the President
states accurately the condition OF
world affairs and the need for
American restraint and yet alert
ness to protect democracy. But
can the job be done by an admini-
stration which in the face of Ger
many's remarkable use of the air.
plane has failed signally to provide
America with adequate air defense?
Draft Fear Enters.
These are the questions which
will be debated along with con-
scription. Draft Roosevelt and he
will draft you" were the words of
slogan in Chicago newspaper after
the nomination was made. It means
that the New Deal, which has been
depending on the solid vote of the
1oW-lncome groups, may lose mil
lions of them because the fear of
the draft is greater than the salts
faction over so-called social gains.
Unhappily, th opposition to the
administration will make use of con-
scrlption as a partisan issue because
the President has ventured to en-
ploy the whole war crisis as the
basis for requesting a third term
Tor the New Deal itself. Had his
address Of acceptance been con.
lined only to the foreign situation,
1t would have been less vulnerable.
But the President showed clearly
that domestic issues are on his
mind, too, and that he wants to
remain in power so he can continue
TO deny to the business and industry
OF the country the rights they have
been losing under the New Deal.
The President has taken no ac-
ton, for example, with reference to
the executive agencies and COM
missions where a fair hearing and
fair trial is repeatedly denied the
citizen. He has done nothing to
bring about the passage of amend
ments to the labor law nor has he
made any comment about the con-
spicuous disregard of citizens
rights which his appointees on the
Supreme Court have been perpe-
trating. Mr.. Roosevelt didn't hesi-
tate to comment on the work of
Supreme Court justices before and
he will not restore respect for the
highest court till he takes up the
cudgels for the citizens who no
longer can rely on an impartial
court.
Glass War Campaign.
Mr.. Roosevelt's appeal for third
term is regarded by the Republicans
as furnishing a simple issue, but
they are mistaken if they believe the
administration will fight the bat
tie on that ground. There will be
no such clear-cut handling of the
campaign. The New Deal plans to
carry on a class war-exactly the
kind of campaign which it con-
Quoted in 1896.
The effort, of course, is to line up
labor and the farmer and to ignore
the middle class altogether. That's
where the mistake in strategy be-
gins. For the Presidents method
OF securing. the third-term nomina-
ton will be much better understood
and resented by the middle class
than by any other. The fact that
the President permitted his cab
inet officers and lieutenants to line
up delegations for him this last
year while discouraging the candi.
dacy of everybody else is too widely
known to be forgotten.
Two good things the Democrats
did at Chicago. One was the writ
ing of liberal platform-even
though it did contain unjust and
inaccurate innuendoes about their
opponents. The other was the
nomination of Henry Wallace fol
vice president He is an honest
public servant and if some day fate
should make him president, he Is
easily the best of all the New
Dealers.
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