Evening star., 1940-11-12

tatorship with specialized ap-
proaches to class and religious
prejudices.
The much-advertised "class ha-
tired" of the campaign was largely
confined to the businessmen. their
frantic wives and to the wearers Of
the Willkie buttons. That there
was some of this stuff being spread
by the Democratic side is probable.
I did not see any of it and I went
through the campaign in Chicago.
with its 10 nationalities and its ira
dition of hell-for- Leather politics.
I had continuous closeup of the
Kelly-Nash machine in action in
a hard fight and I can testify that
the only appeal made to the elec-
torate was based on simple Amer
icanism and on the natural self
interest Of the Chicago citizens in
retaining the practical benefits Of
the New Deal.
Remarkably Patient.
In fact, the "paupers' of Chicago
seemed to me remarkably patient in
the face of very dangerous and art
full provocation. Their resentment
was that any one should appeal to
them on such grounds. The only
exception was in the German wards
on the North Side, which voted
heavily for Mr.. Willkie, but not for
love of Hitler but because the G. o.
P. had extensively advertised his
German parentage.
The election also showed that 1t is
not possible for money alone to buy
an election. The New Dealers and
the Democrats had one dollar to the
Republicans ten and the Hatch Act
had deprived the party in power Of
its traditional reliance on Federal
funds and patronage to influence
the canvass. Federal spending
helped Mr.. Roosevelt but only to the
extent to which it was maintaining
national prosperity. According to
what I have been told, in Chicago
on election day the G. o. P. spent
$50 a precinct to beat Mr.. Roosevelt.
In Philadelphia it was 500 a pre-
cinct. The ''reformers" did not hesi-
could lay their hands, according to
the expert testimony of interested
Democratic precinct captains.
Most of the newspapers and all Of
the big money in this election went
hard for Mr. Willkie-yet the people
kept Mr.. Roosevelt.
Not "CIass Struggle"
But here is one point to be re-
membered. 1t was not a class
struggle" Just as many white-col-
lar. business and professional people
were for Mr.. Roosevelt as for Mr..
Willkie. There we're thousands
upon thousands Of decent. well-edu-
Gated, moderately wealthy, cultured
men and women who took no part
in the effort to storm the New Deal
by ''whoOpeWS' tactics. They voted
for Mr.. Roosevelt and stood by the
New Deal in the face of highly or
ganiZed and often vindictive vituper-
alton and oStracism. Many men
and women fought for Mr.. Roosevelt
when they could have made money
and kept on pleasant terms with
their associates by going for Mr..
Willkie. In my opinion, they are
the social heroes of this campaign
and they deserve recognition for
keeping faith in democracy in the
face of temptations to go along
with Mr.. Willkie, Mr.. Lewis and
Mr.. Girdler.
But We have shown that it is pos
sible for the people of this country
to maintain democracy in a totali-
tartan world and to repudiate the
hate, fear and smear methods by
which short-sighted politicians at
tempt to snare their votes. My con-
gratulations in this hour of victory
go to the American people as q
whole for their patience, their good
temper and their faith in democracy.
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