Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-15

A.rxar David Lawrence.
There are two questions which are
more often discussed than any
other:
l. What shall the name and scope
Of the Willkie Clubs be hereafter?
Z. What part shall Wendell Will
kie play in the organization OF a
constructive minority viewpoint?
So far as q name for the Willkle
Clubs is concerned, the most ap-
propriate would appear to be
THOMAS jefferson Clubs. This is
because the 100000 voters who
augmented the 100000 Repub-
licans of 1886 came in large part
from the Democratic party on the
third-term issue. There were many
organizations in the last campaign
on the Willkie side. The so-called
Democrats for Willkie" groups
were separate from the Wlllkle
Clubs. Many who Joined the latter
did not feel that they were ready
to accept the Republican party as
their party, though they did want
Willkie as their leader.
Sees Name as Logical.
1nasmuch as the Democrats at
the Chicago convention last July
booed the name of Thomas Jeffer-
son and rejected the principle OF
rotation in Office at the end OF two
presidential terms, it is logical for
the Willkie supporters to pre-empt
the name of Thomas Jefferson be-
cause it Immediately crystallizes the
principles for which so many IN
dependent voters stood in the last
campaign and still would maintain.
There are many voters who cast
their ballots on the Republican side
in 1896 who believe in Jeffersonian
principles and hence would look IA
yorably on the espousal OF new
ideas in national policy which may
emerge from the constructive &C
tivities OF the Thomas Jefferson
Clubs.
The problem of organizing a
minority effectively Is not a simple
one by any means. Wendell Will
kie was the nominee Of the Repub-
lican party, but the Senators and
Representatives in Congress elected
on the Republican ticket consider
themselves the true spokesman OF
the Republican party, and hence
all OF them are in sense Leaders
Of the minority. 7A
Mr.. Willkie might develop q new
status for the minority party In
America by furnishing constructive
leadership, but it is a path obviously
dif1lcult and might result in con-
flicts between him and the mem
bers Of Congress, thus opening up
OPPORTUNITIES for the New Deal to
keep the former Willkie supporters
divided. But the weakness Of every
minority in Congress heretofore has
been its lack OF cohesion. This Is
because even the elected minority
leader of the House or the Senate
is rarely able to look at policies In
a national sense. He is merely the
vehicle for the maintenance OF ex-
ternal harmony among members
whose local interests and consult
uencies often make 1t necessary to
vote against their fellow minority
members
Called Willkie Mandate"
As the candidate who received a
vote Of 100000 persons, 1t can be
assumed that Mr.. Willkie has a
mandate at least to try to lead MS
party between now and 1914. He
will run up against jealousies and
cleavages and ambitions OF those
candidates who think they should
have a chance for the party nom
ination next time. All this Is part
of the risk that Mr.. Willkie will take
in trying the unprecedented task OF
uniting a minority party behind
basic principles. 1t means GER
tain self restraint, too, against TAX
ing a position on every piece OF leg
islation and every detail Of public
policy. The minority cause would
really be strengthened II it con-
centrated only on certain basic
ideas.
Thus, Wendell Willkie himself
might lead the movement back to
work" Instead of devoting him
self to some new fields of endeavor
to which he has not been accus-
toned, he could enter the field OF
industry and particularly some pro-
ductive enterprise whose problems
would bring him close to the every
dow varp1eYitieS of the Government
versus business era in which we
live. If the system of private init
alive is not to be supplanted by a
system of national socialism or state
capitalism, then some one who car
speak frequently and earnestly
about our economic system woulc
seem to be needed.