Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-21

Allu0U llOU NC lC-
garded as a
d idate for David Lawrence.
political office, but as a ruler who
must not be challenged on public
questions. In Europe for centuries
they have termed this "lese-majeste"
"a reflection on his majesty. Re-
ferring to Mr.. WILKES invitation to
the President to debate the issues
OF the campaign before the same
audiences, Mr.. Ickes called it cheap
bravado" and said:
THE gravity Of Mr.. Wilkes
offense consisted of the fact that he
was rejecting upon the dignity and
striking at the prestige of an office
which. as a candidate himself for the
presidency. it ought to be his Jealous
duty to uphold and defend. The
President cannot adjourn the battle
of Britain to ride the circuit with
Mr.. Willkie. We must realize that
the battle of Britain Is the battle
of the Atlantic Ocean. The presl-
dency of the United States is no
Job for a mountebank.
More Inspections Coming.
Unhappily, the President when he
feels like travelling does adjourn the
battle of Britain" and unhapplly Tor
Mr.. Ickes' point. he does ride around
the United States, and judging by
what has happened already he
intends to do more of it in the COM
ING months. A prominent Senator
from New England. for instance,
called this correspondents atten-
ton today to the fact that when
President Roosevelt went to New
England recently ito inspect de-
lenses" his automobile was routed
through the streets of various cities
in such a way as to bring him into
contact with as many people as pos.
sible. This type OF thing Is well
understood in campaign technique
and is a thoroughly legitimate way
of exposing a nominee to the voting
crowds, but Mr.. Ickes seems to have
overlooked the new art of inspect
ing defenses." Maybe the American
people are going to be treated to
another bit of gentle spoofing by the
President such as occurred when ne
obtained free time on all the major
radio networks for his "non-pont-
ical" speeches early in 1886. Per-
taps Charlie Sawyer, Democratic
national committeeman from Ohio,
didn't intend to do so, but he let
the cat out of the bag the other day
as he emerged from a conference
with President Roosevelt. On reach
ing the White House steps, the cor
respondents asked Mr.. Sawyer II
he expected Mr. Roosevelt to come
to Ohio for a political speech.
"Oh. no." Mr.. Sawyer is reported
to have exclaimed, "but you know
there's an Army air field at Dayton,
Ohio"
AS a matter of fact there are
defense projects of one kind or
another in every important State
which has a large electoral vote
and Mr.. Roosevelt could go out
among the crowds, inspect defenses
and perhaps still come within the
outline set by Mr.. Ickes Of a busy
President who would consider 1t
undignified to do what Lincoln did
when he so readily debated with
Douglas at a critical time in the
Nations history.
Some Want New Example.
The idea that it would be undign1-
fed for the President of the United
States to participate in one OF the
fundamental processes OF democ-
racy will come as shock to many
Americans who are inclined to think
that at a time when slavish worship
of the Fuehrer is offered to the
world as the modern way Of extoll-
ing leadership, America could well
give a dramatic example OF just
the opposite.
The debate idea which Mr.. Willkie
proposed, however, is something
more than a challenge to Mr.. Roose-
welt to 60 on the stump. 1t is
yelled charge that the President
does not write his own speeches and
that he is unwilling to appear in
public without manuscript pre-
pared in advance. Such forebear-
ance about a written address Is
understood where announcements
of state relating to policy must be
made, but on domestic issues there
Is no such need for canned speeches.
Wilson Was Great Debater.
The last great debater in the
White House who could speak ex-
temporaneously was Woodrow Will
son. With only two or three excep-
tons, his entire campaign of 1912
was made up of impromptu talks,
and while he repeated ideas he
never repeated the same sentences.
Wendell Willkie is unused to the
canned radio speaking which has
become the vogue. He is fighter
of the old school-some one who can
debate without brain trusters or
ghost writer's at his elbow.
The Republican nominees radio
delivery is not as good as that of
Mr.. Roosevelt, but with training it
could be improved. Yet one is in
clined to think that Wendell Willkie
would give a better account of him.
self in a debate OF an 1mpromptu
character than through a prepared
address. Millions Of persons heard
Wendell Willkie debate with Attor-
ney General jackson at Town Hall
a few months ago and nobody
thought at the time about measured
radio delivery or Midwestern &C
centS-the audience was wrapped up
in listening to a master debater take
the measure Of his New Deal oppo-
nent. But maybe it is also "undig-
nified" for the electorate to defeat
a President for public Office and
maybe 1t does strike at the pres
tige' OF the post for anybody but
member OF a single group to be
OLDS.
ID AKEc DEF linen