The voice of labor., 1940-08-29
WiIlkie Accepts

Wikie has accepted the Republican nomi-
nation and with it the tenets OF the New Deal.
In so doing he must have dealt hard blow
to those shell-back Republican editors who
have damned the New Deal week in and week
out for the past many years.
Just imagine the discontinue. for example.
Of the editor of the CUMBERLAND NEWS.
That paper has now to face the awkward task
of boosting Willkie and what Willkie stands
for.
Wikie says he stands for all the things that
the editor OF the CUMBERLAND NEWS
abhors.
81 believe" said the Republican nomi-
nee, 'that the forces of free enterprise
must be regulated am opposed to busi-
ness monopolies.
81 believe in collective bargaining, by
the representatives of labor's own free
choice, without any interference, and in
full protection of these obvious rights"
Wowl That must be hard to swallow.
But worse is to come. After all the
CUMBERLAND NEWS hollering about
the Wages and Hours Act their cham
pion declares: Il believe in the main
tenance of minimum standards for wages
and maximum standards for hours" and
adds that the hours must lessen and the
wages increase.
1at.a
in the federal regulation of interstate
utilities, of securities markets and bank
ing" page the Cumberland Chamber of
Commerce.)
Further repudiation of Republican editor.
game when the man who wants to meet the
champ" vowed Il believe in federal pen
sons. in adequate old-age benefits and in
unemployment allowances.
We will not go further into the rubber
stamp endorsement Of the New Deal which
Willkie delivered. After ALL even Republican
editors have some feelings!
OF course Willke asserted his intention to
give the people the benefits of the New Dea
on larger scale and at cheaper rates. We
scratched our heads later in his address when
he warned the nation that they win have to
suffer more in getting this cheaper admin.
istration!
Turning to foreign policy the candidate
endorsed the champs actions to date. but
made some vague generalties about the Pres.
idents desire to get US into war and criticized
his inhammatory statements. He then pro.
ceeded to express his own feelings about Herr
Hitler in a manner which would hardly be
termed amatory or conciliatoryl
Our opinion is that Mr. Willkie finds himself
in the same awkward position that he has
placed those who have ranted so consistently
against the New Deal. He scaled the heights
of inconsistency. AS political document the
acceptance speech is dismal flop.
Here we have man who wishes to unsea'
the New Deal champ by endorsing his policies
and then throwing in a bunch of partisan
propaganda winch he hopes viii cover hi
lack of fundamental program. 1t is really
too bad that the offer to debate could moi
have been accepted. The Joe Louis ony
Galento fiasco would have faded into memory
beside thatl
In one way it is heartening to realize
that the basic social reforms of the New
Deal are so overwhelmingly accepted as
the American way of life that they must
become the program of those politicians
and propagandists who have opposed
them.
That the people will endorse or fall for thi.
late protestation of faith. though. seems be.
yond the realm of fancy.
The editor of the CUMBERLAND NEWS
has hard job ahead