Evening star., 1940-11-18


free America and that the election
really settled nothing except per-
haps one point. namely that many
people had their eyes fixed On
Europe and on what change IN
administration at critical time
might mean rather than on the
fundamental weaknesses in our eco
nomic and social structure at home.
This is one reason why the cries
for national unity are so misleading.
For example since election many
speakers and writer's have talked
about finding a place for MI. Will
kie in the Government on the theory
that this gesture of superficial unity
would really 60 to the heart OF
Americas post-o.ecuOn problem.
If there is to be recognition Of the
minority as a useful part OF our
American democracy, i can come
by forgetting about Nj WILKES role
as an individual except as a symbol
Of Nationwide discomfort and basic
criticism. Il can come by restoring
to the minority IN America the
rights they have had heretofore
when the Republicans were in the
majority. Il is a simple formula.
Il takes cOcnizance of tha broad
principle of minority representation
in government all along the line.
Time was when Federal judges were
picked from both parties. The ma
jority party usually wound up with
about 60 per cent OF the places.
Today the majority party has abOu.
e5 per cent.
Question of Appointments.
Then again on bipartisan COM
missions the minority principle has
been seriously impaired by tnn pres
ent administration Appointments
Of so-called Republicans are made
with tongue in cheek II the law
calls for bipartisan representation
q hunt is promptly instituted for
Republicans who viii be rubber
stamp New Dealers. TheV are not
hard to find among the JO5-seeklng
elements.
But more important than proper
recognition of the minority IN max
ing appointments that are bona tde
selections from the opposition IS the
question of recognizing and accept
ing minority criticism on its merits.
II is not really releyan, whether Nj.
WIIlkie is invited into the Govern
ment by the President. but whether
any attention is going to be paid
to the many things he said in the
campaign that have universal sup
port already or are likely to have
two and four years hence unless
serious attention is paid to them
now.
If the opponents of the Roosevelt
administration who DID not for a
moment believe Wendell WlI.klc, If
elected, would alter our foreign
policy. were TO search their minds
they would find centrally located in
their criticism a deep fear that the
present administration. consciously
or unCOnSCiOuSly, Is heading us for
the worst financial catastrophe the
United States has ever known.
This correspondent prefers TO be-
heVe that the administration ad-
yisers would not deliberately invite
financial or economic chOas and that
The present fiscal plight Of the Ma
sion is due to the sheer ignorance
of New Dealers in high places as
So what really makes a system Of
private capitalism work Most of
the men who shape national policy
here have never handled risk Capl-
tai Of their own and hence do not
understand its implications or OBJ
legations and are. therefore, lost in
their own confidence that magic
can be worked with other peoples
money.
This sort of magic for a while ha,
fooled every government in the world
that has tried it as far back as the
history of government began to be
recorded. The devices are always
new but the basic weaknesses never
change. Already the cry is heard that
the new era of today is different,
that the administration can control
prices and runaway initiation, and
that once the national income IS
boosted to higher levels all Will be
well
What makes tht outlook so dis