Evening star., 1940-10-25

MS 1rlenQS when he opposed the
Russel-Overton amendment than he
was In anything else. The Attorney
General rehashed the cry that the
Republican nominee was willing to
conscript youth but not private
property.
But the record reveals that the
Russell-Overton amendment was
rejected by the Congress because it
was unfair and would have sabo-
tagged defense. Had it not been for
Wendell Wilkes courageous fight
his willingness to run the risk of
being misrepresented by the politi-
cal smear captains of the campaign,
1t might have been in the law today
Wilkes Plan Adopted.
1t Is interesting to note also that
the precise plan which Mr. Willkie
proposed to take care of recalcitrant
firms making war weapons now has
been adopted by the President in
the form of regulation.
The Attorney General ought to
know that Mr.. Willkie, who fought
in France and entered the last war
not as a captain but as buck pri-
vate," knows as much about what it
means to risk ones life in battle as
anybody in the present administra-
ton. To impugn his patriotism on
the ground that he put profits above
all else is worthy only of those who
prefer to attack mans integrity
and not to debate the issues
If anybody is guilty of taking a
step which would have meant sab
otaging the defense program, it Is
the Attorney General himself The
other day. for purely political pur-
pose, he wrote letter stating that
firms merely accused but not con-
victed in a court, of violating the
labor relations law could be con-
strued as violators of the policy of
the defense commission. which in a
generally expressed statement. de-
clared that defense contractors
should comply with the labor laws.
Mr.. Jackson's ruling had to be
repudiated by the War and Navy
Departments Even close -mouthed
William Knudsen, who keeps out of
politics and tries to do production
Job for the Defense Advisory Com
mission, was compelled to say pub
licly that what the Attorney Cen
eral had ruled was going too far"
Then industry was reassured. The
tactics of the Attorney General are
not surprising The entire New
Deal has been trying ever since last
summer to insult the intelligence Of
the American people by trying to
tell them that what happened at
the Philadelphia convention which
nominated Mr.. Willkie was all arti-
fetal, and that the kilograms came
from financial interests.
Imply Nomination Was Bought.
1t so happens that a national con-
vention is observed by at least 500
reporters and radio commentators.
Their almost unanimous report was
that Mr. Wilkes nomination was
q spontaneous development Yet it
suits the New Deal to insist on
falsifying the record and to imply
that Mr.. Willkie bought his nomi-
nation.
This is a fatal error in tactics.
Throughout the length and breadth
of America where Wendell Willkie
has Travelled, he has succeeded in
persuading his hearers that he Is
earnest, sincere and conscientious
and, above all, that he is intellectu-
ally honest There may be grounds
on which to attack the economic
reasoning of the Republican nomi-
nee. He is certainly no radical and
has no sympathy with the commu-
nistic ideas of so many of the New
Dealers. but an attack on that
basis is understandable What is
incomprehensible is that the New
Deal, after eight years, figures that
all it needs to do to win fight is
to stir up class hatred, impute dis
honesty and lack of integrity to
everybody else and the masses of
voters will go along with such ver-
sions of what is happening in public
affairs.
Peace Avowals Deficient.
The Presidents speech of Wednes-
day did not go deeply into the is
sues at all, but insisted on going
back to 1882 and the bank holiday.
Mr.. Roosevelt completely missed the
peace issue What the public today
doesn't want is more denials OF an
intention to lead America into war,
but an acknowledgment that the
people will be consulted through
their elected representatives and not
made the victims of an accomplished
fact when it is too late for the peo-
pies voice to be heard.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
sending of the so deStroyerS to Eng
land was approved by public opin-
ion, the incident was viewed more
from its emotional aspects OF the
moment than its long range effects.
Neither branch of Congress was con-
suited on what amounted to an act
of war. The President guessed right
that time, but do the American peo-
pie want one man to guess the an
swer to such questions all the time,
or do they wish at least the COM
mittees of both houses, comprising
members of both political parties
to be consulted? That's the real
issue-one man government.
Once Mr.. Roosevelt is given third
term he will feel justified in con-
STRUNG it as do-as-you-please man.
date. A vote for a third term is a
vote to let one man decide the issues
Of peace or war, and vote against
a third term is vote for constitu-
tional government as it has been
known for more than $50 years
That's the underlying principle at
stake in this campaign and it is
bigger than any man or group OF
men. A debate on it would be in
formative and might be inspiring
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