Evening star., 1940-10-02


Grand Rapids, Mr.. Willkie again
answered the argument against
changing horses in q time Of crisis
by asking whether the horse that
got us in midstream should be the
one to pull us out"
If he is elected, he said, "all those
boys who have been throwing
monkey wrenches into the economic
machinery of the country" would be
taking trains out Of Washington. Al
the same time. he assured them,
the essential elements of govern
ment would go on undisturbed.
THE Army will still be there II ]
am elected" he went on. "The Navy
will still be there, unless he has sent
it to some foreign shore. Congress
presumably, will still be there, unless
he succeeds in purging 1t. The
Supreme Court will still be there,
unless he abolishes It,"
Comments on Booing.
When he arose to speak at the
State capitol in Lansing, Mr.. Willkie
took occasion to comment on the
booing that interrupted his speech
frequently at Pontiac and occa-
sionally at Flint. He said:
II had q particularly fine time this
morning because I travelled in some
of those sections of your State and
talked with some of those people who
have been or were temporarily mis-
led. I even met some people this
morning in this great democratic
country who, not because OF any
fault of their own, but because they
have been miSled momentarily. have
closed their minds to sense or reason.
I get a great thrill out Of talking
to such people, I know what kind Of
doctrine they have been taught in
the last seven and a half years. I
know how destructive that doctrine
Is. 1t gives me great lift to open
some of their minds to the truth.
You know, in q democratic process,
all of its functioning is building upon
discussion and whenever discussion
ceases or whenever any party or
party leader or public official, no
matter how high his position may
be. seeks to arouse the people by
prejudice to close their minds against
the process of discussion. then such
a party or such a leader. or let me
say such public official, is menace
TO the democratic way Of life"
The statement Of Gov. Lehman,
which brought quick reaction from
Mr.. Willkie, was made at the New
York Democratic State Convention
Monday. Mr.. Willkie quoted Gov.
Lehman as having said:
Let there be no mistake about
this: Nothing that could happen in
the United States could give Hitler,
Mussolini, Stain and the govern
ment Of Japan more satisfaction
than the defeat of the man who
typifies to the whole world the kind
of free, humane government which
dictators despise - Franklin D.
Roosevelt"
Shocked by Statement"
Then the Republican nominee re-
piled as follows The innuendo of
this statement is false, malicious
and subversive. I am shocked that
a man Of Gov. Lehman's character
and responsibility should stoop to q
kind of politics that can only
jeopardize the safety and welfare of
the American people in a critical
hour.
Plain public statements of mine,
made long before / was a candidate,
my acceptance speech; my San
Francisco address on foreign rela-
tions, and my speech in Detroit last
night, are clear and unequivocal
proof Of my position. which is ex-
actly the opposite of what Mr.. Leh-
man implies. Mr. Lehman ought to
know that.
Il stand for our democratic way
Of life. And so intensely do I feel
about this that I have gone out Of
my way in this campaign to give
unity to certain important aspects
OF our foreign policy. I have
sought to avoid any risk of any
suspicion in foreign minds of a dis
agreement in this country in our
fundamental attitudes toward ag-
gression and toward aid to Britain.
Mr.. Lehman ought to know that,
too.
Cite~ Wallace En2srA.
His line of talk has been heard
before. 1t was employed some three
weeks back by Mr.. Henry Wallace,
Democratic candidate for Vice Pres
ident. Mr.. Wallace later corrected
some of the impressions which his
statement had created, and I ac-
cepted those corrections. believing
then, as do now, that Mr.. Wallace
is q patriot and q gentleman.
Whatever may be the explana-
ton for Mr.. Lehmans words, they
are. I repeat, false. malicious and
subversive. They tend to destroy
the unity OF this country and they
challenge in fragrant fashion the
principles upon which I have done
my level best to conduct this CAM
paign.
Mr.. Lehman, as Governor of
New York and an intimate friend
of the President and in his per-
sonal character of an American
citizen, has a threefold and grav.
responsibility. I therefore request
him to make it clear at once and
without equivocation that he did
not intend, and does not intend.
to impute to me any other attitude
than that of defender of de-