The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-06


COvertly have knocked" the New
Deal with great glee since 1888.
The boys realize now that re-
nomination of President Roosevelt
offers the almost sole hope for a
continuance of the Democrats in
power, and are, with great mag
nanimity, forgetting their direct
and undercOver attacks and are
shouting fervently that Mr.. Roose-
welt owes il to his party and to
the nation, as a duty, to run
again.
Such quadrennial antics as these
are best interpreted as minor pen
atty for the other great multitude
of blessings that we have through
our democratic form of government.
The only unfortunate feature is that
many of the members of this lets
take care of ourselves first" brigade
will, in the course Of campaign
complexities, be lucky enough to be
reelected or retain their jobs. One
consolation is that the people of
the nation are becoming more and
more politically minded, and the
transparency of those who seek al
ways to be with the winner is be-
ing seen and acted upon a great
deal more.
II is a noble and patriotic sight
to find that an elected represent
tative of the people, who has
voted against social reforms and
liberal legislation to which his
party is pledged, suddenly decides
Just before election that the lead
er whose policies he has consis-
tently opposed is now Messiah,
come TO save the people and, in
cidentally, the officeholder's job.
Fortunately for America, the old
platitudes aren't going over SO
well any more, and the eXplana-
tins for sudden changes of heart
aren't being accepted so easily.
With the Democratic national
convention To start in little more
than a week, it is clear that the
party's almost only hope lies in
President Roosevelt running again.
Without his acceptance Of the NOM
ination, there can ensue only tur-
MOL; even should Mr.. Roosevelt en-
dorse someone like Attorney-Gen-
eral jackson or Justice Douglas for
the nomination and promise active
personal support in the campaign,
the Democrats would find them
selves on the defensive in probably
losing campaign.
"The man is Roosevelt; the is
sue Is humanity" :. Somewhere.
a few months ago, we read that
those eight words had been pro-
posed as n Democratic campaign
slogan. They are, in nutshell,
the campaign. They state the
case as perfectly as slogan can;
they make the issue the simple,
direct one of whether or not
America wants TO preserve the
liberties that our form of govern
ment has given us the past CEN
fury and half.
WIG 4oA WNsNbAiSA
friends who are so vociferous for
Mr.. Roosevelt only before election
are outnumbered many times by the
rank.and-f citizens, Republicans
as well as Democrats. who want the
President to run again. These mil
lions ask no political office, no jobs,
no patronage-they ask only that
the New Deal be continued and eX-
tended. The country is blessed that
the people still have voice.
As we remarked in this column
last week, a contest between Mr..
Roosevelt and Mr.. Willkie would
be an education in government
and conflicting theories of gov
eminent for the voters of the
United States. The third term is
sue is becoming more clearly an
artificial argument. If Mr.. ROose-
welt should run again, and a ma
jority of the people don't approve
of a third term, they can show
their disapproval quite unmis-.
takably at the polls.
Meantime, the glamorouS aura
about Mr.. Willkie is beginning 10
fade. The spontaneous" deluge of
pro- Willkie kilograms TO Philadel-
phia is being studied; the New Yrok
Daily News, with the largest cir
culation in the world, is attacking
the Republican nominee for his
utilities connections; New York's
new newspaper. PM, is limiting that
the food o. kilograms was organ
lied by big-business interests; Re-
publican leaders are fearful OF how
the Midwest and Far West Will
take to a power magnate as presi-
dental candidate. The Democrats,
50 far. have been content with bit
Of shipping at Mr.. Willkie; the big
guns. now or1inously silent. are pre-
pairing to go into action against him.
with Mr.. Roosevelt as a candi-
date for another term, and with
ulatform that says what u means
and avoids the generalities and
please Everybody attitude OF that
or the Republicans. the Democrats
can win again In November, de-
splte the handicap Of having IN
the party those who back the New
neal only when u Is 10 their own
advantage or to save their own
skins.