Evening star., 1940-06-25
Republican KEYNOTE


The keynote sounded last night by
youthful Governor Harold E. Stas-
sen of Minnesota at the Republican
National Convention in Philadelphia
was sharp vibrant and arresting
In its broad tone, it was in conso-
nance with the theme of the Demo-
cratic administration now in power
There was general harmony on the
score of national preparedness, on
f1fth-column defense, on the need
for farm and unemployment relief,
on the Importance of governmental
reorganization. But the discord
came when Governor Stassen began
to explain the differences between
the Republican and the New Deal
approaches to these problems and to
enumerate the weaknesses and the
failures of the Roosevelt administra-
ton in seeking to solve them. Gov
ernor Stassen deserves credit for
confining his arraignment of the
New Deal to criticism that, on the
whole, was constructive, not carp
ing-and he thereby has served to
strengthen the cause of the some
what bewildered Grand Old Party.
Governor Stassen was emphatic in
denying any idea that the Republican
party Is or will be party of blind
isolationism. The future welfare of
the country, he said, cannot best be
served by simply burying our heads
In the sand" when the world is
constantly changing" He freely
admitted that situations may arise
which cannot now be anticipated and
that 1t would be foolish, therefore, to
"tie our hands before meeting them"
That is an eminently sensible posi-
ton to take and to adhere to in
these times of international turmoil,
when anything can happen and
when f1exibility of diplomatic or
military action might forestall graver
crises.
The Republican keynoter was not
disposed to quarrel with the admin
istration's present program for build
ing up our national defenses, but he
did not make clear the Republican
stand on compulsory military train
ing, although he criticized as too
totalitarian MIR. Roosevelt's sugges-
tion Of universal non-combatant
training for young men and women.
The G.. o. P. platform should include
a plank pledging the party to support
legislation setting up Immediately
system of universal military training
If there is any intention to deal real
Astically with our new problems of
national defense Governor Stassen's
reference to the American way" of
raising and training an army of
workmen as we'll as an army of
soldiers was not realistic and left
his hearers puzzled.
The Governor, as might have been
expected, aimed many of his darts
at familiar shortcomings of the New
Deal He assailed left wingers in the
administration or in its good graces,
restrictive regulations and punitive
taxes on business, deficit financing,
the increase in administrative agen-
cies and in their powers, wasteful
Federal relief measures, political pa
tronage, failure to solve unemploy-
ment and farm problems, the 'let
the Government do it" attitude at
Washington. And he did not fore
go attacking Mr.. Roosevelt's sup
posed third-term ambitions and the
political timing of the appointments
of Republicans Frank Knox and
Henry L. Stimson to the cabinet. At
the same time, he bluntly reminded
the opposition party that the Nation
faces critical weeks between now and
the election next November and that
meanwhile it behooves Republicans
as we'll as Democrats to rise above
narrow partisanship" in cooperating
with the Government in this emer-
gency.
All in all, it was safe and sane
pronouncement of Republican po-
litical philosophy, tailored to f1t the
requirements of tense and perilous
era in the democratic way of life.