Evening star., 1940-11-05
BY the Associated Press.

ing S tHe pTepuTeU LeIL " FTeSt-
dent Roosepelt's election eDe
radio address to the Nation.
Once more I am in the quiet Of
my home in Hyde Park on the
eve of election day. I wish to
speak to you not of partisan poll
tics but of the Nation, the United
all owe such deep and inborn
allegiance.
AS I sit here tonight with my
own family, I think of all the
other American families-mil-
lions of families all through the
land-sitting in their own homes.
They have eaten their supper in
peace, they will be able to sleep
in their homes tonight in peace.
Tomorrow they will be free to go
out to live their ordinary lives in
peace-free to say and do what
they wish. free to worship as they
please. Tomorrow of all days
they will be free to choose their
own leaders who, when that
choice has been made, become in
turn only the instruments to
carry out the will of all of the
people.
Life Has Gone Underground
Beyond the Seas.
And I cannot help but think
of the families in other lands
millions of families-living in
homes like our own. On some OF
these homes, bombs of destruc-
ton may be dropping even as I
speak to you.
Across the seas life has gone
underground. I think I speak the
minds Of all of you when l say
that We thank God that we live
r in the sunlight and starlight of
peace-that we are not in war
and that we propose and expect
to continue to live our lives in
peace-under the peaceful light
of heaven.
In this town, as in every COM
munity in our Nation, friends and
neighbors will gather together
around the polling place.
They will discuss the state Of
the Nation. the weather. and the
prospect for their favorite foot
ball team. They will discuss this
present political campaign. Some
will wear buttons proclaiming
their allegiance TO one candidate
or another. And there will be q
few warm arguments.
But when you and I step into
the voting booth, we can proudly
say: Il am an American, and
this vote I am casting is the eX-
ercise of my highest privilege
and my most solemn duty to my
country"
We vote as free men, impelled
only by the urgings of our own
wisdom and our own conscience.
As Choice Is Marked.
In our polling places are no
storm troopers or secret police to
look over our shoulders as we
mark our ballots.
My own personal participation
in public affairs goes back as far
as the year 1910, when I first be-
came a candidate for the State
Senate from this district on the
Hudson river.
In the 80 years which followed,
I have taken an active part ia
nearly every political campaign
local, state and national. My in
terest has been that of a candi-
date for Office, public official,
and private citizen.
In every political campaign, the
question on which we all finally
pass judgment through the ballot
box is simply this. Whom do I
think is the candidate best quail
fed to act as President, or Gov
ernor, or Senator, or Mayor, or
supervisor or county commits
sioner during the next term?"
1t is that right, the right to
determine for themselves who
should be their own officers of
government, that provides for the
people the most powerful safe
guard of our democracy. The
right to place men in office, at
definite, fixed dates of election
for a specific term, is the right
which will keep a free people al
ways free.
Dictators have forgotten-or
perhaps they never knew-the
basis upon which democratic gov
ernment is founded: That the
opinion Of all the people, freely
formed and freely expressed,
without fear or coercion. is wiser
than the opinion of any one man
or any small group of men.
Voters Will Is a Part
OF the Will of America.
We have more faith in the COL
lective opinion of all Americans
than in the individual opinion of
any one American.
Your will is a part of the great
will of America. Your voice is a
part of the great voice of
America. And when you and I
stand in line tomorrow for our
turn at the polls, we are voting
equals.
In the past 20 years the num-
ber of those who exercise the
right to vote in national elec-
tions has been almost doubled.
There is every indication that the
number of votes cast tomorrow
will be by. far the greatest in
our history.
That is the proof-if proof be
Speeielisfs ~