The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-18

solidarity lest
they be accused of hostility to our
preparedness program, or of sore
headedness at least. In confden-
tial chats. however, many of them
take quite a different tone.
Even confidentially they declare
emphatically for any amount Of
nationally defensive activity. Of
course. But they'd rather not have
Wendell Willkie officially identified
with il, because they think such a
connection would tend to silence
him concerning other New Deal
doings In general. They don't
want him back in the public utility
business. either. reckoning that
that would tend to hush him up.
The argument is that he can make
all the money he needs pracucing
law Independently, leaving him
free to say whatever he likes on
the subject Of the New Dealers
management henceforward. Then,
whenever he considers this man.
agement entirely wrong. his coun-
sellers figure that he'll be in po-
sition to give it terrific blast, and
they believe that It must be mere
effective than any alternative crit
les could be.
Want WIllkie Outside
The election returns were hardly
In before il was suggested that
Wendell would be an ideal individ-
ual for President Roosevelt to abb
sorb into his governmental organ
ization. Republican strategists do
not want him so absorbed. They
want him altogether on the out
side, raising Cain at every favor
able opportunity.
This doesn't sound like genuine
wishfulness for 100 per cent unity.
A joking but ill-natured sugges-
ton also is being passed AROUND in
Washingtonian anti-New Deal cir
Giles to the effect that, now we
have a dictator tsuch being the
jokers' assumption. on the third
term basis), he ought to be en-
titled to a regulation form Of sa-
lutte, similar TO the Nazi or Fascist
up-arm gesture accorded to Herr
Hitler and Signor Mussolini. The
proposal is to raise the open right
hand. with wiggling fingers, and
press the thumb against the nose.
l don't call that notion particu-
larly unified, either.
F. D. r. himself, returned to
Washington from Hyde Park after
election day. seems exceptionally
undictatorial. At his past press
conferences he's averaged. In his
contacts with the newspaper boys,
not bit overbearing but a bit su-
perior-smilingly so, but inclined
to treat 'em as mere kids. Now
all that edge is of. The impress
sion he gives is that he's heard this
dictator talk las naturally he has)
and is going out Of his way to
demonstrate that he's no such
thing.
He was the National Press clubs
dinner guest the other night.
though there's no doubt that
great majority Of the Washington
correspondents we're against him
during the campaign. He got a
grand reception. too but a lot OF
it was mere hospitality. However,
he made the date before election
day. Possibly. though. he had II
In mind to placate the crowd in ad-
vance, for there's no doubt that the
club likes TO get notabilities like
himself on its list OF visitors II
cost a good bunch Of simolians to
eat with him.
Less Dictatorial?
At that, l imagine he'll be less
dictatoriai in manner during his
third term than he always was be-
fore. for the simple reason that he
knows he's accused Of 1t.
But unity on Capitol Hill?
TIN be there II we get into the
war. and 1t will be there in the
meantime, on the subject Of pre-
paredness.
Otherwise. II I'm any Judge OF
the chatter | hear from Repub-
ncan and Democratic anti-New
Deal politicians and from newspa-
permen from all over the country,
1t won be noticeable.