The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-07-20
Politics
in
Passing
" RAYMOND J. FITZPATRICK

~OOS@
" RAYMOND J. FITZPATRICK
m renominating President
Roosevelt, The Democratic con-
vention this week not only picked
the strongest candidate but paved
the way for a campaign between
sharply distinguished PERSONAL
titles and issues. The Republican
nominee for the presidency, Wen
dell L. Willkie, has expressed a
desire to meet the champ; he's
had his wish, and now the ma
ton waits to see what he will do
about the opportunity that has
been given him.
Despite the schoOl-boyish bick-
ering of squabble over the
vice-presidential nomination, that
battle was good thing for the
Democratic convention and the
Democratic party. The wide range
Of nominations, the refusal to ac-
cent the presidents recOmmen-
dalton automatically, and the
hearty cheers and resounding booS
only served to illustrate emphat-
ically that the Democratic party
remains Democratic. The con-
venti0n proceedings Thursday
night would serve to contradict
any claims that the Democrats
were a "one man party" and that
the convention was taking all its
orders from the White House.
The reluctance of many dele
gates to accept the recommended
ton that Secretary Henry Wal
lace be nominated for vice-presi-
dent was in contrast to the docil-
ity Of the Republican convention
in accepting Senator Charles Nc
Nary for second place on the
ticket simply because Mr.. Willkie
and his coterie had decided that
he best fitted in with their plans.
Il has always been amusing to
hear cries of dictatorship" from
q Republican party which has
been unsuccessful in none-too-en-
thusiastic attempts to cast off the
yoke of bossism. When Republic
cans spokesman offer sympathy to
the supposedly downtrodden DEM
ocratic rank and file, one can
think only of such G. o. p. die
tatOrs as Boies Penrose, ]. Henry
ROraback, Mark Hanna, and all
the rest who have made unholy
history in American politics.
The Democrats, too, have and
have had their bosses. Tammany
Hall, Chicago's Ed Kelly, Mayor
Frank II Am the Law Hague and
others are not being forgotten.
But the convention proceedings
and the Republican party's own
record make laughable any claims
that all Democrats bow subser-
vicinity to the will of that man
in the White House"
Democracy had reason to feel
proud of itself Thursday. The
sophisticates may turn up their
noses at the demonstrations, the
cheers, the battles with word and
fist-but they only served to prove
that q free people were making a
frve choice. Hitler undoubtedly
would scott at the party in power
in allowing such turmoil; Musso-
lini probably would have suggest
ed that a little pressure, Of one
kind or another, be used; Stain
would simply have ordered the
rebels iquidated. To any think
ing American, on the other hand,
IL was situation that in essence
showed once more than the peo-
pie, through their delegates, have
the right to be heard. The future
Of democracy depends on the
preservation of that principle.
We Americans make it a habit
to criticize the men we elect to
public office. We lampoon the
men for whom we have voted; we
enjoy having their private affairs
dissected for our benefit; we
chuckle at jokes about them. We
take that as part of our American
privilege. In times like these, we
should appreciate the value OF
such a privilege. However little
Messrs. Hitler, Mussolini and
Stain may value the right of any
free man to sound raZzberry for
any candidate for public Office he
doesn't like, we in America have
to realize the tremendous power
that such a right gives us.
With the campaign now direct
ly ahead, 1t is for MIR. Willkie to
take the lead. 1t is for him to
defeat the champ" if he can,
though it is no secret that Mr..
Willkie would have preferred that
the Democrats nominate someone
else.
The Democratic platform rates
little distinction for being better
than that Of the Republicans;
few simple declarative sentences
would have done that, for the G..
O. P. platform avoided a direct
stand on almost every important
issue. Fortunately, the people
know what Mr.. Roosevelt stands
for. It Is Mr.. WILKES problem to
take an unequivocal stand on i'm
portant subjects, for he cannot
hope to be elected on a basis of
agreeing with New Deal reforms
but saying that "well administer
them better"