Evening star., 1940-07-26

NNNiiNo INV III"
Charles G. Ross. foreseen.
The fight is again between the
philosophy which animates the New
Deal and that opposing philosophy
which holds that the New Deal
threatens the destruction of the
American system of private enter
prise.
Fundamental objectives, as an
nounced by platforms and candl-
dates, are again the same. Each
side is devoted to the preservation
Of the american way of life; each
processes to be the exponent of the
true liberalism To the charge that
it would break down the capital
istic system. and so break down
democracy as We have known it,
the New Deal replies that only
through its methods and policies
can capitalism be saved
Since the confict-with the eX-
ception noted-is the same today
as it was in 1886 what are the
grounds for Republican hopes Of
overcoming the huge majority by
which Roosevelt was retained in Of
fee in that year? The handicap is
impressive Roosevelt received 81
476673 popular votes in 1886; his
opponent. 16679533 Roosevelt re-
ceived 523 electoral college votes,
his opponent only the eight votes
OF Maine and Vermont.
What Buoys G. O.P.
The Republicans take encourage
ment from such faCtors-and possi-
blllties-as these.
The personal attractiveness Of
their candidate and his ability 10
trade punches" with Roosevelt;
the failure of the New Deal to solve
the overshadowing problem of un-
employment: the cleavage in the
Democratic ranks, so dramatically
shown at Chicago, between the New
Dealers and the conservatives"
the fears in some quarters Of the
alleged war mlnGedneSs' Of the
President: a possible loss of votes
TO the Democratic ticket through
political MANAGEMENT less skillful
than that of James A Farley:
possibility that a significant num-
Der of votes have simply become
tired of the RooseveIts.
Now there is reason on all these
counts for the Republicans to eX-
pect gains. but it is highly ques-
tionable whether the total of such
gains would cut effectively into the
Roosevelt strength of 1886. Roose-
welt can lose a lot of fat without
being hurt.
The underlying issue. to repeat.
is the same as four years ago, and
on that issue Roosevelt rolled I'd
a support in the lower economic
groups that overwhelmed the votes
for Landon in the higher brackets.
Heaped up and running over in the
Roosevelt column were the ballots
Of labor, Of farmers, of the Negroes.
Many Similarities.
II is true that since 1896 national
defense has come into the picture,
but both parties are for national
defense to the limit. Trade agree
ments NEGOTIATED by the Democrats
have been attacked by the Repub-
licans in Congress. but the Repub-
lican candidate supports the prin-
ciple of the agreements. Roosevelt
has stood strongly for measures
short of war" in aid of the Euro
pean demoCracies: so also has WILL
kie. As things now stand. there is
no partisan issue in the conscrip-
ton bill before Congress- it cuts
across party lines. With everybody
calling for new billions for defense
there is no effective issue left for
the Republicans in budget balanc-
ing-though the general spending
issue, of course, remains for what
it is worth.
1t all comes down to the fact
that despite the changes and
chances since 1886 there is no issue
In the present state of the Union
to differentiate this campaign to
any appreciate degree from the
campaign of four years ago.
The distinguishing feature lies in
the unprecedented effort of the
President to obtain third term.
Platform for Scrap Heap.
Around this effort and its impli-
cations the campaign, as it now ap-
pears. will be Waged. Other issues
will be largely overlooked or can
celed out. The platforms of the
two parties will be forgotten; they
have practically been forgotten al
ready. The fact that Mr.. McNarv
has disagreed basically with Mr..
Willkie will be OF no consequence
and neither will be the fact of Mr..
Wilkes former Democratic affilia-
ton. Significant though it is, the
100 per cent New Dealism OF the
Democratic ticket. in contrast with
the balanced" nature of the Roose-
velt-Garner combination. will have
but scant bearing on the election
result.
Barring some upheaval at home
or abroad that would create
brand-new and critical difference
between the parties, it seems clear,
from what happened in 1886. that it
IS on the third-term issue that the
Republicans must pin their princf-
pal hopes of success.
In other terms. the dominant
issue of the campaign as it is now