The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-17


here, charged Wendell L. Willkie,
Republican candidate for presi-
dent, with being a political
chameleon" In a spirited speech Of
acceptance here tonight. The
gentleman from Kentucky also as
sailed the policies Of former Presi-
dent Herbert Hoover and the plat
form adopted by the Republicans
In their recent national convention
I'm Philadelphia. The text Of the
address is as follows:
Fellow Democrats:
To the national committee
which recommended, and to this
convention which has chosen me
as permanent chairman, express
my profound appreciation.
I shall endeavor to preside over
your deliberations with prompt
ness and fairness to the end that
you may consummate your task In
dignity and good order.
We assemble here in circum-
stances so uncommon, in the
midst Of world disorders so I'M
precedented and surrounded by
domestic obligations so compulsive
as to charge us with the duty OF
preparing our nation to meet con-
sequences which will project
themselves indefinitely into the
unpredictable future.
The Democratic party has faced
one crisis after another during its
long and glorious history.
It has been tested in the Cruz
chile Of faith and achievement.
It has never faltered in its devo-
ton to the higher interests OF the
people of America. 1t will not
falter now.
But we do not come together in
any vainglorious spirit prompted
BY the mere desire for partisan
or personal victory. Unless by our
record in the past and our con-
cept Of duty for the future We are
equipped for the tasks of states
manship, we have no claim on the
American people for further pref
erment.
Glorious Record.
The record we have made Is
written in the history of the Re-
public. While we lay no claim to
perfection and illuminate no pre-
tensions that this record contains
no errors, nevertheless we contem-
plate with pride the great tasks
we have undertaken and accom-
plished in behalf Of Democracy
and those who believe in it and
strive to advance it.
Let US be equally tmequivocal in
Vhe program we shall here an
nounce, so that the American peo-
Die and the world will know what
we think and what we propose to
10.
The chief, If not the only rea-
Ncn, for the existence Of political
parties is to afford a vehicle for
the moulding and expression Of
public opinion and for the flxa-
ton Of responsibility in the con-
duct Of the public business.
There have been occasions when
political organizations were afraid
to speak plainly or intelligently on
problems Of transcendent import
Ance to this nation; when Ian
giage was employed not to convey
but to conceal thought; when each
announcement made a frontal
attack on all others, and the whole
appeared to have been written in
mud by the migratory heel of a
weasel. Such is the platform
adopted by the Republican party
at Philadelphia three weeks ago.
It Is the perfect example Of the
uncertainties and antiquities Of
men who do not know where they
are going or what they will do
when they arrive. The day on
which 1t was written was de-
scribed by Walter Lippmann as
sblack Tuesday in Philadelphia
I Political Chameleon
r Having assembled this political
Eagout and found 1t without form
and void, its fahricators concluded
that what it lacked and needed
was color. They wanted not only
color, but they wanted q variety
Of colors. But while they wanted
color, they did not desire fast
color. They desired color whose
changing shades and shadows
would be determined by the de-
gree Of regulation which a fear
less government saw fit to impose
upon q vast empire of power hith-
erto uncontrolled in its exercise
bf dominion over the social, indus
trial. and economic life Of millions
Of Americans. They seemed unwill-
Eng or afraid to nominate any man
who had been a Republican for
more than two years. Hence, they
Ihose q political chameleon.
The Philadelphia convention
constituted the second charge Of
the Light Brigade, In the heroic
Battle Of Kilowatt.
! It Is not my province or my
suppose on this occasion to at
tempt any detailed review of the
history Of the world or our own
country during the past eight
years. Much Of that history has
been spread before our eyes with
such Kaleidoscope rapidity as to
gender the succession Of events a
little vague to all but the nett
eulous historian. 1t is no exag-
geration to assert that no similar
period in our history has been so
crowded with engrossing spectacu-
larity or fraught with such conse-
Muences to our institutions or our
methods Of life.
Our efforts here at home have
not been inspired by the putative
desire to set group against group
o. to array section against section.
We inherited chaos eight years
ago. We inherited fear, which was
almost universal. We inherited
lack Of confidence, not only In
priyate enterprise, but In our pub
tic institutions. The American
people had been led TO the brink
az 8 pEecipice by the fallacies OF O
snug and blind regime, which
found itself impotent 10 draw
back or 10 avert the disaster which
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