The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1940-10-03
ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

What history may prove to be one
of the most important Presidential
campaigns in decades is at last in
high gear. The period of peace and
quiet which followed the nomination
seems to be definitely over.
During that period, there can be
no question but what the Willkie
candidacy suffered slight let-down
his friends admit it, even as his
opponents eXult in it. But only the
politically inexperienced believe that
let-doWn was necessarily of any par
ticular significance. Mr.. Willkie was
swept into the Republican nominal
ton on the crest of a wave of al
most unprecedented enthusiasm,
similar to that which gave Mr..
Roosevelt the Democratic nominal
ton eight years ago. No one exper-
fenced in politics believes that en-
thusiaSm could have been MAIN
tanned undimmed from nomination
day to election day. Willkie strate-
gists deliberately planned the let
down, knowing that it had to come
some time, and that the earlier it
came the better off his candidacy
would be. History is studded with
dismal examples of candidates who
brought their campaigns to maxi
mum pitch too long before Novem-
ber-and, as a result, seemed to the
voters as stale as yesterdays beer
by election time.
On top of that, the Willkie cam
paign called for super-careful PLAN
ming. Ordinary issues are of little
today, with the national at
tention focused on war in Europe
and defense at home. Mr.. Willkie
is not an "a-ginner." He endorses
many New Deal policies in principle,
even as he denounces many New
Deal methods. And so, almost in
it looks as if this cam
paign will focus down to two issues
-one tangible, the other more or |
less intangible but of immense po-
tential Importance.
The tangible issue is that of adj
Willkie hackers be-
lieVe that he could get more for each |
defense dollar than could the pres
emit White House group. They be-
lieve he could steer course which
would be fairer to all the diverse in
.erests in this country today
worker and capitalist, farmer and
nanufa cturer, little businessman,
'eliefer, etc. And only the blindest
supporters of the New Deal fan to
zee that 1t has made many grave
mistakes in the administrative field,
wen as it has made great advances
n bringing before the people prob
ems which must eventually be
solved.
fhe intangible issue is that of
he third term-one of mans in
i1spensability. Mr.. Willkie has been
hitting that issue hard, and some of
ne experts believe that it may turn
nut to be the decisive issue of the
ampaign. No man, says Mr.. Will
lie, is vital to the country-and 4
nee the idea gets around that one
nan Is indispensable, it will be Just
matter of time before dictator
nip follows. To Mr.. Willkie, there
no personal fight in this-he ]
oesnt charge the President with j
l1ctatorial ambitions. He simply !
'oints out that once the precedent is
established putting it anotn- &
r way, the old anti-third-term {
recedent is demolished-we will L
ave, in principle accepted a gov {
of men as against gov
rnment of laws. "
That was the theme which DOM i
mated Mr.. WILKES Coffeyville adj 8
ress, opening gun of his campaign. r
nd it has dominated his other pre-
AIRED addresses made since, even as
has dominated the little two-min- 1
tie off-hand talks he has made in
ozens of towns. II
MIR. Roosevelt bases his candidacy
n his record-on what he regards @
S great New Deal attachments. His d
nSWer to the third-term argument q
that there can be no Dictatorship | i,
ere so long as the people possess c
ne ballot. His recent speeches have
cen moderate in tone, and have r
cen generally well received. They q