Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-31

in the war to bear on the whole
European problem before it can be
settled satisfactorily. Such an in
terpretation would mean that the
Democratic party intended to be-
come the war party. On such an
issue the Republicans should well
come the debate.
Mr.. Wallace did not draw a dis
tinction between the use OF the word
"appeasement" in the sense OF traf-
ticking with aggressor states aud APP
peasement in the sense of trying to
keep peace in the world once mill
tary decision has been reached. He
insisted, in effect, that the United
States could not conceive OF any way
of beating Hitler except by war.
Roosevelt Thoughts Seen.
The amount of space devoted BY
the Secretary of Agriculture to
foreign affairs. with which he has
had relatively little contact since he
has been preoccupied with the tasks
of the Agriculture Department,
would seem to indicate that the
Wallace address was really an ex-
preston of Mr.. Roosevelt'S future
policy.
1t is important that issues be
made clear early in the campaign.
Under the Wallace doctrine, Amerl-
can misunderstanding an ar
mistice or a peace treaty-must con-
tinue to be hostile to the govern
ment which may happen to control
the whole continent of Europe. Even
the prospect that the people may
overthrow totalitarian government
abroad and thus bring change
which might make it possible for the
United States to support democ-
racies abroad is not enviSaged by
the Wallace speech. The Secretary
rattles the saber and presupposes
a world of continuous warfare in
which evidently the United States
is to play leading part.
Such a conception of third term
for Mr.. Roosevelt has not been
widely held heretofore. This cor
respondent and others have re-
peatedly dismissed as absurd the
idea that Mr.. Roosevelt would lead
this Nation into war either for the
purpose of bringing on crisis
through which he might win re-
election or to secure vindication for
his previous policies. But the
Wallace speech leaves every dis
interested observer puzzled. The
address was not an impromptu
affair. 1t was premeditated attack
on the Republican party as the
party Of peace and can leave the
inference that the Democratic party
is unashamed now boldly to con-
slider itself the war party.
Powerful elements in our OPP
position" said Mr.. Wallace, will, if
the Republicans come into power,
force us to make one economic
concession after another to totali-
tartan countries"
Raises War-Peace Issue.
There Is absolutely no basis for
such an assumption. Wendell Willkie
in his acceptance address expressed
his belief that America would beat
Hitler on her own economic terms
and there wasn't the slightest sug-
gestion of yielding to the aggressors
any advantages in trade.
1t is surprising, therefore, not
withstanding the existence of the
Willkie statement, for the New Deal
strategistS to decide to make a
political issue out of foreign policy
the very thing the President has
been claiming he would not do. But
the Wallace speech sets off the fire.
works and from now the question
of war or peace will become the
Invest issue of the campaign. Does
Mr.. Roosevelt intend to 60 to war
after November? Why is he so
anxious to call the Republican party
party of "appeasement"? Is this
intended as a means of inf1aming
public opinion and whipping up a
war hysteria? The Wallace speech
certainly opens the way to such an
Interpretation of the New Deals
political strategy In this campaign.
BUSINESSMEN CO-Opefated.
Any other explanation would
seem illogical for there isn't the
slightest evidence that the business
men of America believe in total
itarianism or that they would well
come Hitler's victory. On the con-
trary, businessmen are here in
Washington with the Government
to speed up defense and business
men, moreover, if the administra-
ton would tell all the facts to the
public, have co-operated secretly
to withhold munitions and by
products from all countries which
the administration thought should
be deprived of sinews of war, and
this happened when moral en-
bargoes" were applied without the
sanction OF law.
Secretary Wallace has libeled
millions of large and small business
men in this country. He has accused
them of wanting to see Hitler win
He owes an apology to them all or
he owes it to candor to name a
half dozen American businesses COM
posed of Republicans which have in
any way indicated their desire fJr
Hitler's conquest or for the making
of postwar deals with the NaZis
A few more political speeches
covering clumsy areas entered by
Mr.. Wallace and the vice presi-
Dental nominee of the New Deal
will become more of a handicap
than a help to the third term cause
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