The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-11-21

than by the big ones.
For example, within the past week
the President personally attempted to
discipline an individual newspaper
correspondent who had written some
thing that displeased him and on
Thursday followed that up by issuing
through his secretary a sharp denial
that he had oppressed the wish to his
legislative leaders that Congress ad-
journ and go home. Yet that same day
Speaker Rayburn, issuing from a con-
ference with the President, dispatched
wires to absent Democrats asking
them to return and predicted adjourn
ment on Tuesday All other Admins
tration leaders fell into line, and, I'M
less there is an upset in the plans, adj
journment is expected within two or
three days.
But it is the continued policy of
hostility and disparagement toward
the Presidents late opponent which,
better than anything else, illustrates
the feeling within the higher New
Deal circles. During the campaign,
with ostentatious and calculated con-
t empt, Mr.. Roosevelt studiously
avoided mentioning Mr.. Wilkes
name. He struck at him indirectly
many times but always held the su-
percilious pose of not knowing who
was running against him. He has
chosen to carry that attitude beyond
the election, and it is having an I'M
pleasant effect upon his followers.
Last Monday Mr.. Willkie made an
able, patriotic, sincere and highly i'm
portant address, which was listened to
by the entire country. He expressed
intellectually acceptance Of the cleo
ton result. He referred to Mr.. Roose-
welt as "my President" disclaimed
any trace of bitterness, again en-
dorsed the Roosevelt foreign policy,
| expressed the desire to support him
in every direction he could. But, as
self respect demanded and those who
voted for him had a right to expect,
he reaffirmed his belief in the sound
ness Of the principles upon which he
had campaigned and his purpose to
continue their advocacy, affording the
President "loyal opposition" 1t was
not only a patriotic speech but it was
distinctly the speech of good loser
And what was the Presidents re-
spouse? One would have thought he
would have met the Willkie declara-
ton with spontaneous heartiness. 1t
would seem that that kind of response
would have been good for his Admin
istration, for him and for the country.
But it was not forthcoming. On the
contrary, the only comment came
from the unsavory Mr.. Flynn, who
said with a smirk after leaving the
President that eve forget to listen to
Willkie." And the next day Mr..
Roosevelt called off his press confer
ence, obviously to avoid being asked
what he thought of Mr.. WILKES ad-
dress.
If the continuation of this studied
contempt toward his late opponent is
either good craftsmanship or in the
interests of national unity, then the
words have lost their meaning. The
Presidents attitude, of course, is re-
Elected by his intimates and is respon-
sible for the mean little personal digs
at Mr.. Willkie which, in the last few
days, have been disseminated by jour-
nalistic reflectors of White House
thought and feeling. These have
ranged all the way from assertions
that Mr.. Willkie cannot lead the Re-
publican party and should be willing
to enter the Administration to silly
assertions that his message of con-
graduation to the President the day
after election was "unduly delayed"
and "surly."
O.
The truth is that Mr.. Roosevelt has
a personal dislike of Mr.. Willkie. I'm
fortunately, he is a man who nour-
ishes his dislikes. In the past the two
men have had a number of meetings.
At none of these did Mr.. Roosevelt