The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1940-10-18
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Administration has thrown overheard the
central fiscal theory in which it professed
To believe. even as late as 1886. 1t has
abandoned the idea that the best contrl-
button it could make to re-employment
and recovery is to put its own fiscal house
in order. 1t now believes, and the Presl-
dent frankly says this in his budget mes
sages. that when business is tagging the
Government ought to go In debt dellber-
ately in order to create purchasing pow
80 and .energize private enterprise
This is the perfect Politicians Paradise
! paradise in u hich public money is spent
on a gigantic scale without any response.
bilitv Of raising an equivalent amount OF
money by taxation
We believe that the results OF c0ntln-
nation Of this policy will be precisely what
Mr.. Roosevelt himself said they would be
in 1932-"1f, like spendthrift. nation
throws discretion to the winds and is Will.
mo to make no sacrifice at all in spend
ing it is on the road to bankruptcy.
We believe that there is no real possibility
whatever of checking the present trend
toward bankruptcy SO long as Mr.. Roose-
Welt remains in office It will be desper-
ateiy hard task at best. The only present
hope lies in change OF ADMINISTRATIONS.
w. The Third Term Issue
We come, finally, in the choice before
US. to an issue which has been defined by
more than hundred years OF American
history. by the deliberate decision OF
some of our greatest Presidents and by the
relcctance of many Americans today to
surrender what they believe to be SAFE
guard of the democratic system-the IS
sue of the third term.
From Mr. Roosevelts own statement IN
his radio acceptance speech to the Demo
cratic National Convention the country
knows that even as late as year ago ne
had no intention of challenging the tradl-
ton against a third term: Last September
# was still my intention to announce clear
" and simply at an early date that under
no conditions would | accept reelection.
This announcement WAS never made
when the President finally declared his IN
tentions regarding the third term ne dld
not saw that under no conditions Wouiu
he accept reelection. but merely that ne
s.had no wish to be a candidate again
] varv different statement The practical
effect Of the postponement was to lessen
greatly the chance Of any other Democrat
to receive his party's nomination. Inc
practical effect OF the change IN the cnar-
70 encourage the draft which some OF
tha highest officials of his own Admins
tration had long favored and long worked
IN hring about. From these facts it seems
to us that only one conclusion can oe
drawn AS the situation created by the
war developed, the President came 70 re-
gard his own personal leadership as mas
nensable and to believe that there was no
other member Of his party, however trust
ed. however close to home, however deep
ly in accord with his own CONVICTIONS apoue
the war or about domestic issues, VINO
could safely take his place.
The doctrine OF one man lndlspehsap.i-
ity is new doctrine for this country. Il y
! doctrine which less scrupulous men IN
Fnrone have used to root themselves IN
mower. It IS a doctrine which we III the
limited States have good reason TO ques-
tion particularly when we consider now
tha mowers of the Presidency have grown
what immense patronage, what glgahoic
axnanditures, what enormous power TO
nerpetuate himself in office is now Wlthln
the grasp Of any President OF the Uniteo
States
These considerations are especially rele
want when the particular President VINO
now chooses to remain in office for thlrd
term is the same President who has SHOWN
himself SO impatient Of constitutional re-
straints that he was willing to circumvent
the Supreme Court itself by adding enough
members to it to give his own opinions
majority.
In the defeat Of Mr. Roosevelt and the
election of Mr. Willkie there is an oppor-
tunity to safeguard tradition with the
wisdom of long experience behind it.
These are our primary reasons for sup
porting Mr. Willkie and for strongly urg-
ing his election.
In supporting him We do not intend to
lose that independence upon which we
have always put chief emphasis or to COM
promise our own convictions. We shall
continue to support such Of Mr.. Roosevelt's
views and acts as we find deserving OF
support We shall criticize and oppose
any Of Mr.. WILKES views if they seem to