The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-11-06
ROOSEVELT IN | FIRST COMMENT
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(COntinueQ rom Page ID night to crowd of his mid Hudson valley neighbors while the story of his reelection was still incomplete.
 A definitlve statement on "where does America go from here" will await a later occasion. MT. Roose- welt, fatigued after hours of watching returns from nationwide balloting, retired at 2:36 a.. m. without is- suing a formal statement.
 At noon today he lays the corner stone for a new post office at Hyde Park Valley. He has scheduled no address for the occasion, but 1t ap- peared likely that he might use the ceremony as a sounding board for a measured declaration.
 Jubilant supporters of the New Deal from Hyde Park village, carry ing red fire, banners and led by a band, came to the Roosevelt home at midnight.
 Standing in the glare of r1ewsreel cameramen's torches, Mir. Roosevelt acknowledged the salute of victory.
 Greatest American Of All
 The enthusiasm of the partisan crowd bubbled over when he was presented by Elmer Van Wagner, who broke the Republican tradition in Hyde Park village in winning election as township supervisor.
 "You have heard of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Jackson and Will son." Van Wagner told the crowd. "But, here is the greatest American of them all.
 And if don't believe me, -a ask John L. Lewis or Wendell Willkie."
 MT. Roosevelt, however, refused to accept the challenge for a partisan address implied in Van Wagner's introduction. A little more than 24 hours earlier, in his final sufnrna- ton to America of his case for a third term, he had appealed for national unity after "the real rulers of this country (the voterO have had their say"
 After the ballots are counted, the United States of America will still be united" he had said. Dis cussion among up should and will continue, for we are free citizens of a free nation. But there can be no arguments about the essen- tial fact that in our desire to re- main at peace byA defending our democracy, we are bne nation and one people"
 His address to the jubilant crowd under the fir trees of his home, Accordingly was reminiscent of events of past years, rather than sugges- tive of the discord of the campaign. He recalled that his friends of the Hudson Valley have been coming to his home for similar celebrations for years after election days. Most of his audience, he said, could rememL Der the celebrations after his gu- bernatorial elections in the New York state campaigns of 1928 and 1930. A few might even recall the first celebrations of 1910 and 1912 when he entered public life upon election as a young New York State senator.
 The election brought two demon- | StratlonS to dyQe Fark mouse. AIUer his brief address, MT. Roosevelt returned indoors, but was recalled to the portico half an hour later when new crowds streamed over the fences and through the trees to demand a word from the president.
 Shot At Fish
 The second demonstration brought from MT. Roosevelt direct shot at 8 man who bitterly has contest ed his foreign programs-Rep. Ham, ilton Fish, R., New York, ranking Republican leader of the House Foreign Affairs committee.
 Fish, who represents the 26th Congressional district in which Mir. Roosevelt resides, had just been re- elected, defeating Judge Hardy Steeholm, the Democrat whom the president endorsed. Steeholm's de-