The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-11-21
(By Staff Writer)


Washington.-To all intents and
purposes Franklin D. Roosevelt's
third term as President of the
United States has already begun
His Inauguration on January 10th
will be a mere fornality, for he
will have an even large majority
of supporters in the House OF
Representatives, and about as
good a working majority in the
Senate as he has had for the past
two years. ...,
Therefore the expectation here
is that the course and policies
which the Administration has
been pursuing will continue I'M
changed, except that in some
matters of international under
standings the President will feel
more free to act, since no cleo
ton complications will arise from
anything he does.
It is probable that some chang
es may be made in the Cabinet.
The usual custom is for each
member of the Cabinet to sub
nit his resignation when a Presl-
dent succeeds himself, and he
may or may not be reappointed.
Secretary Ickes of the Interior
Department was the first to ten
der his resignation as of Jan. 70.
The expectation is that one OF the
changes will be in the Depart
ment of Labor. Whether Secre-
tary Stimson will remain at the
head of the War Department is
doubtful. The current gossip is
that Mr.. Roosevelt is making pas
ses in the direction of Louis
johnson, who was assistant Sec
rotary of war under Mr.. Wood
ring, and resigned after Mr..
Woodring was forced out.
Strong Opposition
The major change in the Wash
ington picture, however, as most
observers see it, is the fact that
for the first time since Mr.. Roose-
welt took office there is strong
opposition, whose existence can
not be overlooked, under leader
ship which has proved its power
to lead. That Mr.. Willkie will
work with the Administration to
further every essential measure
of national defense goes without
saying. There is no apparent
ground, however, for talk about
his becoming a part of the Ad-
ministration. He would sacrifice
the leadership which his almost
successful opposing candidacy
conferred upon him and become
a yes-man instead Of the head
of the opposition party.
How close the election was IS
being realized as the figures are
studied by statistical analysts "A
change of one vote in a hundred
in ten critical states, or total OF
less than half a million votes out
of so million, would have put MI.
Willkie in the White House. Rea-
lizat;on of this fact, and contem-
plation of the eelction map which
shows the solid block OF trans
Mississippi farm states in the he
publican column, is considered
here as likely to have a distinctly
conservative influence upon do
mestic policies.
The important policies, how
ever, are those relating to inter-
national affairs. The determina-
ton to give every possible aid to
the British short of sending our
fighting forces overseas has been
strengthened by the result of the
election. Those closest to the in
side of State Department minds
look to see an early break in dip
lomatic relations between this
country and Germany, and some
measure of defiance of Germanys
efforts to keep our ships off the
seas in the belligerent zone, such
as was shown by President Will
son in the two years of American
neutrality before we entered the
first World War.
Resentment
Considerable resentment is felt
over Germany's refusal to qua
rentee safe passage to an Ameri-
can ship to bring some 1900
American citizens from the Bri-
fish Isles, though Italy agreed not
to modest such a ship. It was in
cidents like that which finally
brought the United States into
war in 1917.
There is no slightest sign of
hesitation, now, in official en-
enlargement of the supplying of
arms, munitions, planes and ships
to the British. The expectation is