The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-11-04
Mr.. ROOSevelt'S Last-Minute
CampaignTo Tour Hig Nights Race

dents first term-when italy went
to war with Ethiopia. Mr.. Roose-
welt sought unavailingly to help find
basis for a peaceful end Of that
war. The blaze drew nearer in De-
cember, 1887, when japanese bomb
ers sank the U. s. Gunboat Panay
on China's Yankste river.
Mr.. Roosevelt, during recurring
international crises, tried to post
pone or avert war. He asked Adolf
Hitler Of Germany and Benito Mus
solini of italy to guarantee the
peace of Europe for 10 years or a
quarter Of century.
In return for such guarantee,
Mr.. Roosevelt offered to arrange eco
nomic conversations among world
powers to seek an adjustment which
might lead to a just and enduring
peace. The effort was uravailing
and Europe continued its march to
war.
Munich came and went. Czecho-
Slovakia was invaded. In Septem-
Der, 1899, Germany marched into
Poland, Europe went to war, and
the first New Deal era came to an
end.
The President began concentrate
ing on neutrality. Early In 1899, In
collaboration with Secretary Of State
Cordell Hull. Mr.. Roosevelt asked
the 76th Congress to revise U. S.
neutrality laws on basis Of his be-
lief that war was imminent.
His neutrality bill, however, died
in the Senate foreign relations
committee. On September 81, 1899,
Congress in special session reconsid-
cred and the measure was enacted.
Converting that special session,
Mr.. Roosevelt sounded the keynote
Of what was to lie ahead in revision
Of preoccupation of his administra-
ton.
Mr.. Roosevelt set forth his policy
of aiding the democracies while
rearming America in a speech de-
livered at the University OF Vir-
ginia on a tense June day when
France was collapsing under the
Nazi onslaught. He chose June 10
the day that Italy entered the
war-and took note of tfis event
with the sentence: ION this tenth
day of June. 1910, the hand that
held the dagger has struck 1t into
the back Of its neighbor."
The re-armament program start
ed slowly, but gained momentum as
conquest of European powers
brought home to America the full
meaning Of total war" MIR. Roose-
welt asked and Congress voted more
than $l5,0o0,0 100000 in appropria-
tons to build an American war ma
chine and finally, upon urging both
by the President and lis Republic
can opponent Wendell L. Willkie,
passed the peacetime CONSUMPTION
act to build up a defense army OF
1900, 900 men.
To supervise this enterprise, Mr..
Roosevelt created the National De-
tense Advisory Commission to the
Council OF National Defense, sum-
moning a group Of the nations in
dustrialists and economic special
lists. Although he, personally, re-
tanned direct domination Of the
commission by refralning from
naming a chairman, &c charged its
members with responsibility for
turning America over to war-ma-
chine economy.
In his radio address accepting
the third term nomination, Mr.,
Roosevelt offered his own explana-
ton of why he accepted on the
night Of July 10.
an the face of public dan
ger all those who can oe of service
to the republic have no Choice but
to offer themselves in those capa-
cities III which they may be fitted"
Mr.. Roosevelt said
%. If such a (third term) draft
should be made upon me, I will,
with Gods help, continue to serve
with the best OF my ability and with
the fullness Of my So -, 9Th"
He expanded that in a speech
September 90, before Philadelphia
assembly observing the bi-centen-
NAL Of the University of Pennsyl-
vania.
"This is no time for any man to
withdraw into some ivory tower and
proclaim the right % hold himself
aloof from the problems and agonies
of his society, ">..- SAL IN that adj
dress 81. No man can sever the
bonds which unite him to his So
ciety simply by averting his eyes"
During these months, he Travelled
constantly in the eastern states. in
specting defense establishments
along the seaboard and as far west
as Ohio.
Mr.. Roosevelt commended the de-
Tense tours were non-political and
represented merely the work of a
chief executive exerting all pressure
to speed up national defense pro-
duction and procurement. His OPP
ponents, however, charged that the
trips were political.
As the campaign entered the final
stretch. Mr.. Roosevelt abandoned
his political" attitude and
made a.seTies OF speeches chalieng-
ing WILKES campaign utterances.
Mr.. Roosevelt's family figured
prominently In the campaign. A
major issue developed around his
son, Elliott, after the younger
Roosevelt had been granted q COM
mission as a specialist captain In
the army air corps for . yeaT's serv-
Ice.