Evening star., 1940-04-15
Questions Posed
For All Voters
Believes Election Will Turn
On Probability Of War
Involvement
70 the Editor Of The star:

70 the Editor Of Ths star:
In the last two weeks tho primaries
In Wisconsin and Nebraska and the in
tensification Of military movements In
Europe have seemed to crystalline the
presidential campaign. The candidates
appear now to have narrowed to Frank
lin D. Roosevelt and Thomas E. Dewey
and the issue to keeping the United
States free from involvement in the war.
That's fine. Assuming that such are
the candidates and the issue in No.
vember, the American voter will have
but two questions to ask himself when
he goes to the polls, to wit:
First, do want to cast my vote to
send more American boys to European
battlefields?"
Second, (Which Of the candidates,
Roosevelt or Dewey, will be most likely,
If elected. to carry out my desire?"
1t is needless to observe that probably
SO per cent of the answers to the first
query will be "no'-hrmly and unhesi-
tatingly.
Naturally, the second answer will not
be arrived at by any such preponderant
majority, nor with the same swiftness
To select the prudent answer will call
for all the thought and discernment of
every voter 1t will be a gravely impor-
tant decision. In surgery, the slightest
error Of judgment or unsteadiness OF
hand may cost human life. In the
election, an error in judgment may cost
many hundreds of thousands Of human
lives.
From where we sit, it would appear
today that most Americans are suspicious
of the Presidents motives and that the
election would go to Dewey We can be
permitted to believe that the same am
bition which would lead Franklin Roose-
welt to seek third term may cause him
to seek supremacy on the stage of world
power politics. Inherently and tempera-
mentally he seems too much a fighter
to rest in contentment as q peace time
President in a war-torn world. Not
withstanding his smiling visage, his
every act and very nature imply belliger-
ence.
He has declared more than 65 national
"crises' and emergencies" since March
4, 1888. He is holding the Nation today
under the suspension of limited ma
tional emergency" So fond lover of
national fire alarms can hardly be con-
sidered peaceful person.
AS President he has broken precedent
upon precedent, apparently gleeful at
possessing that questionable ability. To
his enemies he has sounded warning
upon warning-hardly once in defense
OF an ideal but always in defiance. In
his own words of 1886, he has lust be-
gun to fight"
Mr.. Dewey is fighter, too but he
has fought quietly, forcefully, effectively,
to crush crime. We may be led to be-
lieve he would, as President, fight just
as quietly and effectively to prevent
Americas participation in the interna-
tional crime of war
Moreover, from the very nature of
party politics in America, the mantle of
peace does rest upon the shoulders Of
the Republican party. 1t can be called
the peace bloc. A Republican President
may confidently be expected to recog-
nize and accept a greater responsibility
to keep the peace of America intact than
Democratic President. In the Demo-
cratic party, Wilson set the example
If not Intentionally, then certainly in
fact-of gaining reelection on a plat
form of "he kept us out of war" only
to sign declaration of war one short
month after his re-establishment in the
White House.
1t must be evident that that one per-
formance Of Wilson's may sometime
serve as convenient excuse to the
Democrats, but will stand forever to the
Republicans as a challenge.
April IL. MARYLAND NdAfIAFFEY.