The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-09-05
Economic . d.
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Ickes' mere or less official reply to
1 it missed the boat. That seems to
be the general consensus of the COM
mentators and the press.
The response of the professional
politicians to Mr.. WILKES opening
gun could have been, and was, easily
anticipated. The Republican spokes-
man naturally said it was one of the
greatest orations in this country's
history. The Democratic spokesman
naturally said that it was complete
| flop. But the views of the press are
not of any particular consequence.
What is of immense Importance is how
the speech struck the so-called plain
people" of America-the tens of mil
lions who vote for the candidate they
think the best, regardless of party af-
Ifiliations, and who hold the balance of
political power in the United States.
These are the people who, in 1929,
elected Herbert Hoover by an over
whelming majority-and who, four
years later, turned him out of office by
an even more overwhelming majority.
They don't write for the papers and
magazines and they don't make
speeches. But they are deeply inter-
ested in homes, in jobs, in war and
peace, in fiscal policy-in all of the
problems that confront the country.
And these are the people who next
! November will elect Wendell Willkie to
the highest office in the land-or will
give Franklin Roosevelt what no other
President has been given or has ever
sought, a third term in the White
House.
The commentators have been trying
to analyze Wilkes speech in the
light of its appeal or lack of appeal
to these average Americans. Some
were disappointed with the delivery
it was very hot, Mr.. Willkie had
been working for weeks at fever pitch
with little rest, and he was obviously
tired. But few found much to dis
lappoint them in it's content. Even
though he was addressing a Midwest
audience which was close to 100 per
cent against involvement of any kind
in European affairs, he had the cour-
!age to say decisively that this
country's destiny is ineXtricably in
Ivolved with the destiny of the other
|democracies, and that Fascism is our
Ienemy. He had the courage to en-
dorse New Deal objectives and laws
which he thinks good, even as he
lcriticiZed New Deal administration
and what he regards as it's defeatist
philosophy. He affirmed in ringing
words his faith in the American des-
Itiny. And he brought down the house
when he offered,to peet the President
| in open debate-Aa@ny issue. As Col
umnist Raymond Clapper wrote: "He
has placed national interest above
politics in this crisis"
And so it was almost inevitable that
Secretary Ickes' reply should be wide
ly regarded as dismal failure. Mr..
lckes called names, and got off some
Iamusing wisecracks. He attempted to
lpin the "Wall Street" label on Willkie.
But, say the commentators, the feel
ing is strong in Democratic ranks that
no New Deal official, save one, can
make anything resembling an adequate
reply to the colorful Republican can
didate. That one, of course, is the
President. He has thus far kept silent
And not until he speaks will the
Democratic campaign really start.
In the acceptance speech, Mr.. Will
kie had to cover much ground in a
short time. Even so, his stand upon
all the issues is now clear in general
He will go into the details in future
talks. The serious-minded commenta-
tors were extremely pleased with his
position on foreign policy-it is suf-
ticiently close to the Roosevelt policy
to make it certain how this country
will stand no matter who wins in No
vember. 1t would be gravely danger
Gus, they feel, had there been so much
dissension on foreign policy as to
split the country wide open, and thus
make adequate defense for security
difficult or impossible to achieve.
Mr.. Willkie will have the support
or the great majority of the country's
newspapers this year. A number of
Democratic papers, such as the in
Iiluential Baltimore Sun (Which sup
ported Roosevelt in 1882, and was neu-
tral in 1886, ON the grounds that it re-
Igarded neither Roosevelt nor Landon
as fit for the presidency have swung
over to him. He has proven himself
a man who can arouse real enthusiasm
lend create great oyalties-which is
something that can be said of ex-
tremcly few men in either party.
The defense program is beginning
to move at last. Big airplane con
tracts have been placed, along with
contracts for powder, tanks and other
necessities.
1t takes time for American indus
try to change over to war production
after decades in which our security
was never threatened. But once it
IgetS going, the experts feel, the re-
suits will be astonishing. No other
country in the world has anywhere
near our industrial machine-and no
other nation is so potentially power
tul, once it shakes off its lethargy and
Igcts down to the business of prepar-