Evening star., 1940-02-07

Earle ey-is, OF
Charles G. Ross. course, entirely
understandable. 1t wanted to make
sure that the Democratic gathering
would not be held till after. the Re-
publicans have picked their ticket
and written a platform. This has
been the order of events in every
presidential contest between the
parties except those of 1856 and
1888.
Being now the minority party
and-What is of more Importance
not knowing whether or not Roose.
welt will again be the Democratic
candidate, the Republicans had
hoped this year to reverse the order
and name their ticket in the light
of previous commitments by the
Democrats. Seemingly they have
been out-maneuvered, and the DEM
ocrats will have whatever gain may
accrue from meeting later than the
adversary.
Gain Is PrOblematical.
Whether there will be any such
gain is problematical. Perhaps there
will be a psychological offset. That
is a fair hit scored by the Repub-
licdn chairman, John Hamilton. in
attempting to make the best of
strategical defeat. Here is a party
that has been in power for seven
and one-half years. he says. land
yet it apparently does not know its
own mind. 1t must wait to ascertain
what the minority party proposes to
do before it can even decide when to
hold its national convention"
Hamilton announces that when
the Republican National Commit
tee meets here February Is to issue
the call for the Republican conven-
ton, its action will be decisive"
This seems to mean that it will
choose the convention date and so
end the jockeying for position.
! The action of the Democrats adds
| its mite to the existing confusion.
Here we are we'll into 1910, only nine
months away from the election, and
| still We don't know when the parties
will pick their candidates.
The question is. however. unim-
portant in comparison with some OF
the others with which the political
landscape is dotted There is, for
example, the matter of the nominees.
The conventions are only about six
months in the future. yet no one
has any solid idea what either party
will do. This is a condition without
| precedent in any comparable pre-.
election period within memory.
Pussyfooting Time.
Six months from now. If Mr..
Roosevelt is the nominee of his
party. the country will be plunged
into a campaign without precedent
and perhaps of unexampled bitter
ness. Yet the country today can
only guess at the state of the Presi-
dents mind.
Uncertainty, confusion and drift.
all stemming from the fact that this
is political year, mark the work.
ings of the Government. 1t is time
| of puSSyfooting and evasion of
issues. Congress wants neither to
vote new taxes nor to increase the
debt limit-yet it fears to antag-
onize powerful groups with drastic
decreases in the budget. 1t backs
and fills on economy. Lacking the
program that might have been pro-
vided if it had adopted Senator
Harrison's suggestion of a joint
committee to study the budget and
bring in rounded plan, Congress
continues to ride in two directions.
No one can foretell the outcome.
1t is only certain that if Congress
finally has to write a tax bill it will
write it without proper study and
under the worst possible conditions
of haste and mental and physical
WEAKNESS at the end of the session.
There is the matter of Finland.
Congress would like to do some
thing" for Finland, but it is afraid
to do anything that might be con-
strued by the isolationist sentiment
Of the country as meddling in for
eign affairs. Meantime the move to
aid Finland languishes.
Executive Branch to Blame.
For this state of affairs the execu-
tive branch Is more to blame than
the legislative. Congress and the
country had a right to expect lead
ership from the President in mat
ter which touches the foreign rela-
tions of the country. But the Presi-
dent abdicated his responsibility.
He passed the buck to Congress.
The President appears 10 be ami
mated by an overwhelming desire
to erase the one-time impression of
his ar-mindedness."
Perhaps this attitude works for
the ultimate good of the country.
Perhaps he is strengthening himself
for a prospective role of peacemaker
to the world. Whatever may be his
motive, the immediate result is to
hold back the aid for Finland which
as one must believe from his ear
lier position-he would have espoused
Fundamentally few months ago.
Neither in domestic nor in foreign
affairs have we today clearly dis.
cernible line Of policy. Congress
drifts, and the President drifts.
Everywhere there are question
marks. Pending the election the
Government functions in both the
legislative and the executive branch