Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-08-23
Wi||kie Speech
Of Acceptance
Thrills Nation
Republican Candidate for
President Outlines Policies
Before Vast Audience
at Elwood.


he was born and grew to young
manhood, and before a wildly
enthusiastic audience of many
thousands, Wendell Willkie ac-
cepted the nomination for Pres
ident on the Republican ticket.
In that acceptance Mr.. Willkie
promised the kind of leadership that
will keep America a nation of free
men, nation Of prosperous people,
nation offering opportunity for all.
He said: "An acceptance speech
is candidates keynote, a declara-
ton of his broad principles. 1t cam
not possibly review the issues in de-
tail. l shall, however, cover each
of them frankly during this cam
paign. Here give you an outline
of the political philosophy that is in
my heart. We are here today to
represent sacred cause.-the pres
ervation Of American democracy.
obviously, cannot lead this
cause alone. l reed the help of ev-
cry American-Republican, Demo-
crat or Independcnt-Jew, Catholic,
or Protestant-peopleo of every color,
creed, and race. Party lines are
down. Nothing could make that
clearer than the nomination by the
Republicans of a liberal Democrat
who changed his party utilization he
cause he found democracy in the
Republican party and not in the
New Deal party.
Thunderous applause greeted Will
kie's statement that party lines are
down. When he said the times de-
manded the help of Americans from
every walk, the cheers came wave
upon wave, the vast crowd ea"'ng
sensed that it typified that very
thought. Here were hundred thou
sand Americans from every part of
the United States, representing ev-
cry faith, every station of life, yet
carried away by single devotion.
Mr.. Willkie briefly sketched his
boyhood in Elwood and told of his an
cestors who, like the ancestors of
millions of Americans, lived in cen
trail Europe. They were humble
people-not members of the ruling
or wealthy classes. Their opportu-
mites were restricted by discrimina-
tory laws and class distinctions. One
was exiled because of his religion;
another was prosecuted because he
believed in the principles of the
French revolution; and still another
was jailed for insisting on the right
of free speech. AS their descendant,
l have fought from boyhood against
all those restrictions, discrimina-
tions and tyrannies. And l am still
fighting"
Foreign Policy.
MIR. Willkie compared the peace
of America with the conditions in
war-torn Europe, and defined his
foreign policy by saying:
mo man is so wise as to foresee
what the future holds or to lay out
a plan for it. No man can guaran-
tee to maintain peace. Peace is
not something that a nation can
achieve by itself. 1t also depends
on what some other country does.
It is neither practical, nor desirable,
to adopt foreign program commit
ting the United States to future &C.
ton under unknown circumstances.
1.-THE best that we can do is to
decide what principle shall guide US.
"For me, that principle can be
simply defined
''In the foreign policy Of the
United States, as in its domestic
policy, I would do everything to
defend American democracy
and / would refrain from doing
anything that would injure it.
1--WE must not permit our emo
tions-our sympathies or hatreds-
to move US from that fixed prin-
ciple."
Again the crowd let out deafen-
ing cheer. It was an exciting mo-
ment. A nation was waiting anx-
iously to hear Mr.. Wilkes views
on foreign relations. The enthusi-
astic response Of the crowd reflected
a nation thrilled.
National Defense.
From foreign policy Willkie turned
to national defense Of which he said
in part: