Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-06-21
Coalition In America


rraught with deep significance in
many directions. 1t has important
bearing ON the 1910 political CAM
puisn, ,;nG on the IcveriSh drive for
ydcuuutc preparedness of the cOun-
. try to defend itself against all threats
Of aggression.
Ii IS one Of the very few occa-
. SionS-all of them times of crisis or
cmcrgcncy-in the history Of the ma
,un when a president has gone out
side his own party ranks for out
standing executive leadership. And
his tremendous earneStneSS is en-
phaSizcd by the fact that these out
SidcrS are placed in key positions in
the cabinet.
Whether deliberately so timed or
,,,. the Presidents action comes on
the eve of the Republican national
!. convention, which meets next Mon
IN l-ul"uclphia. 1t may have
been intended to silence or to over
shadow SCmc of the Republican at
lack IN the campaign, but instead Of
ihlt it has won expulsion from their
! .artv councils for the two benefit
aries of the move. The very proln-
hence ri henry l.. StlmSon, who is
made secretary of war, and Colonc!
FRANK kLuN. who takes over duties
Of secretary Of the navy, lends en-
phaSiS and weight to the appoint
meats. tutn by depriving the oppo~
sitiun OF their counsel and support
and by bringing genuine ability It
.tal government agencies.
The President did not need the aid
OF Knox and Stimson politically.
re ma, his party and 4 large sec
ton of the entire country already
literally eating from his hands III
thu, sense. But this latest cStab-
li>hmcnt of policy is conclusive and
final evidence. as if any more were
needed. that the President has re-
solved definitely To seek and to &C
ccpt his party'S nomination for a
third term. thus SCATTERING 4 precc-
dent rs old and us sacred as the re-
public itself. He will seize upon TIM
rpportunity 10 realize an ambition
ne is believed through the years 10
have entertained and noUWishcd in
his heart Of hearts, namely, to do
what no other American has ever
done by being president longer thar
Ila traditional tWo-tcrm limit, with
POSSIBLY the title of War president
added for good measure and rcpu-
tuiion. This unWrtten law has
erected a bulWark against the en-
cro2chmentS Of Imperialism III our
democracy. But mWrittcn law is
to be broken, precedent shattered
and the bars let down for the ad-
vance of the theory of onc-man rule.
Appointment of Republicans to the
cabinet may be taken as an mol
cation of the seriousness the Presl-
dent attaches to the present national
emergency. Whatever OF political
significance may be involved, the
President is certainly bidding for
unity of purpose and effort in the
present critical situation. He IS IN
better position than any other TO
, know lust what is happening. though
there isn't much left 70 be said that
is not already public knowledge. Tor
Hitler has made himself master Of
Europe and is preparing Tor an as
sault on Britain. and most OF us be-
lieye he has designs on the Western
Hemisphere if and when he finds
himself prepared to press his amol-
, tons further.
In nations where constitutional
government is recognized, the tenn
porary suspension Of the party syS-
TEN has never occurred except IN
times of grave crisis. Britain ana
France were forced to it in the last
several months after they realized
their desperation, but they acted too
. late.
The party system makes for good
, government, in that there is always
, oppoSition and, while criticism IS
| not forbidden in times of emergency,
it is certain no people can attain
their maximum efficiency il. time oil
war or grave threat of it If they arc
, torn by the widest sort OF diSscn-
sion among themselves. In that
sense, coalition has proved TO be
} effective.
Whether we actually 60 to war or
not. the l;tion is being put upon a
war basis, at least from Il lcglSla-
a.. Of fDct