Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-28
WheeIer's
Makes
Him Ga-Ga
PeqIer AssoiIs Senator
for Attitude
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

I THINK it would clarity mat
Il tiers for all of us on both sides
and in the middle TO recognize
that Senator Burt Wheeler of
Montana. hates President Roose-
welt with an overwhelming
passion, and that man in his
frame of mind, which he has not
merely expressed by indirection
but openly admitted, is incapable
of sober reasoning on the Presi-
dents course in war or toward il.
The senator, who said that
Henry l.. Stimson. the secretary
OF war. was ga-ga with age, is
himself no less ga-ga, and /
should say considerably more so
with hatred and would be fight
ing just as wildly on some other
issue if the war did not provide
a dramatic and dangerous con-
troverSy.
Wheeler doesn't merely dis
agree with the President or de-
spise or deteSt him.
He hates Mr.. Roosevelt. per-
sonally. as a man and as PreSi-
dent, and will never let himself
be found dead. much less alive,
on the Presidents side of any
issue.
How can any one presume 10
say how Wheeler feels toward
the President? You talk 10 him
10 or Is minutes some time and
you will know. He will not hold
out on you.
LIS Is one Of the classic
H hatreds Of history and adj
hitting that Wheeler and many
another Americans have good
reason not to indorse Mr.. RooSe-
velt'S government, his politics
or his personality. you have 10
realize that Wheelers mental
condition is far more heated than
that of a man who is merely
sulky, sore or righteously indig-
nant.
He RACES and damns and sput-
tiers and splatters Spittle and
sweat AZ the merest mention Of
the President or his policies. and
his campaign 10 wreck the mo-
rale Of the army. navy and
marines and discredit tho pro-
fessional judgment of the best
soldiers we have in a time Of
'undeclared. but very practical
war brought to us by the great
est military power in the worlds
history is A campaign against
the man he hates.
To serve that hatred Wheeler
might sabotage the safety and
future independence of the
United States and turn the army
into an undisciplined rabble of
confused and rebellious armed
gangs like those which brawled
through Germany
He might bring down in
bloody wreck the whole edifice
Of the American government
which, inhabited though il might
he by nasty opportunists from
the pureiieuS Of Union square
and lazy campus petulantS of
the Ivy League. is. nevertheless.
in line and structure. the same
beautiful form of popular rule
that il ever was.
He will discr/dit and vanquish
II he can the man he hates as
heartily as most men love their
country.
DOSSiBLY Wheeler does pos
L sess legal right to spread
disaffection in the military
forces and if he does he will ex-
pound, explain and defend that
right with the adroitness Of a
muscovite shyster on the labor
relations board.
He is tough. cunning and the
Presidents own equal in casu-
iStic debate and the hell Of il
is that he is appealing To the
strongest self-interest OF all the
people with plausible arguments
which favor only Hitler and
harm only the United States.
So though Wheeler carries on.
As no doubt he will, and pro-
vokes local councils TO unwise
acts Of patriotic evaporation.
such as the denial OF his right
to speak in public, the fact 10
he remembered Is that he is not
fighting for every fourth Ameri-
can boy. as he pretendS, but
against the man he hates.
If Wheeler has his way he will
pillow under many more Ameri-
cans than might be lost fight