Evening star., 1941-02-11

Stop Roosevelt" Democrats N the
Senate-Clark of Missouri and
Wheeler of Montana-there would
be similar national consciousness OF
the Little American attitude Of the
G. o. P. in the most exclusive club
in America.
These considerations doubtless
prompted the recent remark TO me
of one of the most powerful men
behind the scenes in the Republican
party. The Republican party" he
said seems 10 be determined 10
commit suicide" The long record
of blind refusal TO face facts or to
take imaginative action 10 deal with
the emergency is hard to explain
away on rational grounds While 1t
is the duty Of an opposition to op-
pose, hitherto politics has stopped
at the 3-mile limit and obstructive
tactics have been limited TO domestic
reforms.
WiIlkie Is Party's Head.
Mr.. Willkie is the titular leader
Of his party and had more votes
cast for his election than any other
Republican candidate for the pres
idency. But his party seems deter
mined TO throw of his leadership
and to follow the same stubborn
course Of isolationism in foreign
policy and Of laiSsez-faire in domes-
tic policy which dominated its atti-
tude for the last generation.
That Mr.. Willkie is in a position
to give more than fresh, flrst-hand
impressions of Britain at war, is
doubtful. But often in these mat
ters. the first impression is worth
more than years OF study. Certainly
in 1882, when the bulk of American
observers at Berlin agreed that Hit
ler could not possibly come TO power,
a casual visitor in Germany could
not fail TO realize that nothing but
sudden death could prevent the
accession of the Nszis to the seats
Of the Teutonic mighty. So Mr..
Wilkes impressions of the true
state of British affairs are apt to be
as valuable as any more labored
analyses TO support or modify this
conclusion.
His return. therefore, puts his
party on the spot
WiIIkie Entitled to Respect.
He is their official leader and he
showed an ability 10 create more
enthusiasm for the G. o. P. than
any Republican candidate since
rTLANlArn DorAyTAlf
is to the effect that England is
winning this war and that ample
American help is all that is required
to insure victory. Failure 10 ex-
tend assistance is. according TO
Willkie and TO the Roosevelt admin
lStration, equivalent to booming
America to last-ditch belligerency
for the defense of democracy This
logic runs absolutely counter TO the
Republican party line that aid
to England automatically insures
the dispatch of an A E. F TO Fland-
erS fields. or words TO that effect.
In other words. Mr.. Willkie has re-
duCed the Republican leadership to
the same level Of intellectual bank.
luPlNN III NllANlI AOulld
selves when the late Senator Borah
told Roosevelt and Hull that there
would be no war in 1899, that he
had superior sources of informa-
ton TO those enjoyed by the Cow
ernment of the United States.
From this diplomatic miScalculs-
ton. the G. o. P. sought to extricate
themselves by playing on the war
fears and the ignorance of the
American people. Now. their leader
assures them. on the basis OF first
hand evidence, that they are COM
pletelv mistaken again. that it Is
their course which would lead TO war
rather than the course adopted by
the Roosevelt administration.
Whatever the outcome of the
struggle for power within the Re-
publican party and the course of
the war itself. Mr. Willkie is clearly
entitled to the gratitude and re-
spect of the American people for
putting his country above party and
for seeking to promote its safety
at a time when other Republicans
we're still playing politics with the
national defense.