Evening star., 1942-05-11

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frozen and that the leaders of the
two major parties agree on A
formula whereby opposition to in
cumbent members OF both parties
be eliminated. The suggestion was
made on the assumption that the
Republicans held the upper hand
In national trends and could af-
ford to take a magnanimous posi-
ton.
Evidently if there is to be a
moratorium on partisanship during
the next five months in order that
the country may be spared the
discord and disunity of a political
campaign, it is the Democrats who
must take the initiative.
Idea Isn't Novel.
The idea of an agreement be-
tween party leaders to avoid a
campaign Is neither novel nor in
frequently applied. The Republican
party in Virginia couple of years
ago agreed not to put UP a candi-
date against Senator Carter Glass,
Democrat. In 1888 there was among
conservatives widespread discussion
Of the idea of giving full Repub-
Gcan support to Democratic Sem
stors whose purge" was being
sought by Mr.. Roosevelt. There were
attempts made in various States
to eliminate Republican opposition
because the principle of supporting
Democrats who had stood fast
against the Supreme Court packing
scheme was considered all impor-
tant. Candidates for the judiciary
in various States are frequently un-
opposed for election.
1t is not violative of the spirit
OF the Constitution, therefore. for
leaders of the two major parties to
get together on candidates when
the issue transcends partisanship.
In Britain and even across the bor-
der In Canada. where the parlia-
mentary system exists, the avoid
ance of a general election for seats
at a moment of international crisis
is not considered a step in the
direction of totalitarianism, but as
an example in self-restraint and
true craftsmanship.
Election Should Be Held.
Under our Constitution an election
must be held, and should be held,
but there Is no constitutional re-
quirement that a campaign must
be waged.
Just why it is necessary for Amer
lea to indulge in the petty politics
of a congressional campaign when
millions Of voters are far away from
the polls in the armed forces giving
their lives to save the Republic is
hard to understand. If the issues
could be confined to domestic af-
fairs alone the situation might be
different, but it looks as if the cam
paign will be fought on whether
particular Republicans or Demo-
Gratis who expressed their convic-
tions before Pearl Harbor are now
to be held up as traitors and ap-
peasers and disloyal Americans.
This can only arouse resentment
on the part of millions of voters
who had held similar views and it
Is not impossible that many fine
Americans who have rendered yeo-
man service on domestic issues will
be eliminated on pre-Pearl Harbor
records. This purge, Of course, as
far as preparedness is concerned,
will not go back before 1899 to
reach those in the Presidents own
party who neglected our defenses
in the years between 1888 and 1888
when Hitler was making his real
preparations for war.
Received With Hostility.
The suggestion that the election
be held this autumn, but the major
parties agree to eliminate the GUS
tomary battles and return the in
cumbent members or those NOM
mated in their places was received
with hostility by the so-called liberal
the New Deal press as well as by
many Republican editors, so its
chances of being adopted would
seem to be remote. This does not,
however, alter ones conviction that
by the time October comes around.
unless America is riding the high
tide Of impending victory. there may
be much wider feeling than exists
today against the intrusion of a
bitter internal fight on the political
front while American soldiers and
sailors are making the supreme sac
rifice on land, sea and air.
1t has been said that this is what
the armed forces are fighting for
the right to hold free elections
But they must also be fighting for
the same kind of idealism which
In British and Canadian democracy
causes politically minded folks tc
consider how TO work together be-
hind the lines TO forego individual
political ambitions or party adVan-
tages, applying instead cooperation
and common sense TO avoid wasting
energy and money on bitter in
ternal campaign. For II DR., Gallur
is right, the campaign can hardly
change the party control of either
House and can only serve the In.
terests OF Messrs. Hitler and Goeb-
bells by promoting disunity in om
midst
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