Evening star., 1942-12-01

6cAS III SOIl- f'"
gress. David Lawrence.
The movement has gained i'm
petus this week with the knowledge
that President Roosevelt is prepar-
ing to reshufne his Cabinet and
ignore again some Of the prominent
men In the party who have served
In the ranks. 1t is being asserted
that one Of the reasons why the
administration was blamed at the
polls for arbitrary handling OF the
citizenry on war restrictions is that
the men in high New Deal Offices
DO not understand public psyche
logy.
1t Is truism Of politics that a
man who runs for Office usually
knows how to handle the public
when he enters administrative Of
nee, With some exceptions, the
Presidents Cabinet and some of the
higher executives in important war
agencies are men who have never
held elective ONCE. They have
come into prominence solely
through the power Of appointment,
and that Is believed to be why they
misunderstood or do not have the
capacity to understand the tends
OF public reaction to restrictive
measures.
Accepted If Explained.
Thus. it is contended by Demo-
cratic members Of Congress that
while the people do not like re-
strictions, they accept them and
voluntarily obey them when the
reasons are properly explained.
Much of the irritation manifested
at the polls grew out of doubt as
10 the real necessity OF rationing,
for example. The administration S
spokesmen were simply not men
who could carry conviction with
the public.
The dissatisfaction with the
Presidents leadership OF the Demo-
cratic party goes deeper. however,
than his insistence on keeping the
New Dealers in high positions. 1t
relates to the fact that in New
York state and in other States he
and his New Deal lieutenants have
attempted to take sides against the
Democratic party veterans.
1t is insisted that the party's
strength cannot be maintained if
the administration undertakes to
break down-as it did in New York
State-so outstanding a veteran of
Democratic State politics as At
torney General Bennett. The be-
havior Of the so-called American
Labor Party, aided and abetted by
New Dealers, was a contributing
factor to the defeat of Mr.. Bennett,
and the incident has not been over
looked by Democrats in other parts
Of the country.
It is a well-known fact in politics
that parties build up their organiza
tions by recognizing those who nave
toiled for the success OF the party.
While this does not mean putting
incompetents in office, 1t does mean
that, all things being equal, the
party leaders get chance for ap-
pointment when they have the
proper training and qualifications.
In the present administration the
party men have been thrust aside
and the tendency has been to take
hrain-t -trusters or radicals whose
main achievement thus far has been
TO help destroy the Democratic party
at the polls. Surely in the decade
that the Democrats have been
triumphant in national elections,
somebody else might be found for
Cabinet posts.
Under previous administrations,
nobody expected to serve contin-
ously II the incumbent administra-
sion was reelected. Now, with a
service OF three terms, the veteran
Democrats are beginning to wonder
II Mr.. Roosevelt is concerning nim-
self with the future Of the party or
with the future of his reform move
ment.
Repudiation Possibly Foreseen.
Some leading Democrats are say
ing that the President stands a good
chance not only of seeing the whole
New Deal reform government, with
many of it's worthwhile measures,
repudiated, but he may see his in
ternational program wrecked, too.
II he fails to keep the Democratic
party united behind him.
A good deal OF talk is heard often
about winning the war and losing
the peace" One way to lose the
peace is to enable isolationist Re-
publicans to join with isolationist
Democrats at the polls In 1914 in
electing a Congress that will be
hostile to the Presidents peace pro-
gram. Such an adverse happening
can be prevented, but the tide is
running strongly against the ad-
ministration because Of its insist
ence on keeping radicals and left
wingers in positions of power dur
ing the war.
II this trend is not reversed,
landslide in 1914 against the DEM
ocratic party would seem to be in
evitable-and that's why many
friends Of the President in the DEM
ocrstic party are hoping to convince
him that a reorganization to rid the
party Of radicals is a move in the
cd -. dirArtioy,