Evening star., 1942-02-13
Politics Continued
During Previous Wars
Writer Tells How Opposition
Wos Met by Presidents
In Conflicts of Post


Wos Met by Presidents
In Conflicts Of Post
By Bertram Benedict.
Politics stops at the waters edge"
That motto is traditional with all Ameri-
cans, but sometimes 1t has been honored
more In the breach than in the OBJ
servance.
1t certainly Is not being completely
honored in the present war. When, last
January 5, Clarence Buddington Kelland
was appointed the new publicity director
Of the Republican National Committee,
he came out for national unity. but
against political unity. The Democrats
held up their hands in holy horror. but
then, on February 2, came to the micro
phone Chairman Edward J. Flynn Of the
Democratic National Committee.
Mr.. Flynn declared that 1t would be
nothing short of q terrible national mis-
fortune II q Congress, hostile" to the
President, were elected next November.
II we had President Of one party and
a House Of Representatives controlled by
the other party, averred Mr.. Flynn, why,
that would cause vast confusion" II
Mr.. Flynn's remarks weren't politics in
wartime what were they'
Chairman Flynn might have learned
something from President Wilson's
blunder along the same line. Just as the
first World War was about to end in an
Allied and American victory, Mr.. Wilson
asked the people to elect a Democratic
Congress on the grounds Of patriotism.
He admitted that the Republicans had
been pro-war, but he pointed out the hor-
rife fact that they had been anti
administration.
If the Democrats were defeated in the
elections for Congress. Mr.. Wilson said.
the defeat would be interpreted abroad as
. reputation Of his leadership Just as
he was about to go into the peace con-
ference. The country showed what it
thought Of those tactics by electing q
Republican Congress.
Perhaps President Roosevelt remem-
bered Mr.. Wilson's false step even II
Chairman Flynn didn't. At his press con-
ference on February last, the President
declared that what the country needed
in Congress was men behind the war
effort. irrespective Of party membership.
1t all depends on what you mean by
politics" If you mean opposing a step
good for the Nation simply because the
other fellow proposes it. that is one thing
II you mean opposing, even in war, a
step proposed by the President because
you think 1t bad for the Nation, that is
not only something else again, but also
the highest form Of patriotism.
And opposition need not and fire.
quently does not follow party lines Some
OF tho toughest obstacles President
Roosevelt has had to surmount have been
those cast In his path by Democrats,
especially Southeners. He might well
have less trouble with a Congress con-
trolled by Republicans Of the Wendell
Willke persuasion than from a Con-
gress controlled by Democrats like Sem
ator Cotton Ed" Smith Of South Caro-
lima
Away back in 1899 the peace treaty
with Spain was opposed BY many of
President McKinley's Republicans
In the Senate (because it provided for
annexation Of the far-off Philippines).
The treaty finally was ratified only be-
cause some Democratic Senators rallied
to its support.
frequently. also. tho opposition gains
It's point even while seeming to be de-
feated on it. Many moves of the New
Deal have been prompted by fear that
the Republicans would get somewhere by
proposing something along the same line.
NOBODY knows better than President
Roosevelt the old political adage: IF YOU
can't beat 'em, join EN-" He announced
the appointment of Donald M. Nelson
as dictator Of the war production effort
just few minutes before Wendell l..
Willkie was to make a speech calling
Tor one-man control to replace the exist
ing war-production machinery.
At all events, none of the previous
wartime Presidents was able to conduct
his war under a one-party system or
without running into considerable politi-
cal opposition under the two-party sys-
tenn. John Adams estimated that the
Revolutionary War and the War of 1917
were each opposed by about third
OF the American people.
The resolution for war with Great
Britain in 1872 went through the House
OF Representatives only by vote of 70 to
40, with Is members not voting. And
this although President Madison's party
controlled three fourths of the House.
After the war began, the Federalist
members Of the House got together and
formally called the war a political, not
a national, effort.
Just before the war ended Federalists
OF New England assembled In the Hart
ford Convention, recommended that
thereafter a two-thirds vote, instead of
a mere majority vote, in Congress should
be required to declare war. Everybody
knew what that meant.
The war with Mexico was precipitated
by the annexation Of Texas in l845. The
resolution for annexation went through
the House by the narrow margin of 12O
votes to SO. And in January, 1848, after
the war was over but before the peace
treaty had been signed, the House of
Representatives actually adopted reso-
luton declaring that President Polk had
provoked the conflict unnecessarily and
unconstitutionally.