The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-09-18
NATIONAL
AFFAIRS
Reviewed by
CARTER FIELD
Thomas Dewey's
Political Decision and
His Chances Axis
Peoples Enthusiasm
Said to Be Waning 80.
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Bell syndicate-wNu Features.

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talking a lot about the privations
they will have to endure if the war
continues for years, as seems most
likely. "Privation' is too strong q
word, yet an accurate one, for it
means to be deprived of things, and
we are certainly going to be de-
prived of many things, the liberal
use of automobiles being the most
glaring at the moment.
Not only that, the style of living
of most Of the middle and upper
middle classes is going to take a
tumble, due to taxation.
But consider what the average
German or Japanese thinks about as
he or she faces the next few years
of war, especially the Germans, for
many of them have enjoyed and all
of them have heard about a very
full life indeed, so far as food, drink
and comforts are concerned.
Thinking About What??
What do those normally heavy
eating and warmth-loving Germans
think about? We know that in no
winter of the war so far has there
been sufficient heat to make the
civilians of. Germany really COM
Portable. Austria and the other con-
quered territories have suffered
more, but the Germans have been
plenty cold.
To the extent they have sacrificed
warm clothing and blankets on the
pleas of their leaders they will be
colder this coming winter. And, be-
ing cold themselves, they will be
more concerned about what the Bit
ter Russian cold is doing to their
boys in the army. (This on the as
sumption that Russia continues to
fight.)
Entering the realm of wishful
thinking, let us assume that the Rus
slams are able to prevent the Ger
mans from winning any spectacular
victories.
This seems possible, if not prob
able, as we study the reports of
American airplanes grounded in Tur-
key. incidentally lot of U. S.
planes and skillful crews interned in
Turkey might prove quite discourag-
ing to any Nazi plan for shortcutting
to the Caucasus through that coun-
try.
With American air power inpor-
tant over the Black sea area it
seems likely that even the capture of
Sevastopol may not prove the open
door to the oil fields that it once
seemed to the German high COM
mand. The prospect is not apt to
make the average life-loving Ger
man, with his belt frightened and his
body cold next winter, too enthusiast
tic about the success of Der Fuehrer.
Difficulties Removed
From Dewey's Path
The decision of Thomas E. Dewey
to serve out his four years as gov
ernor of New York, if elected, car
ries more significance than most OBJ
servers have read into it. AS SIM
pie promise to the voters of New
York that, if he should be elected, he
will not be a candidate for the Re-
publican nomination for President in
1914 is of course the most obvious
angle.
Such a promise removes consider
able difficulty from Dewey's path to
success at the polls this November.
Incidentally it takes quite load off
the rest of the Republican ticket,
for it is one thing to run behind and
with popular figure of demonstrate
ed political appeal, and another
thing when ones opponents accuse
the head of the ticket of not being
really interested in the job he is
presently seeking, but is planning to
use it merely as stepping stone.
Thus the Dewey announcement
might easily mean the difference be-
tween Dewey winning the governor.
ship and losing it. It might also
just as easily mean the success or
defeat of one or more of his running
mates.
Shrewd old political observers
read deeper meaning into the an
nouncement. Obviously, they point
out, the promise Of Dewey means
that he will not be an important fig
ure among the 1914 COP presidential
aspirants, win or lose.
If he wins, there is his promise.
If he loses, he will come pretty close
to being dead cock in the political
pit in 1914 anyhow.
But they figure that if Dewey is
half as smart as they think he is,
he actually is sacrificing nothing by
making this promise. Their theory
is that no matter how strong Dewey
might be by 1914, it would be al
most unthinkable that he should
have a real chance at the presi-
dency.
In 1914, they reason, the war will
either still be going on or it will be
just over. 1t cannot, by any stretch
of the imagination, be as far in the
past when that election comes as
was the First World war when War