Evening star., 1942-02-12
The Political Mill
London Puts Election Issue on Efficiency
In Government and Principles Of Government
By GOULD LINCOLN.

BY GOULD LINCOLN.
This is Lincoln Day-a day that
can be celebrated by Democrats
as we'll as Republicans, for Abra-
ham Lincoln preserved the Union
and paved the way for the build
ing of the great Nation. Because
Lincoln was the first Republican
President, it has been custom CT
Republicans to select this date for
praise of Lincoln and the princi-
pies of the Republican party. To-
day is no exception. But first,
Republican orators are declaring
their allegiance to the war effort
now being conducted by President
Roosevelt. This was the principal
theme of an address delivered by
former Gov. ALI M. Landon of
Kansas, the party's presidential
candidate in 1886, at the Lincoln
Day dinner given here last night.
It will be the theme Of dinners to
be given tonight throughout the
country. Wendell L. Willkie in
Boston, Thomas E. Dewey in New
York, Senator Taft in Knoxville,
and other Republican leaders in
other cities will urge Republicans
everywhere to make the fight for
victory against the Axis powers.
This spirit of unity can be OF
the greatest value to the country
it is essential to victory. 1t can
be hampered by unnecessary
partisanship either by the Repub-
licans or the Democrats. 1t would
be unpatriotic for Republicans to
put impediments in the way OF the
administration efforts to win the
war. On the other hand, it would
be worse than stupid for the ad-
miniStration, because Of political
prejudices, not to make use of all
the talent and ability of America.
The first partisan challenge
came from Democratic National
Chairman Edward j. Flynn
when he charged that the Re-
publicans were more anxious to
win control of the House Of
Representatives at the Novem-
ber elections than they were to
win the war against the Axis
powers. He called for the elec-
tion OF a Democratic House, a
Congress not hostile to the Presi-
dent. President Roosevelt, asked
to comment on the Flynn state
ment, said the easiest way to
put it was to say that members
of Congress should be reelected
on their record OF support of the
Government-meaning the ad-
Observation-Disclosures of party.
Members, he said, who will sup
port the Government in the
emergency and who have sup
ported 1t, should be chosen.
Pearl Harbor Turning Point.
Since Pearl Harbor, members
Of Congress of all parties have
supported the Government in
its war effort. Before Pearl
Harbor, however, there was a
cleavage, with so-called isola-
tionists in both parties opposing
some of the administration de-
fense measures and strongly op-
posing the foreign policy Of the
administration. How far the
President is going in opposition to
reelection Of those members of
Congress has not been disclosed.
How far the voters will support
an effort to retire members Of
Congress who since Pearl
Harbor have gone all out for
national defense and winning
the war-also is still to be dis
closed, even if these members
did not see eye to eye with the
administration before Pearl
Harbor.
= 1t is entirely natural for a
political party to seek to be re-
tanned in power. Where there
are elections, it will seek to win
them. At the same time, politics
is the only way in which the
American people have an oppor-
tunity to express themselves on
the conduct of public affairs.
This is true in war as it is in
peace times.
Mr.. Landon, in his address last
night, took issue with the Presi-