Evening star., 1943-02-23
Text of Roosevelt, Wallace Addresses


FOLLOWING is the tert OF Vice
President Walldce's address at
the George Washington dinner,
held under auspices OF the Demo-
cratic National Committee.
American boys in North Africa
tonight are fighting mad Remem-
bering those who have fallen, they
will not be satisfied until they chase
the Nazis out of Africa, italy and
Berlin. They are eager to finish
the job.
Men in position to know believe
that II the people of the United
States and England put forth the
same unified, all-out effort that
now is being displayed by the mag
nificent Russians Germany can be
defeated in 1943. But this will not
happen in 1943 if we allow our policy
to be dictated by those who believe
that the Russians are going to win
the war for us without further help
from us. Our sons, brothers and
nephews on the fighting front and
their relatives at home know better
We can knock out Hitler and the
Japs in the second round of this
fight, but we shall have to harness
every spiritual and material re-
source to this purpose
Cites Example"
Here is an example Of what I
mean. In october of 1917 one of
our leading statesmen, who is now
a member of the loyal opposition,
urged that we send to our Allies in
Europe food and munitions, but
that we not send men for fear of
dislocating our civilian life at home
His advice, If it had been followed,
would have allowed Germany to
win that war in the summer of 1918.
This man in perfectly good faith
Is giving similar advice today He
would cut down the size of our Army
regardless of military necessity.
I am confident that most Ameri-
cans do not share this point of
view. They know that an ounce of
effort in 1943 Is worth a pound in
1914. They know that catering to
comforts at home would cost the
blood Of thousands of boys at the
front. Real farmers. real workers,
real businessmen and the women
of America are willing to give every
thing they have, if need be, in this
fight for freedom. .-.....-
This does not mean we cannot
speak our minds freely. Within
the limits Of the necessities of war
freedom of speech and freedom of
the press prevail as always, and
any one has the right to express
himself-to criticize those who are
conducting the war or to criticize
those who are doing the criticizing,
Public Means Business.
But I am sure the American pub
lie means business and will have
little patience with any political
party which puts partisan advantage
above the national welfare. That
places upon the Democratic ma
jority Of our Government the re-
sponsibility for pushing on to VIC
tory In the war and for abstaining
from bitter attacks on partisan op-
ponents.
And 1t places upon the Republi-
can minority the responsibility for
really behaving a. a loyal opposi-
ton and abstaining from tactics
which ere purely political. The
American public will not forget
and will not condone any attempts
to use the unavoidable shortages
and restrictions Of wartime as a
basis for partisan campaign to
undermine confidence in the Gov
ernment.
The Russians, fighting in the
snow and bitter cold, say that
George Washington, our first Com
mander in Chief, set them an ex-
ample at Valley Forge. He suffered
on various chilly occasions, and
especially from Tory obstruction
and half-hearted support. He never
lost courage, and SO today we have
United States of America.
Our present Commander in Chief
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is equal
ly determined that this war for free
dom shall be won. He Is much more
fortunate in the degree of unity in
the country today. Even though
there still are few who have not
caught the vision of the Nations
epic fight, President Roosevelt Is
backed by the invincible resolve OF
the great mass of the American
people.
No matter how great the price
they will follow his leadership and
drive through to the day when the
United Nations are victorious. Then
we can turn our thoughts to the
longtime job of assuring our mil
lions of returning soldiers and sail
ors and the millions of workers and
farmers at home of decent oppor-
tunity In a world at peace.