Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1943-07-30

Clayton w. however, tn
Fountain M amer in
which FDR chose to settle the
Jones Wallace dispute serves SIM
ply to raise more doubts about the
political future of the New Deal.
There are political implications
in this affair which need to be
considered very carefully by labor.
A ROOSEVELT CHOICE
First, it must be remembered
that, for the duration of his career
in the government service, Henry
Wallace has acted as chosen
representative of President Roose-
welt. He was first selected by
FDR to act as Secretary of Agri-
culture. In 1910, the President
personally saw to it that Wallace
was nominated as his running
mate on the Democratic ticket.
Since Pearl Harbor, the Presi-
dent has been heavily burdened
with the responsibilities of mill
tary strategy. His duties as Com
mander- Chief of the United
States armed forces have, of
necessity, prevented him from lead
ing the New Deal forces with the
same vigor that marked his early
years in the White House.
Henry Wallace, as Vice Presi-
dent, took up the task of leading
and inspiring those sections of the
American public which believe that
basic New Deal principles must
not only be preserved intact for
the duration of the war, but that
the salvation and expansion of
democracy in the postwar period
depends upon progressive political
action of, by and for the common
man.
The common folks of America
became convinced that Wallace
was speaking for the President
when he uttered his historic
speeches about the peoples revo-
luton" and the century of the
common man."
A BLOW TO THE
PROGRESSIVE CAUSE
President Roosevelt's action in
taking away Wallace's authority
as administrator Of the Board of
Economic Warfare has therefore
had a shocking effect on the le-
gions of ordinary people who have
faithfully supported the New Deal.
The progressive cause in America
has suffered severely from the
contradictory nature of the Presi-
dents action.
Nor is this the first time that
FDR has acted in a manner to
arouse the suspicion of those who
have long idolized him as the
savior of the lowly and down.
trodden in America.
The State Department double
dealing with Darlan in North
Africa could not have occurred
without the blessings of the White
House. The troubles of the coal
miners might have been settled in
an orderly fashion by the War
Labor Board if that agency had
been so instructed by the Presi-
dent. The wording of the Presi-
dental veto of the Connally-
Smith Bill could have been much
more pointed and progressive; and
it was significant that Democratic
stalwarts in both houses failed 10
try to sustain the veto.
THE GREAT MAN COMPLEX
All of this illustrates the weak
ness of political philosophy
which operates on the basis of
great man" complex.
aNo statesman or leader in
human affairs-President Roose-
yelt included--is above embracing
wrongful ideas or making mis-
takes. And, in a democratic soci-
ETY., it is the unalienable right of
the sovereign citizenry to take
government leaders to task for
their faults.
For all of labor's gratitude to
the President for his efforts in its
behalf, the manner in which he
handled the Jones' Wallace affair
Just doesn't set well. No matter
how you look at it. the impression
still remains that an outstanding
spokesman for a better life for
the common people has been un-
fairly slapped down.
Unless the President explains
his reprimand of Wallace, to the
satisfaction of loyal folks in the
New Deal camp, many people will
be hard pressed to believe that
FDR is still on our side.