Evening star., 1943-12-30

Wendell Willkie. And precisely be-
cause the Republican businessmen
think Willkie might turn out to be
another Roosevelt, they are fighting
his nomination almost as intensely
as they are planning to fight against
Roosevelt's reelection.
Every presidential nominee, of
course, makes abstract statements
about his friendliness to trade union
ism and usually balances his state
ments with the promise that he will
protect the legitimate rights of
labor. But that's far different
thing from President ROOSEVELT S
campaign promises. He merely
draws attention to his actual record
in office, which has been one of con-
siStent favoritiSm for labor What
ever deviationS there have had to
be, his defenders will be able to say,
are due to wartime necessities.
Once the war is over, labor will
be back in favor with Mr.. Roose-
velt for almost anything it asks.
The Republican politicians, of
course, have noted that the labor
vote used to split about SIS to As
with the majority usually favoring
the Democratic ticket, but in 1886
the percentage went up beyond 10
and in some areas it was 80. The
percentages declined somewhat in
1910, but came nowhere near the
normal of the Republican era.
1t will be argued that the labor
vote didn't help the Democratic
party in the last congressional cleo
ton. But it is a strange fact, never
theless, that labor doesn't get out
its vote for congressional elections
as we'll as it does in presidential
elections when the appeal can be
made around single personality
at the top of the ticket. 1t will
be recalled that in 1888 the Re-
publicans made decisive gains in
Congress, but in 1910 they lost much
of what they had gained. Likewise,
in the off-year election of 1912, the
Republicans gained again and it
is the belief of the Presidents sup
porters that the same thing will
happen in 1914 when Mr.. Roose-
welt heads the ticket as happened
In 1910.
The labor unions are getting
ready to spend good deal of money
in the campaign to help Mr.. Roose-
velt. The Federal Corrupt Practices
Act has been amended to forbid con-
tributions by labor unions or the ac-
ceptance of any help from them,
directly or indirectly, by any candi-
date for Federal office But the
labor unions are going ahead just
the same and making plans to help
They call it "educational' work.
They probably won't be prosecuted
the Department of Justice doesn't
prosecute cases under this law for
reasons best known to itself. Both
the Republicans and the Democrats
seem to avoid its enforcement, no
matter which party is in power.
The Republicans who believe VIC
tory is assured for their nominee,
particularly if it is Gov. Dewey,
seem to feel that the negative vote
will accomplish the purpose this
time. 1t hasn't before. In 1896, the
Republicans expected that the dis
content over the New Deal would
elect a Republican. In 1910, they
felt sure that the New Deal had
been discredited and was ready for
reputation. To this day they feel
that if total war hadn't broken out
in Europe in May, 1910, the Presi-
dent would have been defeated for
q third term. But the fact is that
the domestic discomfort wasn't
enough then. Will it be enough
next year?
The war will be on in full swing
during 1914 and in many respects
the peak of the whole military op-
Grafton may be expected during the
very months when the political
campaign is under way. Will the
1rritations over rationing, resent
ment of the favoritism given labor,
discomfort of families which have
been told by isolationists that the
war could have been avoided, and
so on, add up in the end to a ma
jority? This is the question which
will be answered next November
but, meanwhile, it can be taken for
granted that labor in the war plants
and all other plants will be under
pressure from its leaders to support
the President. Maybe the overseas
vote will be the deciding influence.
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