Detroit evening times., 1943-12-17
NEWS
BEHIND
The NEWS
BY Pau.
MaIlon

Nh NfsNf AFNAH 4 AfAA
w Roosevelt, the miracle man
of politics, is now supposed 10
be whipping up another one for
1914.
His tactics abroad confirm
the expectation within Demo-
cratic ranks that he will again
completely reorganize his lines
for the coming election.
Certainly miracle is de-
manded by the current condition
of the Democratic Party and
the frayed, worn strategems Of
the New Deal.
His actions suggest he is
working toward two main de-
velopmentS. an agreement with
Russia mot as a unified perma-
nent American foreign policy,
but as a personal Roosevelt
alone and 10 be led by him
alone and secondly. a direct
campaign for the soldier vote 10
bring the bulk of these decisive
100000 absentee ballots. or a
great majority of them. into the
administration camp regardless
OF what Congress Is now doing
10 prevent 1t.
His leaders are working ar
IDENTIFY 10 get through his $500
soldier rehabilitation pay bill,
Senate floor boss Barkley haV-
ing iust now taken up the mat
ter by proposing a bill Of his
own.
4 MID such soldier heraldry in
"A Congress. Mr.. Roosevelt
has conspicuously sp en-t as
much or more time, reviewing
troops in Egypt. Sicily, North
Africa than with the Russians.
Strangely every returning
soldier with W h ON l have
talked, and those who write
me, exhibit a far more critical
attitude toward the administra-
ton than is apparent among
the people at home.
Without survey of their po-
litical sentiments, l would sus-
pect they would furnish a
heavy majority against Roose-
selt, but the administration
abViously does not think so, and
under certain circumstances. I
can see that loyalty campaign
for the commander in chief
might Justify administrations
expectations, especially under
federal ballot collecting system.
DUT the Russian matter is
- equally important. The
left-labor city votes, left-farmer
and minority class groups
(which were the bulwark Of :.
the New Deal but have been%
falling away lately) might pos
sibly be restored as Roosevelt
followers with this singl e.
stroke. they seem to react
automatically for any one who
speaks favorably Of Russia.
BY concentrating on Russia
Roosevelt might make them
forget deficiencies against which
they complain at home.
Talk that his reorganization
may extend senSationally TO the
acceptance of some one like
Senator Byrd as vice preSiden-
tial candidate 10 appease the
South--or a minor Republican
is probably far fetched. Some
wise politicos swear four south
ern states will 90 against Roose-
welt no matter what he does,
yet prevailing administration
opinionNstill is, that while the
South may Squirm II will have
10 be Democratic in the end.
Only a little sugar is needed.
not the whole hogshead of a
vice presidential nomination.
INDEED, tn eway Wallace and
Guffey have been acting. the
administration line for 1914 will
follow its old course of playing
the CIO-Negro votes in the
North. (Hillman's CIO commit
tee is considered inside to be
the real Democratic national
committee for coming campaign
purpoSes)
Whether all this, if success
fully carried out will do the job
cannot yet be guessed. The Rus
sian agreement will make ene-
mics of many class groups, and
the final question will be
whether the agreement is sound,
fair and successful.
The soldier angle depends on
whether he can get them 10 vote
in the first place. then TO vote
for him in the second.
Odds still will strongly favor
Republican success.
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