Evening star., 1944-10-20
Foreign Policy Views
Of Dewey Win Praise
Observer Says Speech Answers
Senator Balls Three Questions
BY Dapid Laurence.

BY David Laurence.
Gov. Dewey has taken a position on
foreign policy which not only approx
mates the Wendell Willkie viewpoint
but specifically answers the three oues-
tions propounded by Senator Ball of
Minnesota. The Governors speech goes
long way toward winning over the
independent vote that has been waiting
for Qualification of his foreign policy
views.
Senator Ball wanted to know IL the
candidates for the presidency would
favor setting up the international Or
ganization now and not wait for the
peace settlement with Germany and
Japan. He wanted to know if either
candidate would oppose reservations"
that would weaken the organization, and
: he asked whether either nominee would
favor prompt action by the security
council when aggression or a threat of
aggression occurred.
Mr.. Dewey responded in the afirma-
tive on all three points and thus must
have satisfied the Minnesota Senator.
But Mr.. Dewey did more than this. He
revealed readiness to use the power
and influence of the United States in an
active diplomacy so that relations with
our Allies would be clarified and so that
secret diplomacy would come TO an end.
Attacked by Pravda.
The Russian newspaper "Pravda" re-
Gently made an attack on Gov. Dewey
and surprisingly enough indicated a
preference in an American presidential
contest, but this improperly did not
dissuade the Republican nominee from
discussing frankly the rather secretive
position which Moscow has taken toward
the Polish problem.
One may differ with Mr.. Dewey's
criticism of the hesitancy of this Gov
ernment to recognize Gen. De Gaulle,
but this was also one of Mr. WILKES
chief points of reproach against the
present administration. The interjec-
ton by Mr. Dewey Of references to
Poland, France and Italy and especially
the failure of the Allies to rehabilitate
the stricken Italian people fact
which the Vatican recently lamented
in public-is all fair criticism in a
democracy.
The Dewey declaration that territorial
terms were arranged in the Russian
Romanian armistice and that America
signature was attached by a Russian
military officer has been explained by
the State Department as having had a
precedent in Gen. Eisenhower's sigma
tlre of italian armistice terms in be-
half Of Russia. But the American peo-
pie will look aSkance at any accept
ance by America of territorial arrange
ments even tentatively in advance OF
a final peace settlement.
The Russian point of view and that
Of Britain and America on some of
these territorial questions are not the
same, but the situation is not helped
by secrecy. Full and frank discussion
is essential in order to exert a friendly
influence upon Moscow.
Liberal Side Of Debate.
The Dewey speech shows he has taken
the viewpoint of those liberals in
America who have been at odds with
the State Department on a number of
issues. However one may differ with
these aspects of the Dewey policy it
cannot be contended that he has taken
either a reactionary or an iSolationist
position. He has reached for the liberal
side of the debate, which means that he
can be counted upon to speak his mind
NJ
would have done had he lived.
Mr.. Dewey's address and two other
speeches at the Herald Tribune forum
on Wednesday were of a higher level
than any that had been heard before in
this campaign. Perhaps the best speech
from the standpoint of the Democrats
in this contest thus far was delivered by
Helen Gahagan, candidate for Congress
from California. Her delivery was excel
lent and her appeal was we'll phrased
and digniied.
The best speech of the evening from
nonpartisan standpoint, however, was
that of Representative Clare Luce, Re-
publican, who abandoned quips and
satire and gave splendid historical
summary of the efforts made through
the last several centuries to create in
ternational organizations to preserve
peace Her emphasis was on the fact
that excellent machinery had existed
before but that the will to peace and
the courage and character of statesmen
in governments was more important
than the words of treaties or agree
ments This thoughtful address repre-
sents high-wster mark of quality in
campaign speaking.
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