Evening star., 1944-11-05
Our Political Debate
Is Little Changed
Harsh Charges Of 1914 Echo
Those of Former Years
By John H. Cline.


By John H. Cline.
There is some Justification for speak
ing OF this presidential campaign as be-
ing unprecedented. It is the nrst time
that any man has sought fourth term
as Chief Executive Of this Nation. And
1t is also the first time that the people
have been called upon to decide
whether they want to install new
President in the White House while the
country is engaged In a great world
war. In other respects, however, there
are many parallels between the cam
paign now drawing to close and the
fought political battles Of bygone
years.
The indications are that In terms of
popular vote, at least, the presidential
election this year will be the closest
since 1916. when Woodrow Wilson nosed
like to speak Of now as photo fin
ish." But the parallel does not end
there, despite the fact that some people
think the 1914 campaign has produced
fewer real issues and more bitterness
and Misrepresentation than any other
contest in recent years.
In 1916 Mr.. Hughes was denouncing
the Democrats for having made prom
ises, only to break them. He deplored
the obstructive criticisms" of American
businessmen, asserting that the critics
were trying to cover up our lack OF
industrial preparedness" To Nation
eager to escape war, he suggested that
"the way to preserve peace. is to deserve
respect"-to show the world that I'VE
mean what we say and say what we
mean" Mr.. Wilson, closing his cam
paign in New York City, said that his
opponents, having despaired Of an
issue, are filling the country with
alarms" The Stars chief political
correspondent of that day, the late N. o.
Messenger, summed up his appraisal Of
the speech making, as follows: IF there
has been campaign within the memory
of this generation in which there was
more buncombe, insincerity and mis-
representation than this one, would
like to have some one cite it to me-"
Today, another generation is awaiting
the results Of another campaign, and
there are many who would appraise 1t
employed by Mr.. Messenger 20 years
ago. Because Of this, it is interesting
to look back over the 1914 campaign.
which began quietly enough but which
is ending on note of strident con-
troversy.
June was drawing to a close when
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, in speech that
was well-balanced and restrained, &C
cepted the Republican nomination. A
month later, President Roosevelt, leav-
ing the country for tour of the Pacific,
formally accepted his party's nominal
ton. His speech, delivered to the DEM
ocratic convention by radio from a
closely guarded railroad car, was at
tuned to the times. Mr.. Roosevelt spoke
as the Nations wartime Commander in
Chief. He did not propose to campaign
in the usual partisan sense. 1t would
not be fitting in the midst of war, and
besides, he would not have the time to
do more than correct any misstate-
ments which might be made by his
opponent. That seemed like strong
position, one which gave Mr.. Dewey
very little in the way of a target
Early in September, nearly month
after the Presidents unspectacular
Bremerton report on his visit to the
Pacific, the Republican candidate
launched his campaign in earnest with
two speeches. one at Philadelphia and
one at Louisville. These were the talks
in which Gov Dewey first charged that
the Roosevelt administration, being
afraid of the peace" planned to keep
men in the service after the war until
jobs could be found for them. That
provoked denials from white House
sources" but the President kept silent
and Gov. Dewey's train headed for the
West Coast. There he spoke in Seattle,
Portland, Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco, discussing his labor policies, the
thesis Of the indispensable man." social
security and postwar taxes. There were
sharp thrusts here and there at the New
Deal, but the tour, on the whole, was
something less than a brilliant success.
AS Gov. Dewey turned back toward Ok
lahoma City, the indications were that
he was losing ground. And then came
the break" which gave him a real
fighting chance in this election.
President Roosevelt, speaking at a
dinner Of the Teamsters Union In
Washington on September %, stepped
out OF his role of Commander in Chief
to deliver an old-fashioned, free-swing-
ing political speech. He accused the
Republicans Of copying Hitler and
Goebbels. They were resorting, he
said, to 'brazen and callous falsehoods."
Their professed regard for some of the
New Deal reforms was described by him
as "the most obvious common or garden
variety Of fraud"
If the President should lose this elec-
ton, that speech will go down as his
cardinal blunder. 1t brought Mr.. Roose-
velt into the arena of rough-and-
tumble politics. It gave Gov. Dewey
the opening that he had not had before
Coming into Oklahoma City, the COP
nominee tore up his prepared speech
and wrote new one. Mr.. Roosevelt
he said, had asked for 1t" and he was
going to give it to HIM" That speech
heralded the appearance Of the new
Mr.. Dewey" the fighting candidate for
whom the crowds turned out, and who