Evening star., 1944-06-05

soon after his inauguration, instead
of So as in 1910. For another, while
there is nothing in the least serious
the matter with him, he has been
forced to slow down, see fewer
people and do less work. Under
order of his physicians he is taking
better care of himself. And the
whole White House staff Is trying
to spare him all unnecessary labor.
Naturally, this has given rise to
speculation concerning the situation
should he be reelected. 1t has
been suggested, for example, that
after the war against Germany has
been won Mr.. Roosevelt might re-
sign, devoting himself to the MAX
ing of the peace and accepting di-
rection of the postwar League Of
Nations. Or he might find himself
physically unable to cope with the
terribly difficult postwar domestic
problems and be compelled to re-
linquish the presidency to save his
health.
Either of these suggestions fits in
with the claim of his friends that
ne really doesn't want to be Presi-
dent again and is running only be-
cause of his belief that his continu-
ance is essential to the winning of
the war.
Vice Presidents Importance.
OF course, If elected, Mr.. Roose-
velt may regain his full strength
and serve another term Che then
would be only CD with unimpaired
virility. But, it must be admitted
that, for one reason or another
there is an enhanced prospect over
1910, that he would not complete his
term.
1t Is this enhancement that makes
the Wallace denomination SO con-
troversial q question. For, there
are two widely separated schools
of thought about Mr.. Wallace. His
advocates are as ardent as his op-
ponents are implacable.
Among the radicals Of the coun-
try and the advanced thinkers oi
the New Deal he is unquestionably
a hero. Some Of these prefer him te
Mr.. Roosevelt, think him very
great man, indeed. They have com.
pared his speeches to the Gettys.
burg address, and insist that he i.
our leading liberal" "a "great
humanitarian" of the Lincoln type
In addition, he is the darling OF
the CIO, which indorses him along
with the President and calls loudly
for his denomination. Inasmuch as
the CIO is the main reliance of the
Roosevelt fourth termers and the
real conductor of the campaign, its
devotion to Mr.. Wallace is i'm
portant.
There is another school, how
ever, with whom Mr.. Wallace is
intensely unpopular. BY it he is
regarded as an unbalanced and ex-
treme radical, who would, If he
could, carry the New Deal socialis-
tic policies 10 the farthest limit, who
IS full of noble, though half baked
notions for the uplifting of the
common man" but utterly lacking
in practical ability and, besides, ad.
dicted to crystal gazing and othel
queer means of peering into tn,
future.
Not a Deciding Factor.
The idea of Mr.. Wallace as Presi
dent is as appalling to these as it Ii
appealing to the others. The in
teresting thing about these widely
divergent groups is that poignantl,
as they feel for and against Mr.
Wallace, whether he is named agair
or not will not affect the Roosevelt
vote In November
One side regards Mr.. Wallace a.
a great political asset; the othe,
insists that he will be a heav,
liability to the ticket. Neither il
right. Certainly, all the left winger
and the CIO leaders most earnestl,
for Mr.. Wallace are also for MI
Roosevelt. They will be keenly dis
appointed If Mr.. Wallace Is dropped
but no one thinks they, then, viii
turn around and vote for Gov
Dewey. That would be ridiculous.
On the other hand, the opposition
to Mr.. Wallace comes from South.
ern Democratic politicians and th'
anti-New Deal Democrats and Re.
publicans. Much as the latter dis.
like Mr.. Roosevelt, they would fal
rather have him President thar
Mr. Wallace.
But no one thinks that II Mr.
Roosevelt bitches his Vice President
these anti-New Deal Democrats anc
Republicans will vote for him. They
will just be glad they haven't got
the Wallace threat to face, but this
won't diminish their desire to gel
rid Of Mr.. Roosevelt, no matter tt
whom the second place goes.
AS for the Southern politicians
who are violently protesting the
Wallace denomination, nearly every.
body agrees they will vote the Dem.
ocratic ticket regardless of who il
on it.
Thus, it seems clear that Mr.
Roosevelt will neither lose nor gair