Evening star., 1944-07-25
Next President Foces
Job Of Reconstruction
Real Issue At Stake Il Method
of Handling Debt, Says Writer
By Dapil Latprence 9

~~CSst 0ote
By David Lavrsnce
Many persons who have already be-
gun to talk shout the issues Of the
political campaign give the impression
that the next President, or Commander
IN Chief, Is to take ONCE In October or
November Of this year when, ~ . mat
ter Of fact, the next Chief Executive
begins his term on January 20, 1945.
Lots Of things can happen between
now and next January and one Of them
may be the ending Of the war In
Europe. The Japanese war il
not one for diplomacy or finesse but for
naval and air operations and there will
be no effect on the japanese one way
or the other II either Mr.. Roosevelt or
Mr.. Dewey is elected. The war In the
Far East may last anywhere from sew
eral months to several years.
So the main consideration before the
American people will be what kind Of
President do they want on January 20.
194S. Confronting the next President
VIII be the Job Of reconstruction. This
means the handling of the enormous
debt that has been piled up and 1t means
the Strengthening of the economic sys-
tenn so as to make the shock of transi-
ton as painless as possible.
What Do Candidates Offer?
What would either candidate offer?
The New Deal concept heretofore has
been to meet every economic crisis with
more and more Government spending.
The opposing theory has been to en-
courage those who would venture their
risk capital in the home and foreign
markets. The Republicans have always
argued that business could restore
America to real instead Of synthetic
prosperity once the dreamers and crack
pots who have been experimenting with
public funds were put aside and prac-
tical working measures adopted.
Undoubtedly the trend Is away from
the New Deal though Mr. Roosevelt likes
to give that impression during his cam
paigns only to swing back sharply to the
left once the hazards OF the election are
out Of the way and Q certain number
Of gullible conservatives have given him
their votes. The selection Of Truman
over Wallace was . part Of that grand
strategy of camoufiage which has char
acterized the Democratic High Com
mands operations in every political
campaign since 1882.
The country will have an enormous
stake in economic stability because the
public has bought vast quantities of
War Bonds. Shall the task Of the next
four years be turned over to those who
believe in bigger and bolder deficits or
those who think the risk capital system
can be made to work If 1t is given half
4 chance?
What Businessmen Want.
This does not mean that the regula-
tory power Of government must be mod
ified. but merely that it should be ex-
ercised honestly and not with an eve
to votes or special privileges given to
groups in return for their support ut the
polls or for their campaign contribu-
tions. Fair administrators and fair and
honest Federal judges instead Of pref
udiced and political-minded tools on the
bench are all that most businessmen
really want. They viii abide by the
rules II the umpire Isn't hooked up with
one or the other Of the teams.
But can Gov. Dewey convince the
people that the big job ahead Is do
mestic reconstruction and not military
operation? Can he discount the time of
the ending Of the war and remind peo-
pie that they are not selecting q Com
mander in Chief for q European war
which probably will be ended or nearly
80 by next january Can he outline the
way he proposes to maintain wage levels
and high purchasing power and q ma
tional income that will provide full en-
ployment? Can he swing the mood of
the country from thoughts of war to
thoughts of job maintenance?
There are, OF course, broad issues in
volved in making peace but most Amer
leans, irrespective of party, are agreed
on the basic principles. The real cleav-
age comes In the electorate Is between
those who want more Government
pump-priming in disregard of ultimate
bankruptcy for the Nation and those
who know that the battle of reconstruc-
ton can be won only II risk capital is
given . chance, tax rates are made real
istic, and the socialistic and communis-
tic-minded attitude is completely elm
mated from our governmental approach.
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