Evening star., 1944-06-21

incorporated in Frank T. Kent.
both the Republican and Demo-
cratic platforms, not because Mr.
Willkie presented 1t but because
nearly all thoughtful men in both
parties have been thinking along
those lines.
1t Is not likely that the men who
will dominate the Republican con-
vention next week will be diverted
from these lines by the somewhat
patronizing manner in which Mr..
Willkie points out their duty. Nor
will they be coerced into accepting
as a whole every Willkie suggestion
for fear they may lose the Willkie
support.
It is an interesting and signifi-
cant fact that the applause for Mr..
WILKES pieces came largely from
the fourth-term promoters and pub
licists. one of whom is Mrs. Roose-
velt. That lady showered a number
of kind words upon the author and
wrote about some of his points in
her most gracious manner. Others
referred to Mr.. Willkie as great
liberal statesman"
What Willkie Likes.
Those who know him best are
well aware that there is nothing
Mr.. Willkie likes more than to be
called "a great liberal statesman"
From others-an fourth-termers-
1T was pointed out that the Repub-
licans would deserve to lose If they
failed to take Mr.. WILKES advice;
that If they refused to follow his
leadership, they could make no
appeal to the liberal elements" OF
the country, would, in fact, have
branded themselves as reaction
aries and reverted to the standards
of the Harding days.
Perhaps, there are some gullible
enough not to recognize this kind
of bunk for what it is, but most
persons will see it as an obvious at
tempt upon the part OF the fourth
termers to embarrass the Republi-
cans and encourage the idea that
Mr.. Willkie may not support the
nominee of their convention.
OF course, no realist in politics has
any doubt as to what Mr.. Willkie
will do in the end. He will support
the Republican candidate-Gov.
Dewey-because there just will be
nothing else for him to do.
The Republicans already are COM
mitted in their Mackinac conference
to the great principle of full post
war international cooperation,
which Mr.. Willkie has proclaimed all
over the land as of overshad dowing
importance. Gov. Dewey personally
has taken an unequivocal stand on
this subject, fully as fortnight as
Mr.. WILKES own.
On domestic affairs there seems
little difference between Mr.. Willkie
and any of the other leading Re-
except that 1t is charged
his disposition is slightly more New
Dealish than theirs. Some think he
has been led in this direction largely
by his curious desire to be thought
we'll of by the professional liberals,
though none Of these was with him
in 1910 and none would have been
with him had he been nominated
against Mr.. Roosevelt this time.
No Excuse to Bolt.
Aside from that, however, neither
the Republican candidate nor the.
Republican platform will provide
Mr.. Willkie with an excuse to bolt
on matter of principle. That can
be set down as sure. And unless his
conscience should be involved, there
is no way for him to justify failure
to support. Certainly his own can
didacy bars him from accepting the
fourth-term argument about chang
ing horses in the middle of the
stream.
Mr.. Willkie will not find after Chi
cago that the Republicans have
adopted his platform wholly, but he
will find that the platform is one to
which he can raise slight objection
and one upon which If he had been
nominated he easily could and
would-have stood. It Is true he
does not like Gov. Dewey personally,
but neither does he like Mr.. Roose-
velt personally.
And there are good many more
people he does not like personally
these days, including some who we're
very strongly for him when he ran
in 1910. In this campaign he will
have only one alternative to whole
hearted support of the Republican
candidate and that is grudging and
reluctant support. And if he dilly
dallies too long, it will not make a
great deal of difference so far as the
result is concerned which he chooses.
1t, of course, is Inthinkable that