Evening star., 1944-10-31

those who get LoweH Meiiett.
all steamed up on one side or the
other and endeavor to contribute
two cents worth to the great quad
rennial wrangle.
Each time we promise ourselves
that we won't get mad and that we
won't say anything that we'll be
sorry for. This time, like some
other times, I have only been able
to keep half of the promise. I
haven't yet said anything I am
sorry for-but I have got mad.
I have got mad at Thomas e.
Dewey. I am mad at him, in fact,
for causing me to get mad. And
mad at him also for bringing me
around to the belief that there is
such q thing as an indispensable
man. I didn't want to believe that
Hoped for Greatness.
To discuss the latter point first,
I had sincerely hoped that Mr.
Dewey himself might reveal some
evidence of greatness under the
weight of the responsibility that
rests on a man who offers himself
for the presidency of the United
States: that Mr.. Dewey would, at
least, bring forward the best, not
the worst, that was in him; that,
humbled by realization of what he
was undertaking, he would endeavor
to be worthy.
had hoped that, as the cam
paign progressed, it would be pos
sible to say there was no real cause
for concern if the country preferred
Mr. Dewey. In short, had hoped
to have it proved that in this great
democracy no man Is indispensable.
But as things have turned out, one
man has become indispensable. Mr..
Dewey has made him so by not
measuring up himself.
With certain aspects of Mr..
Dewey's campaign there is no point
in quarreling. His effort to identify
himself with the Dumbarton Oaks
discussions, for example, was fair
enough politics, although 1t would
have been better had he not tried
to stir up premature suspicious in
that direction.
His hammering away at ''bu-
reaucracy" is perfectly legitimate.
Bureaucrats in Office must expect to
be attacked by bureaucrats out OF
office. No administration is ever
perfect and it is fair to call atten-
tion to every imperfection that can
be revealed. If some of these short
comings are little more than mole
hills, it Is still permissible to make
mountains out of them.
Hillman Attacks Discountabie
His belaboring of Sidney Hillman,
his efforts to convince the country
that Mr.. Hillman, and not Mr..
Roosevelt will be in control if the
Democrats win, is in keeping with
the exaggerations we are accustomed
to in all campaigns and have learned
to discount. No great harm in that.
The same can be said of the attempt
to make abugaboo of Communism"
in this country, although, carried
away by the theme, Mr.. Dewey at
times has shown reckless disregard
Of a powerful and-who knows?-
perhaps sensitive ally of ours.
His efforts to present himself as
young man full of pep and vinegar
and Roosevelt as a tired old man is
fair enough politics. And there is no
reason to believe that Mr.. Dewey has
been party to the indecent whis-
pering campaign on the subject of
the Presidents health.
His attacks on the administra-
tions labor policy, farm policy. taxa
ton policy and SO on have all been
within the very wide latitude allowed
in political contest.
These things have not made me
mad, but one thing has.
That Is the Dewey assertion, first
nade in Philadelphia and brazenly
.epeated after it had been proved
utterly untrue, that the Government
plans to keep men in the Army
long after the war has been won
and they are no longer needed. This