Evening star., 1944-10-02
Boil Statement Called
Challenge to Dewey
Millions Seek Clarifcation
Of Policy, Writer Believes
By David Laurence

Of Policy, Writer Believes
By David Laurence
Most sensational Is the statement
Just made by Senator Ball, Republican,
Of Minnesota. For 1t Is a challenge to
Gov. Dewey to make explicitly clear
what he intends to do about foreign
policy in the event of election and 1t is
also warning that millions OF inde-
pendent voters do not feel free as yet
to give their support to the Republican
nominee. The exact wordS Of the Min
nesota Senator were:
Il have read or listened to all of
Gov. Dewey's speeches and statements
to date. He has not yet convinced me
that his own convictions on this issue
are so strong that he would fight vig-
orously for foreign policy which will
offer real hope of preventing World
War III against the inevitable opposi-
ton to such policy"
Mr.. Ball courageously adds that this
issue Is 'far more important than the
political success or failure of any party
or person"
The Minnesota Senator has said what
many independents have felt these last
few weeks and unquestionably what
Wendell Willkie has felt though he has
not said so publicly.
But, in all candor. it is important to
ask, too. how vigorously President
Roosevelt means to fight for the inter-
national policy which so many inde-
pendents are anxious to see established
in the world. Lately there has been
some evidence that President Roosevelt
did not do much at Quebec to turn his
intimate friend and exponent of reac-
tionary thinking in world affairs, Prime
Ninister Churchill, from his attach
ment to an old-fashioned three-power
alliance that excludes, for an indefinite
period, all other nations, large and
small.
Dewey's Golden Opportunity
Nor is there any sign that Mr.. Roose-
welt has done any vigorous fighting a.
yet to dissuade Marshal Stain from hi
position that Russia should be Law
unto herself and make no commitments
to give up her veto power on the execu-
tive council of the international security
league in the event that Russia is ever
a party to a dispute involving charges
of aggression.
What is the use of Americans falling
out with one another, it may be logically
asked If Churchill and Stain are getting
ready to block the basic idea that
Senator Ball SO ardently espouses? Gov.
Dewey has golden opportunity to in
sist that the international security
league be formed now and that all
eligible nations, large and small, be
admitted and that every nation, large
and small, shall agree to accept dis
cipline If it be found guilty of any acts
of aggression.
If Mr.. Dewey is too timid to go that
far, Mr.. Roosevelt probably would feel
relieved. Indeed. the President seems
unfortunately to have become a defeat
ist in world affairs. He apparently
thinks it is more important to make
speeches about his dog, Fala, or to give
of his valuable time to Frank Sinatra
the radio crooner, than 1t is to give
time to the writing of speech that
could be as frank with the American
people about the war and the peace as
Prime Minister Churchill was last week
in his lengthy address to the House of
Commons and the British people.
Idealism Has No Champion.
American idealism apparently has no
champion at the moment in world af-
fairs. Gov. Dewey has a chance to
express leadership in behalf of Amer
ican idealism that could give the whole
world new hope and new leadership. if
not comfort to so many of the parents
of our heroic dead who still are wonder
ing perhaps why and for what their
sons have died.
The independent vote will decide this
election. It's size is estimated by Dr.
Gallup at 20 per cent of the total vote
An independent is one who waits till
all the speeches and arguments have
been made and then makes up his mind
ilOW W FOtc. An luucpeIlucIlt, moreover,
is one who does not feel he is bound to
vote blindly the same party ticket at
every election, irrespective of issues or
candidates.
He isn't dragooned by Republican or
Democratic machine politicians or labor
union bosses. And this time, of all
times, the independent is deeply inter-
ested in learning whether all our
sacrifices have been made just to let
Churchill and Stain play power politics
and thus plant the seeds of another
world war, or whether we are to have
In the White House practical, hard
headed executive who is ready to use
all the leverage of our military and
economic power, our lease-lend money
and our materials to insist firmly on
peace based on honesty, unselhshness
and humane principles, so well ex-
pressed in the already forgotten Allan
tic Charter.
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