Evening star., 1944-05-21
War to Influence
Election
BIZ O,Den L. Scott.

against New York's Tom Dewey and
California's Earl Warren. Roosevelt and
Dewey seem to be certainties for first
place on the 1914 tickets. Wallace and
Warren are nearing that position for
second place.
Aside from this prospect, all is OBJ
scure in what can be the most unusual
election in the Nations history, The
Republican convention is barely one
month away; the Democratic conven.
ton barely two months away. Both NAV
have to compete for public attention
with the worlds greatest battles. There
probably will be a strange lack OF real
ity about the hilarious demonstrations
of convention delegates. Acceptance
speeches of the party nominees NAV
have to be sensational to receive more
than furry of public attention.
After that, the campaign itself will
be waged under exceedingly uncertain
conditions.
1t is obvious that President Roosevelt
will not want to conduct a campaign
along traditional lines and that he
could not do so even If he wanted. The
President cannot go transforming in
the midst of war period He is not
permitted to appear before large crowds.
He is forced during war to appear be-
fore the Nation as the leader of all of
the people. A partisan campaign hardly
would be in order. The result is that
Mr.. Roosevelt, as the party leader is
likely to fit any campaign appeal into
what may seem to be rather nom
partisan attitude. The President is I'M
likely to recognize publicly that he has
an opponent.
y
Gov. Dewey, on the other hand. will
be forced to wage forceful and az
gressive campaign If he is to compete
for attention with the war. The New
York Governor has taken a position
that will make it difficult for him to
wage his campaign on an issue of for
eign policy. He will make his strong
appeal on issues of domestic policy
and leadership. Yet, If the war should
be in climatic stage, as 1t readily NAV
be, the Nation might be allergic to a
campaign that was geared to the do
mestic level.
Mr.. Roosevelt is aware of this fart
and is acting accordingly. The Presi-
dent is striving now to force domestic
issues underground. He showed obvious
dlspleasure when his aides mishandled
the Montgomery Ward case and created
an issue that is proving difficult to SUBJ
merge. He is trying to postpone deci-
sions on issues that relate to wages and
prices and reconversion policy. The
President is doing nothing, If he can
avoid 1t, to antagonize Congress. He
will try to cause the country to forget
the 1rritations that have accompanied
war controls. He also will seek to avoid
argument over postwar policy, both
domestic and foreign.
1t will be Gov. Dewey,s task to keen
the country's mind on domestic issues.
He will need to make those issues an
pear important enough to arouse interest
even in the midst of war. His task
would be made much easier If the war
should end before November. 1t will be
most difficult If the decisive battles
should be in progress around election
time. with a decision III Europe i'm
minent.
The fact is that this country's presi-
Dental election is exercising marked
influence on the war and the war, at tho
same time, is exercising strange in
1uence upon the election.
Under ordinary circumstances. e. In
highly improbable that the people of
the United States would give any man
a fourth term as President. Yet, in the
midst of war there is far less discussion
OF the improperly of fourth term
than there ever was of third. There
is very little questioning of the Presi-
dents attitude in permitting a fourth
nomination.
AT the same time, there apparently il
little ooubt that the fact Cf an American
election in 1914 is influencing the atti-
tude or German leaders. Those leaders.
although clearly mistaken. are VIEWING
the election in this country as one of
those things that may save them from
complete defeat. They tnjnk that there
might be something to hope for in a
changed administration in this co,,ntrv
That attitude seems to be playing some
part IT the war plans of the Germans.
1t probably will contribute something to
the wars length.
Inc election is having another yerv
important effect as well. Mr.. Roosevelt
because OF the argument he might create
is soft pedalling all definite plans for
postwar, both as they affect domestic
pollcy and foreign policy He wishes to
avoid actions or attitudes that would
give ammunition to the opposition. He
also fears that if he takes a definite
stand in the name of this countrv n
might force the opposition to take an
opposite stand even though normally the
Nation would be inclined to accent with.
out much argument.
AS a result, the end of the European
war, If it should arrive suddenly. would
md the United States less well prepared
70 deal with the problems that would
follow than would have been the case il
there was no 1914 presidential election.
Gov. Dewey, in planning his CAM
paisn, will be forced to gear his appeal
TO base that can be changed quickly
with the changes in the fortunes of war.
His task will be simplihed if the Ger
man war should end suddenly before
November. 1t would be most difficult if
the critical battles of that war were
being fought at election time. Under