Imperial Valley press., 1944-11-24

EDITORS NOTE-Representing the paral-
lei trend of thought and observation the out
come of the November election are the
ment in the Imperial Valley Press and the Morn
ing Post and that in the magazine Life. Both
reproduced herel
From November Imperial Valley
Press and November 9 Morning Post:
Mr. Roosevelt has been reelected for
a fourth term The people of the United
States have spoken in the voice accorded
them under the constitutional democracy
of this, the greatest nation on earth.
We accep this expression of the will of
the people, and urge that all others who
desired the victory for Mr. Dewey and
what Mr.. Dewey stood for. to similarly
accept this decision.
Many of those who opposed Mr.. Roose-
welt and the New Deal will feel bitter
about the outcome of the election SO
would the victorS have felt bitter had
they been the losers. Feelings have run
high. but they have run high many times
before in the ong history of this country.
And this time as at other times, we must
accept the mandate of the majority,
which very acceptance is an obligation
inherent in democracy itself.
This does not mean that all of us must
change our concepts of right and wrong,
We can still fight for what we consider
right. 1t does mean, however, that we
must not lose faith in our form of gov
ernment, or lose confidence in an ulti-
mate rightness in the American proceed
IRE of popular vote.
1t is true that we believe many of Mr..
RoOsavelts policies are not to the best
interests of this country. That we are
in accord with very extensive minority
thought is testified to by the count OF the
votes.
All of us in this minority should real
ize, however, that sooner or later, the
majority of the people are right. In that
very fact lies the great Justlflcatlon OF
the popular rule form OF government.
This does not mean that majority Is
always right, any more than mere victory
testifieS to justice.
There undoubtedly has been repeated
divergence through our century. and
half of history, from the straight path
of perfect rightness. But on the aver
age. despite the fluctuation in the chart
ed lines the country has moved forward
along the path of human progress: 1t
will continue to move forward. Only
history will eventually tell us where and
when and to what degree the progress
was achieved.
So there need be no loss of faith. no
sour grapes, no sense of deep deteatlSm.
The people have spoken and we are be-
levers in the people.
From Life on November l3
The popular vote was the closest SINCE
1916: considering wartime dislocatlonS,
il was also satisfactorily large. The peo-
pIe knew what they wanted and said so.
Il does not follow that they did the rlght
thing. A majority is never right or
wrong" All good Americans accept
the verdict of an election. In doing so,
the minority accepts the rule of the ma
iority subject to certain limitations, OF
which the chief one is the maintenance
of the minoritys chance to become the
majority. This chance is the reason why
constitutional democracy Is the most
successful form of government IN the long
run. if is the only form that contains
wav TO correct its own errors. mus 10
accent majority rule does not mean TO
adont majority opinion In Judging any
man or issue. the individual is not relleV-
ed of primary responsibility to his own
nrivata conscience and reason.
II 7 I 4 -