Evening star., 1944-07-24


rlgldly to his role as commander in
chief, perhaps the interpretations
will be made for him by his running
mate <or by Mrs. Roosevelt or
through the exceedingly useful press
conference instrumentality.
At any rate, it does seem that if
Mr.. Roosevelt is to get again the
essential Negro vote in the North
ern States, it will be necessary to
amplify the racial plank, which is
so feeble and evasive that it was
editorially denounced by one of the
fourth terms strongest journalistic
supporters-the Chicago Sun.
Ends Against Middle.
The Roosevelt job now is to play
both ends against the middle-to
hold the Northern Negro without
losing Southern States. 1t has been
done twice before and may be done
again. although it is bit more
difficult now as both sides have be-
come distrustful Each is full of
suspicion that he is being worked,
This time the idea is that the
South will not mind the coddling of
the Negro vote in the North because
the platform avoids any specific
mention of poll tax or antilynch-
ing legislation.
On the other hand. the Negro
leaders who got what they wanted
from the Republicans are supposed
again to support Mr.. Roosevelt, de-
spite the fact that, under South
ern pressure, he gave them practi-
cally nothing in his personally ap-
proved platform.
The excuse, of course. is that he
was in jam and the plea is that
the Negroes still can trust him.
That is the position and that is the
way it is going to be interpreted"
Whether this double game can be
successfully played again remains to
be seen. There is certain to be
some racial reaction. but its extent
will not be known until the votes
are counted. and little will be heard
of it in the campaign. Nor is it
likely that any other plank in the
platform will make a real issue.
Actually. the lines upon which the
fourth-term campaign will be made
were clearly revealed in the speeches
at the convention. 1t was illuminat-
ing that the three main orators
Gov. Kerr the keYnoter: Senator
Jackson. the permanent chairman,
and Senator Barkley, who put Mr.
Roosevelt in nomination-all dealt
with exactly the same subjects,
which was neither an accident nor
coincidence
One of these concerned the tired
old-men" charge made by the Re-
publicans; the other concerned ex-
President Herbert Hoover The
similarity of expressions made the
speeches repetitious, but it also made
it plain that they will be reflected
in the oratorical and Journalistic
output from now on. That is the
party line.
Sensitive to Subject.
AS to- the tired old men" there
Is no doubt that the fourth termers
are sensitive on the subject and feel
there Is some danger of the public
becoming receptive to the idea that
what the country needs is youth,
vigor and virility in high Govern
ment Office instead of the aged and
aging gentlemen who are now run
ming things.
Accordingly, as shown by the
three convention speakers, the
strategy is to point to the glorious
deeds of the political and military
men over so. dwell heavily on the
advantages of maturity, wisdom and
experience. while denouncing the
"ineXperience, irresponsfbility and
unfitness" Of men of AZ, such, for
example, as Gov. Dewey.
AS to Mr.. Hoover, not only the
three main speakers brought him
into their addresses, but so did sew
eral of the -stringerS" Very
clearly. the purpose is to recall the
depression of 1929, and to suggest
that the election of a Republican
President would plunge us at once
into another depression.
To harp on that string is re-
vival of the Nicholson smear stuff
of the early 30s. But that may turn
out not as smart as it is thought.
For one thing, a scheme like that
can hardly be worked twice. par
ticularly as the passing years have
increasingly revealed its unfairness.
For another. Republicans argue that
voters so devoid of reason as to