Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-07-22

WI my friends:
I have already indicated 10
YOU why / accept the nominal
ton which you have offered me
in spite of my desire TO re-
tire TO the quiet of private life.
You in this convention are
aware of what / have sought
10 gain for the nation, and you
have asked me to continue.
It seems wholly likely that,
within the next four years, our
armed forces, and those of our
allies, will have gained a COM
plete victory over Germany and
Japan, and that the world once
more will be at peace-under
system, we hope, which will
prevent a new world war. In
any event, new hands will then
have full opportunity TO realize
the ideals whic' we seek.
TN THE last three elections,
Il the people of the United
States have transcribed party
affiliation.
Not only Democrats but also
forward looking Republicans
and millions of independent vot-
ers have turned 10 progressive
leadership leadership which
has sought consistently-and
with fair succeSS-to advance
the lot of the average American
citizen who had been so for
gotten during the period after
the last war
am confident that they will
continue to look to that same
kind of liberalism TO build our
economy for the future.
I am sure that you will under
stand me when l say that my
decision, expressed to your for
mally, 10 based solely on a sense
of obligation TO serve il called
upon to do so by the people OF
the United States.
7 SHALL not campaign in the
i usual sense for the office. In
these days of tragic sorrow. l
do not consider it fitting. Be-
sides in these days Of globaf
warfare, I shall not be able 10
find the time. shall, however,
feel free to report TO the people
the facts about matters of con-
Germ TO them and especially 10
correct any misapprehensions.
During the past few days. l
have been coming across the
whole width of the continent, TO
a naval base where l am speak
ing TO you now from my train.
AS 1 was crossing the fertile
lands and the wide plains and
the Great Divide. l. could not
fail TO think of the new rela-
tionShip between the people OF
our farms and cities and viii
lagos and the people of the
rest of the world overseas-on
the islands of the Pacific, in the
Far East, and-in- the other
Americas, in Britain and Nor
mandy and Germany and Po-
land and Russia itself.
For Oklahoma and California
are becoming part OF all these
distant spots as greatly as
Massachusetts and Virgin A
were A part of the European
picture in l776.
Texas. Oklahoma and Cali
fornia are being defended in
Normandy and Saipan; and
they must be defended there -
for what happens in Normandy
and Saipan vitality affects the
security and well-being of Okla
homa and California.
MANKIND changes the scope
A'I and breadth of its thought
and vision slowly indeed. In the
days of the Roman Empire, eyes
were focused on Europe and the
Mediterranean area. The civl-
zatiOn in the Far East was
barely known. The American
continents were unheard Of.
Even after the people OF Eu-
rope began 10 spill over 10 other
continents, the people Of North
America in colonial days knew
only their Atlantic Seaboard
and a small portion of the
other Americas. and they turned
most Of the time for trade and
international relation h i p 10
Europe. Africa then was con-
Sidered only as the provider of
human chattels. Asia was essen
italy unknown 10 them.
DURING the Nineteenth Cen
~ fury era of development and
expansion on this continent, we
felt a natural isolation-geo-
graphic, economic and political
from the vast world which
lay overseas.
Not until this generation have
people here and elsewhere been
compelled more and more 70
widen the orbit of their vision
10 include every part Of the
world. II has been a wrench
perhaps but a necessary one
II is good that we are all get
ting that broader vision. For we
shall need il after the war. The
iSolationistS and oStriches who
plagued our thinking before
Pearl Harbor are becoming
slowly extinct.
The American people now