Evening star., 1944-07-03

the New Deal
critics have not
been able to CEN
ter on point OF
attack on either
the candidate or Frank 4. Kent
the platform. Consequently. there
has has been no concentration OF
fire. From the Republican stand
point that Is better than . fair break
For example, it is not being con.
tended that a stronger ticket coulc
have been named. On the contrary
1t is pretty generally conceded that
Dewey and Bricker represent the
best vote-getting combination the
party had available. The fourth
termers would vastly have preferred
Mr.. Willkie. Distinctly they did moi
want Gov. Dewey. Their systematic
effort Of the last two months tt
build up the former and tear down
the latter was as obvious as 1t was
ineffective.
Mr.. WILKES latest move indicate:
that he will support the ticket de-
spite his personal disappointment
and the sour nature Of his prema-
ture comment on the foreign policy
plank, which Gov. Dewey has now
interpreted as based on the Mack
inac declaration and in accord with
his own New York speech which
satisfied practically all the leading
newspapers and advocates of inter-
national cooperation in the inter.
ests of permanent peace.
Platform Inconsistencies.
Certain inconsistencies in the
platform were admitted by Mr.
Dewey and his explanation that
compromises are inevitable in an
Embossed convention where the par
ty declaration is drawn not by one
man but by a score and more seems
wholly reasonable and JUSTIFIED his
intent to clarity and amplify them
in further speeches.
At any rate the Republican NOM
inee got of to a good start. He made
a hrst-class speech Of acceptance.
He acquitted himself with skill in
one of the largest and most dimcult
press conferences in which a good
many tough questions were fired at
him. 1t was not easy to come out
OF that with a reputation for both
candor and quick thinking but that
Is what he did.
1t is interesting to note. too, that
Mr.. Dewey is already profiting by
the mistakes Of the Willkie cam
paign. His organization, for ex-
ample, will be completed within q
few days whereas the 1910 organi-
sation never was really completed.
Also, 1t Is known that while he
will make plenty Of speeches he does
not intend to barnstorm the coun-
try and there will be no long can
didatorial special train with . hun
dred and more newspapermen and
politicians aboard stopping at all
the small towns and compelling the
candidate to make half 4 dozen
speeches q day, thus losing his voice,
wasting his energy and accomplish
ing little.
Mr.. Dewey is reported to believe
that this is an archaic method OF
campaigning; that-particularly in
wartime 1T is unseemly. undigi-
ned and futile. His decision about
this seems to indicate the kind Of
fight he Is going to make. Alto
sether there seems q clearheaded
competency about the way he has
taken hold following his nomina-
ton that fits In with his record.
Certainly. he is not on the defen-
sive and no particularly vulnerable
spots have been revealed by the ex-
tremely alert sharpshooters Of the
administration.
Attacks Ineffective.
The denunciation Of Mr.. Dewey as
q novice" by Chairman Hannegan
of the Democratic National Com
mittee and the virulent outpourings
of the CrO publicity machine are
not Of a kind to do him damage and,
naturally, are routine.
The less open. though equally
partisan. fourth-term writer's have
found themselves unable to tear any
considerable holes in either the
candidate or the platform. Some OF
these have Illuminated against Mr.
Pew. Mr.. Grundy and the "Old
Guard" generally, but that is old
stuff and deliberately ignores the
fact that these gentlemen did not
run the convention and that Mr..
Dewey's nomination is the best
evidence Of their futility-because
they definitely did not want him.
Others have been referring to Mr..
Dewey as city slicker," which
seems trivial, and still others
stressed the lack of enthusiasm and
color in the convention for both Of
which there were obvious reasons.
And one made a rather savage at
tack upon Representative Glare
Luce's "GI Jim" speech. But no
really effective blow has yet been
struck and upon the whole the
Republicans are well launched.
There will be in the months to
come . real campaign Of belittle-
ment against Mr.. Dewey and there
will be ample opportunity for him
to make mistakes that really count
Nor will any candid person contend
that the odds are not against him.
that the war. the great Federal
machine, the C1O and his own
prestige do not give the President