The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-08-01
The President said:

Inc PRESIDENT bdlu:
1T seems wholly likely that with
in the next four years our armed
forces, and those OF our Allies. will
have gained a complete victory
over Germany and Japan....ln any
event. whenever that time comes
new hands will then have full op-
portunity to realize the ideals
which we seek"
From that statement, take 1t
that President Roosevelt feels that
he alone can see this country
through this war. II is a laudable
sense OF responsibility that i'm
pels a man OF his years to contin-
ue to bear such a heavy burden.
But these questions occur TO me.
IL the war should end before cleo
ton day, will Mr.. Roosevelt retire
as a candidate? Or suppose the
war should end before January 20.
1945, will Mr.. Roosevelt decline
TO serve as President, II elected?
In other words, II, as he implies,
Mr.. Roosevelt accepts the nomina-
ton for the presidency only De-
cause of his war responsibilities.
does II mean that he quits when
the war Is over?
do not for a moment suggest
that my questions are pertinent
because | do not believe that the
Presidents Statement means any
thing. II Mr.. Roosevelt Is elected,
he will serve out his full forth
term. God willing. and VIII seek
an emergency to justify a fiftn.
He apparently likes being Presi-
dent and intends TO hold on TO that
office tenaciously, For. mind YOU
on March 4, 1887, he said:
my great ambition on January
90. 1s41 is to turn over this desk
and chair In the White House to
nv successor, whoever he may be,
with the assurance that j am turn
ing over to him nation intact.
And on November 2, 1910 he said:
There is a great storm raging
now. a storm that makes things
harder for the world, and that
storm Is the true reason | would
like to stick by those people OF
ours until we reach the clear, sure
footing ahead. We will make 1t.
We will make 1t before the next
term Is over. When that term Is
over there will be. another Presi'
dent and many, many more presi-
dents In the years to come"
II you compare these quotations,
delivered in 1887, 1940,' and 1914
YOU will note a similarity OF In
tent, purpose and promise-and l
imagine. performance. Those
Americans who may believe that
this Is Mr.. Roosevelts last term
and that because OF the war, they
may feel inclined to risk another,
may be assured that Mr.. Roosevelt
and the White House would like
to be welded until death do them
part.
Mr.. Roosevelt is easy to listen TO-,
particularly on the radio, and he
talks on many subjects blithly.
But he. like most men In politics,
says what needs to be said at a
particular moment and then finds
plausible reason for a change
OF mind. Politicians usually con-
tend that 1t is not they who
change; it Is the course Of events.
the times, the circumstances. the
age. Nevertheless, the changes are
made and what was said to the
people is to be forgotten by them
as II most certainly has been by
the speaker.
Mr.. Roosevelt is no exception In
this form of political promise.
They all suffer from the disease
called Campaign speeches" mean
ingless tripe, often beautifully
written and delightfully."- spoken
but invariably without intent OF
performance.
will say this for Franklin n.
Roosevelt. His conscience must
have bothered him about the third