Evening star., 1944-01-25

statement is that it really does
represent widespread belief on the
part of Republican politicians. It's
one reason why the isolationists
in the Republican party, especially
in the Middle West, are getting
bolder and bolder. For they reason
that there is enough antipathy to
Roosevelt and the New Deal tc
sweep into power any nominee, no
matter what views he holds on in
ternational policy questions.
The assumption being made in
1914 was also made, however, in
1910 and 1886, namely, that the
negative or protest vote. made up
of those who were discontented
with New Deal policies-intensified
now by bitterness over the clumsy
administration of wartime meas
ures on the home front-would be
sufficiently numerous to elect any
Republican nominee.
The big question is whether the
Republican party, or any other par
ty, can any longer win an election
in America on program of mega
tives. There certainly was consid-
erable anti-New Deal sentiment in
1886 and plenty of talk about the
billions of dollars spent on boon
doggling" and pump printing" but
evidently the failure of the Re-
publicans to offer a constructive
alternative gave President Roose-
welt second term.
BY 1910, the country had had
eight years Of the New Deal and
had been disturbed by the bill to
pack" the Supreme Court and
other New Deal mistakes, and there
was powerful precedent against
third terms dating from the earliest
days of the Nations history. But
again the American people were not
persuaded that negative protest
was enough, and they refused to
permit a change in administration
1t will be recalled that in May
1910, total war had begun, and In
June France had fallen and Amer
lea was face to face with a crisis
Of national safety. For If England
fell and the British fleet were cap
tured or surrendered, the United
States would face dangers from
Germany and particularly would
South America be threatened from
African bases like Dakar.
In the midst of that internationa.
crisis, the Republicans offered q
candidate for whom the Republi-
cans worked like beavers. Never
did candidate ever have so many
volunteer workers or so much en-
ergy in a campaign. But the pro-
test vote against the New Deal
wasn't enough. 1t was felt by many
Independent voters that Willkie was
untried and inexperienced and
knew little about world affairs. His
campaign strategy was designed SC
as to minimize that alleged handi-
cap. He adopted virtually the same
international position as Roosevelt
but there were skeptics among the
independent voters, many of whom
said that while they were opposed
to the Roosevelt domestic policies
tltCy olaIl u Wd W llSh Ullc
dency with man who had such
enthusiastic isolationist support as
was given Willkie by the isolationist
groups in 1910.
AS soon as the election was over
Willkie, who never had been an iso.
lationist, started to demonstrate
that he would not be Influenced by
the isolationist wing of the party
He has since spent nearly four years
endeavoring to overcome that han.
dicap and has succeeded. His sup.
porters think his opposition to the
New Deal administration on domes.
tic policies is we'll known and needs
little supplementing.
But If ANY Republican nominee
is chosen, the latter may find that
the country is still distrustful oil
tsolationism and will not accept such
q nominee especially if he seeks tc
please the two wings of the party
If he takes a middle-o -the-roac
position as between the two policie.
represented, he may forfeit the
votes of the 100000 or more indie.
pendents who really hold the bal.
ance of power.
The war will be at its climax ir
November, 1914, History has showr
twice now. with Mr.. Roosevelt as g
candidate, that negative voting i
not enough to defeat him and thai
he has to be confronted not only
by the ablest man the Republican
party can select but by the one cal.