The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-10
Are We Self-Governing People

Betwixt the World War and the Ma tional election, terminated last Tuesday, the people of this country have found themselves = most of the time - be- tween the devil and the deep blue sea. The multitudes seem to be sure that the war will be won, but there is less certainty about the permanent, lasting peace; be- cause our principal partners in the war think, act and persist in remaining diff ferent-and according to the guy on the other side of the desk "there isn't any such thing as peace table, because Rus sia, China and the rest of the fellows are
 just looking for our money" But let us nope that "the East and the West" may solve questions of the future to their mutual advantage, despite what Kipling had to say on that subject
 There are many pledges on the cam paign and political records that are of vital mportance-and the reason that we use the verb "are" is because both major political parties flatly and em- phatically promised essentially necessary first-things to the American people; i. e.: First of all, a return to free American business enterprise, including protection to big and small business men, instead of a continuance of the Scuttling pro cesSeS that have been clamped-doWn on us all during the past dozen years. That includes promises that reconversion to civilian construction, and the millions of jobs that go along with it, will be given the okeh, and handS-off in the peoples best efforts to reeStabliSh the recognized American system along lines that are fair-and-square with large and small business, and all the men and women that are employed, or gain their living in thousands of ways.
 The Government has plenty of things to look after without trying to duplicate and replace the duties and activities of the States and local officials and 1ndl- vidualS-or play Santa Claus to unfortu- nate nations whose wars we have been winning for them. There are hundreds of thousands of business men and or ganizationS standing on their heads and anxious to mind and run their own farms, shops, stores, etc., and there are millions of union labor and white collar workers and independent groups and 1n-. dividualS who must return to the normal pursuits of life and earn good pay. This first "poSt-political war" story from a Washington writer seasoned by two World Wars has but one objective, and that is in the nature of an appeal for national unity, and for support of the Government in carrying out it's pledges to the American public It would prove tiresome to list all these promises.
 But both National candidates and par ties promised to reseore to daily use the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, and thereby return to square deal that will encourage all sections of society and humanity to live normal lives, without being obligated to use all their savings to pay taxes, and to be bossed around by millions of useless autocrats, brass hats, administrators and political boards and commissions in Washington. It was Woodrow Wilson who said in the days when he was peacetime President: "Just what is it that America stands for? If she stands for one thing more than another it for the sovereignty of self Governing people," Let's hope the reelected Dem- ocratic administration sees it in that light