Evening star., 1944-07-05
WiIIkie Position Seen
As VitoI to COP
Influence on independent Vote
to Count, Says Observer

Influence on Independent Vote
to Count, Says Observer
By David Laurence
Wendell wilkes place in the political
campaign Of 1914 remains to be defined.
To the Republicans who scoffed at
Mr.. Willkie and who still scoff at him
rs Of no consequence politically. Mr..
WILKES position can't possibly be q
matter of any concern. They have
written him of as inconsequential and
without influence in the Republican
party.
But to the independent voters who
are not dyed-in-the-wool Republicans or
Democrats and who reserve to them
selves the right to make up their own
minds after al the speeches have been
made and all the evidence has been
accumulated, the position OF Mr.. Willkie
Is Of tremendous importance.
It ought to be of importance, too, to
Gov. Dewey and the Republican stra-
tegists, for surely they are not counting
on trying to win the coming election
with just the people who voted the
Republican ticket In 1910. II they are.
then obviously there are not enough
Republicans to assure majority In the
electoral college.
Must Win Independents.
To win, Gov. Dewey must wean away
from the 1910 Democratic vote enough
independents and retain every one Of the
Republicans who voted for Mr. Willkie.
How many Of those who voted for Mr..
Willkie in 1910 are party Republicans
men and women who intend to vote the
Republican ticket no matter what the
candidate say-and how many are in
dependents Is probably not known to
anybody, but 1t may be surmised that
the Nations voters who are Independent
number q few million. And q few mil
hon votes can swing a national election
either way.
The regular party men In the Re-
publican ranks are saying already that
If Mr.. Willkie intends to stay in politics,
he had better support the ticket and
campaign for 1t vigorously. If q polit-
ical party were a social club or an
athletic team, then by all the rules Mr..
Willkie should suppress his protests, and
make speeches for the ticket irrespective
of whether he believes in either the
nominee or the platform.
1t Is doubtless true. that If Mr.. Willkie
doesn't support the ticket this time, he
will ALLEVIATE the regular Republican
organization even more than he has
II that's possible. But it may we'll be
that Mr.. Willkie has finally reached that
rare attitude among men in public life
when he would rather be right than
President, rather express his convci-
tions and exert an influence on the
affairs Of his country than to accept
the so-called obligations of party
discipline or custom in the vague hope
Of winning q nomination or election for
the presidency.
Many q man In public life has made
himself q martyr to cause and his
name has lived on in history-long after
the names Of men who actually became
President have been forgotten. Wendell
Willkie has q chance to do q service to
the Nation and to the Republican party
III pdA t&Cuh1 Wy CdlIyulS oA PubAlC
campaign that will hold Gov. Dewey
tightly to the first part Of the plank on
foreign policy in the platform and dis
suade him from appeasing the isola-
tionists or nationalists in the party who
wrote the second part Of that plank.
Harding Blunder.
Back in 1920 Warren Harding faced In
both directions and after his election
turned his back on the pro-League Of
Nations Republicans. such as Charles
Evans Hughes and Eilhu Root, pwhom
many Republicans had followed into the
Harding column In the sincere belief
that even If the Covenant Of League
were not accepted real association of
nations" would be offered in its place
a. the Republican platform promised.
But when M. Harding was elected he
declared the League dead and he never
got behind any real substitute nor did
he attempt to bring about q reconcile
alton between the existing League and
the Association Of nations" which the
American people were promised. A Sec
ond World War has come as a conse-
QueUCc anu CcIlS OF CEOuSdI1OS OF AlQeTls
can boys are paying for that blunder
With their lives.
Wendell Willkie has . big job to do If
he can forsake personal ambition and
forget that there is q 1913 presidential
contest ahead II he does he can call a
spade spade in this campaign so that
the country can make up its mind truly
whether 1t is being asked to vote for a
straddler or . positive force, a follower
Of Gallup Poll trends or a leader Of pub
lie opinion. Gov. Deweys speeches will
furnish the answer.
Mr.. Willkie has congratulated Gov.
Dewey on his opportunity" Presumably
this means that Mr.. Willkie, Is a private
citizen, along with millions of others,
will wait to see between now and No.
vember what the Governor does with
his opportunity"
- CReDroduetion Rishts Rsssrvsd)
Brief but Poignant
Prom the wichita Bagle.
Vice Brnsidapf WalIe ~ 4. &.IEnc 49,