Evening star., 1944-09-13

These happen TO be the paSlc prln-
ciples advocated by Mr.. Roosevelt
and also by Mr.. Willkie. They are
also identical with the Mackinac
declaration of the Republicans last
spring, and in line with the Repub-
ican platform of last June.
Second, Gov. Dewey strongly
voiced the belief that American for
eign policy in this respect should be
wholly nonpartisan; that it should
be made clear to the world that
these principles represent the feel
ing of the American people as a
whole and that, regardless Of the
outcome of the election, they will be
supported by the next administra-
ton.
Finally, Mr.. Dewey summed all
this up and made his position so
clear in his Louisville speech that
none save those whom nothing he
said or did would satisfy, could cavil.
1t seemed to take our policy on this
Immensely vital business entirely out
of politics and place it on plane
where it would appear neither
Democrat nor Republican but Amer
lean.
Cleared Atmosphere.
Certainly, it cleared the atmos-
phere and immensely encouraged
men and women everywhere who
have always believed in the Will
sor11an concept, so basely rejected
not only by the Republican party
but by the Democrats as we'll, and
who have longed to see it revived,
and accepted by both as the real
hope of the world-which it is.
Having apparently reached this
stage, with the Dewey contribution
it Is somewhat discouraging now
to find that on both sides there still
are partisans who continue to inject
politics-and a very unsavory kind
of politics, too-into the discussion
of foreign affairs.
1t is particularly unfortunate that
they should select as the moment to
thus employ themselves the one
when the head of this Nation and
that of Great Britain are comforting
on matters concerning which unity
Of thought and feeling are vital.
It is unnecessary to say that, of
course, the sort of stuff that has
been fed the public in the last few
days has emanated from no source
which possibly could have the ap-
proval of either Mr.. Roosevelt or
Mr. Dewey. Yet 1t has come from
active and ardent supporters who
are apparently willing to promote
their political fortunes regardless
of the damage they do cause In
which the fate of civilization is in
volved.
For example, there is group,
obviously anti-Roosevelt, which has
seized this particular time to spread
over the air and in the press the
theory that the President has be-
come the dupe of Marshal Stain;
that already he has permitted the
Russians to extend their power far
beyond the limits laid down in the
Atlantic Charter and the Four
Freedoms; that when finally the
peace is made it will be found that
Roosevelt's plant attitude has put
Russia in the dominant position
and relegated both the British and
ourselves to subordinate roles.
And, on the same day, from the
fourth-term side there came a series
of violent assaults upon the British
in which it was forecast that, at
the current Quebec conference, Mr..
Churchill would again be told ''in
no uncertain terms" by Mr.. RooSe-
welt that the British treatment of
India is stupid as well as bad; that
it is no answer to say this is none
of our business; that it is impos-
sible for us to permit its continuance
and that the time for a showdown
has come.
Tirade Against Bracken.
Further, Mr.. Churchill will be
told, it is said, that the British have
inexcusably failed in China and that
Mountbatten must give way to an
American. These allegations were
followed by violent TRADE against
the British Minister of Information
Mr.. Brendan Bracken.
Take both these attacks-and they
constitute one of the worst examples
Of irresponsible politics yet offered
Obviously, the Dewey supporters
want to damage Roosevelt by in
timating that in return for his Com
munist support here he has become
the tool of Stain, or that he is too
feeble to stand up against that
sturdy dictator
On the other hand, the Roosevelt
supporters seem clearly trying to-
vaccinate against what they regard
as the political liability of a too open
British desire for the Roosevelt re-
election. In order to do this, they
portray Mr.. Roosevelt as putting
Mr.. Churchill in his place" and
sternly telling him what the British
shall and shall not do in India and
China. 1t is an absurd supposition.
Of course, there is scarcely trace
of truth in the allegations on either
side. But, even if there were, this