Evening star., 1944-07-04

right thing In As"en Msne's'.
thus speaking to the people, not
withstanding our historic fear Of
military influence in civilian affairs.
Common sense dictates that in any
major war soldiers and civilians
must work together.
But the rule operates both ways.
Even in war time it is pure nom
= sense to attempt to eliminate civil
ian authority over the Army and
Navy. Both Congress and the Presi-
dent have tremendous responsible
ties, under the Constitution, in con-
nection with any war that America
may wage.
Knowing that the newly-made
candidate of the Republican party
understands these facts perfectly
well, it is to be hoped he will hence
forth avoid the kind Of double talk
on the subject that characterized
his acceptance speech.
Backhanded Slap.
1.-THE military conduct of the war
is outside this campaign" he said.
ut is and must remain COM
pletely out of politics" Thereupon
he endeavored in a somewhat back
handed manner to bring the war
into politics. IF there is not now
any civilian interference with the
military and naval commands, a
change in administration will not
alter that status. If there is civil
ian interference, the new admins
tration will put stop to it forth
with"
This is an accusation by innuendo,
an accusation with a string tied to
it. Challenged on it. the candidate
can jerk 1t back and say, See,
only said 'if."
Gen. Marshall and Admiral King
are doing superb job said the
candidate. Thank God fer both
Of them"
Now nobody would expect the
candidate to say, Thank God for
Roosevelt" even though he is aware
that both Marshall and King-and
their able colleague, Gen. Arnold
were selected by the President to do
the job they are doing and were
selected from a wide range Of posi-
bilities. He should know, if he does
not, that Gen. Marshall was moved
up by the President from a brigadier
generalship over the heads of all
the major generals in the Army,
when he was made chief of staff
in 1889 and given the task of or
ganizing this country's armed forces
for war.
Certainly Mr. Dewey, as the op-
position candidate, means it when
he says he wants to keep the war
out of the campaign. For the people
approve the way the war is being
conducted. But does anybody be-
ieve that he would keep the war out
of the campaign if the war should
60 badly?
An Inescapable Issue.
The Presidents handling Of the
war is an issue in this campaign and
inescapably so.
If the President were handling
the war badly it would be Mr..
Dewey's duty to challenge the Presi-
dent with all the force of which he
is capable. An incompetent Presi-
dent could make disastrous mess
of our war effort. An opposition
candidate would be obliged to bring
this home TO the American people.
We have been moving from vic
tory to victory, we have astonished
the world and ourselves by our sue
cesses, but there is always the pos
slbility of setback, no matter how
carefully our plans are made or how
courageously they are carried out.
If such setback occurs, If there
comes a period when the weak
hearted are discouraged, it is too
much to expect that the opposition
will continue to keep the war out
Of the campaign"
Let me make 1t crystal clear"
said Mr.. Dewey. that a change of