Evening star., 1945-04-13
Franklin DelanO Roosevelt

was not term that will take large
place in history. The most notable
victories, from the New Deals point
of view, were won in the first term.
In the realm of domestic affairs, the
second term was distinguished prin-
cipally by a falling-out among the
victors.
1t would be unjust and inaccurate,
however, to cite the domestic errors
of the second term and ignore the
fact that this was also the period in
which Mr.. Roosevelt began to emerge
as great world leader. AS far back
as 1887, when a peace-loving world
could not or would not see the shape
of things to come, the President
made his famous speech advocating
the quarantine of aggressors. The
appeal fell on deaf or hostile ears,
and Mr.. Roosevelt did not press his
point. 1t was clear, however, that he
had seen the danger.
Two years later, In September,
1899, the blow fell. Hitler marched
into Poland and touched off this
most terrible of all wars "a war
which, while not yet ended, has
claimed millions of lives and spread
untold misery around the world.
From the very beginning the
President was never in doubt that
our vital interests lay with those
who stood in the path of the ag-
gressors. He knew that there could
be neither peace nor the slightest
security for the United States in a
world dominated beyond our borders
by the apostles of force and terror,
but he also knew, or feared, that
public sentiment in this country
would not support him in any course
which would invite the risk of war.
AS result there were times when
the President seemed to be following
rather than leading the people. Oc-
casionally he appeared to be vacil-
lating and unsure of himself. In
the summer of 1910, when he made
up his mind to break with the two
term tradition, he was unwilling to
bid openly for another nomination,
and, instead, his political lieutenants
staged the wholly unnecessary
draft" at that years national con-
vention. The subsequent campaign
was also cut to fit the real or fancied
needs of practical politics. and it is
not among the brighter chapters of
Mr.. Roosevelts career. But when
these notations are entered on the
debit side, the overall quality of his
leadership remains high. He saw
the coming danger. he perceived the
necessity Of supporting those who
were to be our Allies, he took the
initiative in raising and equipping
big Army, Navy and air force, and in
the vital things he put the national
interest ahead of political consider
ations. AS a result, when the Japa-
nese, on December 7, 1o41, struck
the blow that was to bring about
their own destruction, the President
had abundant reason to feel that,
whatever the shortcomings, he had
played vital if not a dominant part
in that preparation for war which
very probably spelled the difference
between defeat and the victory to
which we now look forward with
complete confidence.
The President also was active and
effective on the international polit-
ical stage. Merely to call the roll
is to tell the story First came the
meeting on the Atlantic with Win
Ston Churchill-before Pearl Harbor
from which emerged the Atlantic
Charter. Then there were Casa
blanca, Quebec, Cairo, Teheran, the
second meeting at Quebec, and,
finally, the momentous gathering at
Yalta. 1t is difficult if not impos-
sible to appraise with any degree of
correctness the significance and the
implications of these developments
in world politics. Much of the story
remains untold and we are only be-
ginning to see some of the conse-
quences which will flow from that
part which has been made public.
But we do know that these discus
sions, when finally implemented by
such things as Dumbarton Oaks and
the meeting to be held later this
month at San Francisco, will pro-
foundly affect our lives and the lives
of our children. For better or worse,
the nature of the world of tomor-
row is going to be influenced, and
perhaps decisively Influenced, by
what has been done or left undone
in these meetings with Stain and
Churchill.
The President, in these negotia-
tions, preferred to be his own am
bassador. He was firm believer in
the usefulness of personal contact,
in his ability to make his point in
'round-the-tabl discussion. And in
this, it is safe to say, results have
vindicated his judgment. There is
but one real point Of disadvantage