Evening star., 1945-09-19


Eant. 1t poses Frank R. Kent.
the question of whether the countr,
Is conservative or radical; whether
1t wants to cling to the capitalistic
free-enterprise system it has had fol-
SO many years or whether it wants
to swing to the Government-o -owner-
ship-socialistic state, toward which
we have been tending the last dec
ade
All the New Deal experiments
have taken us in that direction
The spending policies involving
ever-increasing deficits and ever
mounting debt moved straight to-
ward that goal.
Nevertheless, the people have
never had an opportunity to vote
clearly on this issue. 1t has always
been so confused and complicated
with other matters that an unmis-
taxable expression by the majority
could not be had.
Verdict Not Rendered.
In not one of the four Roosevelt
elections can it be said that a ver-
dict was rendered In 1882 the peo-
pie voted against Mr.. Hoover be-
cause of the depression and for a
Roosevelt who denounced deficit
financing and demanded a balanced
budget. In 1886 Mr.. Roosevelt had
launched the New Deal and def
nitely allied himself with the left
wingers. But neither the Republic
an candidate nor the Republican
platform took the conservative side.
On the contrary, they accepted
some Of the Roosevelt radicalism
and were overwhelmingly beaten.
In 1910 Mr.. Willkie, and in 1914 Gov.
Dewey, both denounced the New
Deal. but in some respects tried to
outbid Mr.. Roosevelt for support Of
the so-called liberals" and the pro-
fessional labor leaders. And, of
course, in 1910 and 1914 the war
weighted the chances heavily on the
Roosevelt side.
So that, though the Communist
party and every radical, antiprivate
enterprise group in the country
ranged solidly behind the Demo-
cratic candidate, the issue of con-
servative or radical never could be
clearly drawn. In both these cleo
tions many conservatives voted for
Mr.. Roosevelt, hating 1t, but believ-
Ing they had no alternative.
Analysts of the vote in the last
three elections have claimed that
In any one of them had all the con-
servatives opposed to the New Deal
been able to get together the deci-
sion would have been different. But
there is no way of proving that.
Thousands of conservative Demo-
Gratis were held in line by the party
label; many thousands more by the
expanded Federal pay rolls; other
thousands from disgust with the
Republicans for their cowardice in
following instead Of fighting the
radical groups.
Since his recent message it has
been generally accepted that Mr..
Truman, who had been hailed as a
middle -the-road man, definitely
has cast his lot in with the "liber-
ais" The radical press and spokes-
men hail him as one of them. The
Wallace type of statesman applauds.
His own Postmaster General and
national chairman, Mr.. Hannegan,
proclaims him liberal" The labor
bosses, the Communists and the
spenders are delighted.
Door Opened for COP.
The question now is: Will the Re-
publicans have the CUTS and gump-
tion to accept the challenge? If
they do, at least we have a chance
to find out which way the country
really wants to go. We will find
out then whether, as claimed, it is
really conservative at heart or
whether it is eager for continued
governmental expansion and ex-
periments.
The door has been opened for the
Republicans to take an emphatic
stand against unrestrained spend
ing; against the closed shop; against
governmental interference with
private business; for a f1rmer regu-
lation of labor unions; for reduction
in the size of the governmental ma
chine, and an end to all socialistic
experiments.
In brief, If the Republicans, in
stead Of aping the advanced think
ers, angling for the radical vote,
being afraid of the labor bullies
and of being called "reactionary,
go strongly conservative, the voters
can divide cleanly on one side or
the other.
Many believe that if the Republic
ans play the game that way and
put up candidate who will make
the fight along those lines. they will, |
for the first time, get all the con-
servatives and win. Others are just
as firmly convinced they would be
terribly beaten.
No one can tell about that, but
what has been demonstrated is that
they are always beaten when they
try to work both sides of the street. |
II they try that again they certainly
will be beaten again. For thew ron. |