Evening star., 1945-01-30

| wage for all those who want to work
Let those who fear Wallace on
the ground that he is too liberia
remember that the strongest anti
dote to the isms' is q healthy
strong and virile democracy that
functions for all and not for q
selected few"
Wallace Cool to Commerce
Secretoryship Without RFC
NEW YORK, Jan. 80 P).-Henry
A. Wallace, his political future chal-
lenged by Senate threat to deny
him confirmation as Secretary OF
Commerce, carried an Endorsement
by President Roosevelt today as a
leader needed by the Nation now
more than ever before"
This personal expression of con-
1dence was contained in a message
from the President, which was read
last night at a testimonial dinner
to Mr.. Wallace given by the Union
for Democratic Action and the New
Republic Magazine.
A galaxy of business executives
who had rallied to Mr.. Wallace's
cause heard the Presidents message
Mr.. Wallace, who spoke at the
dinner, did not mention the mes
sage. In an address which touched
on the proposal that the Recon-
struction Finance Corp. and other
lending agencies be removed from
the control of the Secretary OF
Commerce, Mr.. Wallace said he
would prefer not to have the cabinet
post "if there were serious danger
of a too little and toe late man
being appointed" to head the RFC
Dated January II.
President Roosevelt's message was
his first mention of Mr.. Wallace
since the Senate Commerce Com
mittee rejected the former Vice
Presidents nominat ton as Secretary
of Commerce by a vote of 14-to-5
However, the message bore the date
of January II, which was five days
before Mr.. Wallace was named for
the post.
Il was glad to hear of your testi-
monial dinner to Henry Wallace.
am happy to send a message. In
| deed, whenever and wherever men
gather to give testimony to the con-
tribution of Henry Wallace to our
times and our future, want to be
called as a witness:
With other Americans, I am
grateful for the things that Henry
Wallace has done as a great Secre-
tary of Agriculture and as Vice
President with a clear voice to the
| conscience and the hopes Of men
everywhere. You and can be CRATE
full also for what Henry Wallace is
in the meaning of the things we
have been trying to do to make a
better America and, in the war we
now wage, to make better world.
Henry Wallace comes to the end
of his term as Vice President as a
man moving to a new usefulness as
public servant and as first spokes-
man of faith in the dignity and free
dom of man.
The occasion of the dinner, / am
sure, is not one of farewell. America,
its people and its Government need
Henry Wallace now more than ever
before. I count on his aid, his wis
dom and his courage in the difficult
ways to the magnificent hopes we
hold for world worthy of his faith
in the people and of the struggles
of free people everywhere, which
have so splendidly justified that
faith"
Prefers to Run Both Jobs.
Commenting on the possibility OF
a divorce between the Commerce
Department and RFC functions, Mr.
Wallace said:
Il feel that from the standpoint
of 60.000,00 workers, the profits OF
business, the income of farmers, the
welfare of the country as a whole
and the protection of the United
States Treasury, I could do better
job If the two were combined than
If they were separated"
Mr.. Wallace declared the Nation
must not be subjected to an eco
nomic Munich or Dunkerque
THE people who are fighting
against me know that they are not
| fighting a starry-eyed liberal or
mystic. If they really thought that
they wouldn't be worried" he con-
tinued.
They are fighting against sound
principles upon which America can
survive as a great and prosperous
Nation. They know that with me
in Commerce there would be a con-
tinuous campaign for maximum pro-
duction, maximum sales, maximum
exports and imports. They know I
would rally business support behind
the Department Of Commerce to
make it the great service institution
it ought to be-"
Says Party Split Is Sought.
The former Vice President de-
clared, There will be far less trouble
in this country if the progresSives
can find full and free expression
in the Democratic party" adding
that enemy strategy was to break
the party in two.
They want to push you and me
into the futility of a third party" /"
he said.
Other speakers were Mrs. Eleanor
Roosevelt, Henry J. Kaiser, Walter
P. Reuther, vice president of the
United Automobile Workers (CIO),
and James G. Patton, president Of
the National Farmers Union.
After the dinner meeting Mr.. Wal
lace addressed a theater rally of
more than 1000 of stage, screen and
radio stars. He declared there could
be an abundant world ''if we set our
sights high enough"
The meeting, presided over by
Actor Fredric March, unanimously
adopted a resolution, to be sent to
the Senate, which urged immediate
confirmation of Mr.. Wallace as Sec
retary of Commerce
Mrs. Roosevelt said she attended
the dinner to pay tribute to "a
courageous leader who is
not afraid Of what problems may