The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-03-20

ceded the election or General ElSen-
hover. Watching the conduct OF
our party during that time, | car
only say that | am prouder than ever
to be a Democrat. And that is my
best valentine.
In that interval General Eisen-
hover has had the honors of victory
and also the misery, while l have
had the miseries of defeat and also
a vacation. But, as the newspapers
say, to the victor belongs the toll.
1t seems to me very appropriate
that the party with heart should be
having this great dinner here in New
York on St. Valentines Day. | am
sure we Democrats are in mood to
love everybody, and, of course, we
would be delighted if few million
more people would love us.
| have questioned my qualifica-
tions to be speaking here this eve
ming. My most recent distinction,
after all, is the dubious one of being
the first Democrat defeated since AL
Smith "a years ago. But / derive
some personal satisfaction out of be-
ing associated with Al Smith-even
in misfortune. And, while | make no
prediction, | would remind you that
the Democratic Party made a very
rapid recovery after the disastrous
election of 1928.
There was even talk then of dis
solving the Democratic Party. What
a difference today. There have been
few, if any, recriminations; little
crying over split milk; nearly all the
inevitable postmortems have been in
telligent and constructive. | think of
no instance where a party has SO
quickly and so spontaneously recov-
cred its spirit 1t is astonishing, ex-
hiliarating, and also contagious.
freely admit that the sportsman
ship, courtesy, and charity shown me
by so many of you leaders of our
party following the election have
comforted and fortified me immense
ly. / am very grateful also for the
deluge of messages that has engulfed
me from people in and out of our
party all over the country. | must
confess that | began by nibbling at
this mass of correspondence, but it
made me feel so good that | gradu-
ally increased the dosage. Even if it
is not as good as a few million votes,
it certainly eased the pain.
ne new Has DetH
in power for rs days This is not
very long time as we Democrats count
time in office, and therefore | do not
believe what hear murmured around
the country-that it is time for a
change. This seems to me hasty and
quite unjust, for the team, as they
call it, has hardly begun to play. In
deed, it had a little trouble getting
started. The star defense man
looked ideal. He weighed four or
five million. | mean he was good and
heavy But he got into an argument
right away with the referee and was
penalized for holding.
There is a real temptation for
us Democrats to relax in our I'M
accustomed position on the side
lines-to sit back and enjoy it, as
Monday morning quarterbacks,
while the Republicans have the
novel experience of scrimmaging
with reality. For 20 years they
developed blocking to fine art.
Now they must do something them
selves about the awful problems
of our revolutionary age.
But we cannot succumb to this
temptation. | hope we have learned
from the Republicans example how
not to be an opposition party. This
is an unfamiliar role for us, and one
we have not filled with invariable
in the past. AS the OPP
position party we must be very care
full how we interpret our title.
We shall fight them to the end
when we think they are wrong. But
our central purpose, our guiding
light, must be something different:
It must be to keep on working posi-
lively and constructively for the
good of the country. Of course, it (
S easier to express these lofty senti- /
nents thatn to practice them. I'm /
loubtedly we will have our partisan ,
But let us never be con-
,ent merely to oppose; let US always
propose something better. !
Thanks to President Truman and |
lis Cabinet, gravely consciously of {
he perils of our times, the Govern {
nent has been transferred smooth {
v and with the heartiest good will.
This is as it should be. We differ I
lpon many things. But we wear in /
common the seamless garment of love I
# country. The Government is our '
Government as we'll as theirs. /
MAY | saw, then, that we. wish {
EisenhOwer his official {