DEMOCRATIC WIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 24, 8 November 1940, Page 5

DEMOCRATIC WIN

THE POPULAR FRANCHISE.

n MR ROOSEVELT’S MAJORITY. OVER FOUR MILLION VOTES. (United Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) NEW YORK. November 7. The popular vote is: Mr Roosevelt 25,956,000 Mr Willkie ......... 21,591,000 PARTIES IN THE SENATE. - DEMOCRATS TWO TO ONE. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) WASHINGTON, November 7. It is indicated that the filial state of parties in the Senate will be . Democrats r ...™. rrr , 66Republicans .......*7/,27 * Progressive,, f .,...............1 y ‘ independents;..~

POLICY TO THE AXIS POWERS. COMMENT BY DR. GAYDA. ■> (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) ROME,, November 7. Dr. V. Gayda (the noted publicist,), says that Mr Roosevelt’s re-election means continuation of the policy directed against tho Axis Powers. Mr Roosevelt’s so-called friendly neutrality to Britain is hardly distinguished from actual intervention.

SATISFACTION IN BRITAIN.

CONTRAST TO DICTATORSHIPS.

LONDON, November 7

Two-thirds of the Republican triumvirate, to which Mr Roosevelt lias paid considerable attention in his speeches, “Martin, Barton, and Fish,” will be among the President’s Republican opposition in the next Congress. Mr Martin and Mr Fisli have been reelected to the House of Representatives and Mr Barton will bo seated in the Senate.

The former Secretary of the Navy (Mr Charles A. Edison) won thb New Jersey Governorship. The Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) appealed to all to sink any partisan spirit and not to allow personal elation or disappointment" to overshadow national interests.

Declaring that the electorate. ~ had given nation-wide approval of the Administration’s foreign policies, Mr Hull said: “The nation can go forward with the fullest measure of practical teamwork by the Government and tlio people in firm continuance of. those foreign policies.’’ j Mr iWiUkie, thanking his supporters by radio, said; “I know, they jvilL'eontinue, as I will continue, to work for the unity-of our people in the completion of our defence effort, in sending aid' to Britain and in insistence upon the reinoval of antagonisms in America, all to the end that tiie Government oi free mCn may continue and may spread again upon the, oafth.” ~' T",/!*’; 1 | The return of, Mr R oosevelt .for a third term of four years'takes .precedence over war. nows in, Britain, .where the election has aroused widespread interest. The,' first reaction in the evening newspapers is that Mr Roosevelt’s policy may continue unhampered because of liis nation’s;-momen-tous decision. .

The “Evening News” states that Mr Roosevelt stands at the helm. No American had ever served for a third term as President, and this made history. 'General appreciation is expressed at the friendly attitude of both candidates towards Great Britain.

The huge popular vote is taken as a vital indication of United. States democratic principles. British newspapers also comment favourably on the declaration • made by the United States Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) that his Government could now go ahead with its foreign policy, knowing that it bad the support of the country behind it.

The Tokio vernacular newspapers, in leading articles, say in chorus that Mr Roosevelt’s re-election, will mean a more aggressive policy towards Japan. “Yomiuri” says: “Roosevelt’s election has completely stopped the way to improving Japanese-American relations, end this calls for a, new resolution from the Japanese nation. “Kokumin ” asserting that the “war party” has won the election, says: “Japan, ,as wfcll as the European Axis Powers, must immediately plan hc.v strategy for to-morrow. Japan so f'ai has strived for peace and pursued a- policy of non-resistance to the United States’ continuous challenging measures. However, after this such a policy is. ne longer necessary or' possible.”

Another Tokio newspaper, “Niehi i Nielli” said that the Roosovelt Administration would continue to intensify unreserved assistance to Britain and ‘•eventually drag America into the war. like AVilson.” Japan was absolutely determined to remove any American assistance to Chungking, whatever move the United States might take. . ....... The Official German. Nows Agk'ney says that Germany jegards the election of Mr Roosevelt as essential!V a domestic- affair, not playing any role determining the political attitude 6f the Reich. The Moscow wireless announced Are Roosevelt’s victory without-.' comment; The Stockholm newspaper “Dagous Nvhetior” says that not much imagina-

tion is required to guess what the Italians and Germans would! have been told, about- the significance of the election if Mr Roosevelt had been defeated. Another Stockholm newspaper .“Allehandn,” says that Germany is now ‘expecting America to enter the war in. the near future.

The Finnish newspaper ‘Helsingea Sanomat.” says that Air Roosevelt's reelection is noted with' satisfaction by all nations wishing to live their owa life undisturbed.

Tho- American Presidential election has been, followed in Britain with a .more general and keener interest than any previous Presidential contest, -including even that of 1916. By -a curious paradox, however, opinion here has also never been more impartial or detached. The reason is that this year the issue, which has so deeply concerned the British public as to overshadow all others—the question of aid in war material aiid moral support in the rescue of civilisation from Hitlerism—has not been a real issue at all. At the very moment when Britain has been battling for freedom, 50,000,000 electors across tho Atlantic have been voting —.and what is the crux of the matter, have been voting freely —on the. programmes and future for several years.

There have been many attempts to forecast tiv result of the election,, but its most essential characteristic, as soon from Europe, was exactly the fact that, at no point- could -anyone foretell with certainty tho figures which this great plebiscite would yield. It is that simple test which marks it off from some recent “elections” on .this side of .the Atlantic, in which the majority vote of anything from 94 to 99 per cent, has boon :t foregone conelusioii from the beginning.

And it is to preserve that difference and all that underlies it that upholders of freedom everywhere arc ranged against the totalitarian States. Reports indicate that an immediate reaction after the election is a desire to sink differences in favour of national unity, to eradicate the bitterness aroused in the campaign, and to 'unite and make the United States strong.