THE AMERICAN ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 25324, 4 November 1944, Page 6

THE AMERICAN ELECTION.

The American Presidential election that takes place on Tuesday next will be the first to be held under war conditions since Lincoln's day. President Wilson was given his second term when Britain and France were at wot with, Germany but the United States had not yet entered the fray. In some circumstances the present contest might be a cause of acute concern to America's allies. There might be fears lest a President should be elected who would be much less wholehearted on the war issue than Mr Roosevelt has always been. Short of this disaster, of which no danger whatever exists, since all America agrees that the war must bo won, there might be misgivings lest, under another regime, the United States should withdraw from the actual peace and from' collaboration in thn enforcement of a new order as happened a generation ago. In this sense that has regard to post-war collaboration there are still isolationists in America ; happily there is every reason to think that their opinions will,never prevail. In the first place all the indications are that a fourth term will bo given to Mr Roosevelt. There might bo dangers for his return, it has becif piquantly said if Germany should collapse before the poll, though even in that contingency, which we can foe! safe now in saying will not occur, his re-election probably would bo assured

by the continuance of the war with Japan. It will be given to him grudgingly by many who would vote for him, not liking his earlier " New Deal " policy which has been modified under war's pressure. In view of his great record as a war leader, unless most proChets are surprisingly mistaken, it will e given to him nevertheless.

The Democrats are unambiguously committed to a policy of international co-operation. The Republicans are more divided as a party; it is on their sido that the isolationists exist. But, in accepting nomination as their candidate, Mr Dewey made it plain that internationalism, with the strongest possible prosecution of tho war, would he his policy no less than Mr Roosevelt's. In tho first days of his campaign tour he made a speech_ which carried the matter further. He implied that he was with Mr Roosevelt also in his requirement of full-bodied' American participation in the peace, and that thore would be no controversy over that issue during the election campaign. A commentator of tho ' Christian Science Monitor ' did not hesitate to sny of this speech:" It signifies a notablo turning point in American diplomatic history. It signifies the near end of the divisive two-party debate which kept the United States out of tho League of Nations and disunited the nation on foreign policy for twenty-iivo crucial year's. It signifies, a coalescence of public opinion behind a non-partisan foreign policy which, because it is no longer to bo a political football, can bo durable and cohesive." And he went on to say. " All in all, there is every reason to believe that it is going to he an asset rather than a liability that this Presidential election is being held in the midst of the war and before, rather than after, the peace has been written, for it is disclosing a unity on_ foreign policy 'which would not otherwise have been demonstrated." Though the election will not influence the _war, the war may have one awkward minor effect on the election. Because eleven States will not count their soldiers' votes on election day, it is possible that the outcome of the contest will remain in doubt for several weeks after the polls close, even for a whole month. All depends on the margin between first votes.