AMERICA GOES MAD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 7 October 1936, Page 13

AMERICA GOES MAD

ELECTION MANIA

iffAUfe ON ROOSEVELT

Ai.LEEED DICTAfORSHT V

VANCOUVER. Sept. 26

This is the season when America has gone quite iririd over the Presidential election, which is to be held in November. President Roosevelt- is still leading in art exciting campaign, and while, the Repuiblibbii forces have recently iriacle great- gains, it., is, difficult to see how he can.be. defeated. • Itis Rephblica'ii opponent, Air. -A. MLanclori; is not a personally picturesque candidate. In fact, lie is described by Earl Brbwder, the National Cbmniintist- cdiulidfite, as “flic most negative, colcihi'lcss, candidate seeii in t nitcd States politics iri the memory of living man.”, ,

Air; Lriitdbn’s deficiency is. to some extbiit coiiipeiisated. liy the colourful attacks of .the Republican Vice-Presiden-tial catidjclufo, Coiohel Frank Knox, against Sir. R. G. Tugwcll and other moni tiers of the Roosevelt “Brain Trust.” ,

Hie chief Republican attack against the. New Deal is on the groiiud thrit iti ai “gbverfimeiital dictatorship, nianligiiig the details of our daily lives.” Expanding this siiiuriiary .into tlie real issue of the caffipliigii, . Sir. Laridoil says: “.The preseiit Administration has accepted the idea that we have reached our perik, that ahead is a large standing army of Unemployed, and that, in. consbdiiehce the Government must play a glgiiteii siiid greater part iii managing the details of out daily lives, siiid- in list, instead, of coritiintig itself, oxpgnd the field of regulation in the public interest. . . , .

“tlie Republican Party, on the other harid ? utterly rejects this philosophy. It believes that America is still bn the up-grade, thrit we can eliminate uiiehiploymeiit, that the Government, should tighten tlie rules governing business, but shbiiid hot sitteihpt .to liiaiidge business;. thrit Aihericd , will oiicfe again, lie a lilitioii where youth csin be cbihidtiit. of its future.”

This sturdy .appeal, 'undoubtedly, is :'<■( kcyiiotfi,, of tlie campaign, and '■'•ei’iwVfibre ReptibiiciinS emphasise that, •recovery will arrive naturally if only Goforflffierit intefferciiicc in business is termifirited.” “REti AFFINITIES” Tlie ageiiig newspaper magnate, Hcriilf; whose Seattle Post- Intelligence has befefi closed bv, strikes* for more, tliriii five Weeks, and who is still unable to issue tlie newspaper, touched one. interesting climax in this campaign wheri recently lie accused the Democratic leadership of receiving the support of enemies of the American system of government. He declared that President Roosevelt had done bis best to deserve the s'U-p----pott of all such disturbing and destructive elements. Rallying to Mr. Hearst’s assistance, tlie Republican National Committee lias made the charge, “The New Deal lias been tainted with Communism since its very inception.” This further hot paragraph is added : “Mefo who advocated revolution, who calmly discussed the amount- of blood that ought to be shed, are still in Roosevelt's confidence.” .Just how the big Labour fight between William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour, who is frankly for Air. Roosevelt, and Air. Johm Lewis, who is probably more for Mr. Roosevelt than anyone else, but doesn't say so, will influence the, result of the election, has not yet, become clear. On the Pacific. Coast Labour is in a. terrific ferment. Air. Harry Bridges, the ex-Australian, has given California another case of jitters with the threat of a new strike tying up the waterfront when tlie longshore agreement ends on September 30. Whetliet‘ the 'big strike will he postponed! until after the election for (lie siiitio reason that the Post Intelligencer probably, will licit, republish again until after November remains to be seen.

fit tlie meantime, Mr. Bridges is making a mote iinjitirtrint leader out. of himself every week. Recently lie flew to Washington and sink President Rdbseyclt arid' other NewrUirilebi anil significantly announced nextd:iy: “I may talk about joining with Lewis if the spillt in Labour’s ranks becomes perinaneiit.” MR NotHidii Tlioriias, the Socialist criinlltlate. lias not clidhgcd his slogan sincfe. last election.

“Crtpitalisiii. cßiinot be mended; it must he ended,” he says. A' geifel'dl sutwey still indicates a Roosevelt victory;, nut with less support than ill 1932.