DOWNFALL OF DEMOCRATS

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 December 1946, Page 7

DOWNFALL OF DEMOCRATS

PARTY IS LOST WITHOUT A GREAT LEADER

With the downfall of the Domecratic Party at the United States Congressional elections the New Deal follows President Roosevelt into the grave, writes a special correspondent of the Melbourne Herald. Seen as a swing to the Right—back to a period of "rugged individualism"—the elections mark the end of an American era. In the rise and fall of the Democratic Party may be charted much of (he recent history not only of the United States, but of the world, for it has produced great leaders who have exercised a profound influence on their time. Established in the late 18th century, it looks for its founder to Thomas Jefferson, the third and one of the greatest of all U.S. Presidents. Based on "the fundamental belief that the people are capable of governing themselves,” the party won control of the Government in 1800 with the election of Jefferson and the defeat of the Federalists under Alexander Hamilton. For 40 years it remained in power. In the 50’s it suffered vicissitudes; in 1860 it split on the slavery issue. The party’s second greatest figure is Andrew Jackson (President, 18281836), a champion of what has since been called the common man. But With the growing domination of the South in its councils, the party hedged on the slavery issue and in 1860, at a historic convention in Charleston, it split into two factions. The new Republican Party, with its uncompromising opposition to slaveryswept into power; the Democrats lost both the Presidency and control of the Congress. PARADOX. From 1860 to the present day, the Democratic Party has been in power only 30 years, and in complete control of Congress for about half that time. It is one of the paradoxes of American politics that the enfranchisement of the negro made the reactionary elements of the South strong supporters of the Democrats, and at the same time gave the negro vole of the other States to the Republicans. The Democrats did not get back to power until 1888, with Cleveland. But they suffered other misadvantages, including a second split on economic policy. Not until 1912 with the election of Woodrow Wilson (re-elected 1916) did the party return to power. Wilson, vilified and ridiculed in his day, is now generally recognised as one of the premier statesmen of modern times. But after Wilson the party, torn by

controversy on the prohibition issue and religious dissension, again collapsed, only to rise again triumphantly in 1932 with the beginning of the long Roosevelt regime; but once again it has proved itself unable to survive a great leader. Under Roosevelt the party reached its greatest heights since the days of Jackson. Roosevelt’s leadership in the international sphere is too well known to need recapitulation. His leadership on the home front was no less remarkable; the whole world watched his efforts to rescue his country from the depths of the depression. STARTLED THE NATION. The measures he then took startled the nation and terrified his opponents. Most sensational part of the New Deal was the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 by which the Government assumed control over the entire industry of the country. "Codes” lor the control of industry were adopted and business men were required to open their books to Government inspectors. The President aimed at relief botn for the millions of unemployed and for tlie long-term rehabilitation of industry. The courts began to throw out the New Deal piece by piece on constitutional grounds, but the people reelected Roosevelt. Much passion was aroused by the President's politics. Many of the great financiers hated “that man;’’ he was accused of gathering around him long-haired idealists of various shades of Red who were tinkering with things they did not understand. The popular faith in Roosevelt endured, however, and although the New Deal suffered a process of attrition great constructive achievements remain (the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Grand Coulee irrigation plant, for instance). Now history lias repeated itself. The Republicans control Congress, and, unless there is a violent reaction, the Democrats will again have a long period in the wilderness. It would be wrong to over-simplify the result in terms of Australian or New Zealand political parties, however, for just as there are extremely conservative Democrats there are extremely liberal Republicans. The lesson seems to be that when the Democrats can produce a great man —a Jefferson, a Jackson, a Wilson, or a Roosevelt they can control Congress; without such a figure the party is home down by lhe weight of opposition of the big battalions.