The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1950. THE ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 November 1950, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1950. THE ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

'ytlE elections in the United States of America were, previous to the advent of Mr. Truman fairly reliably predictable as to the results. Precampaign estimates found a way of being fulfilled. When Mr. Truman entered the lists against his redoubtable opponent Governor Dewey of New York the situation seemed so to favour Dewey that his election was regarded as a foregone conclusion. Events proved the falsity of this assumption and no one has yet given a convincing answer to the question as to why the election turned out as it did. President Truman’s handling of each situation as it has arisen has seemed on the face of things at least to be highly satisfactory for the people of the United States. He has certainly grown in stature in the eyes of the peoples of the world outside America. The Little Man has measured up to big responsibilities Governor Dewey’s failure at his second attempt to gain the Presidency was attributed by those who could be expected to make a sound analysis to his sureness of the election results and to his not having the kind of personality that makes easy contact with the common man. To lose the Presidential election twice seemed to presage the end of Dewey’s public career. But again the electorate have provided a surprise: Dewey has been strongly returned by New York for the office of Governor.

On the Isolationist issue America seemed to have definitely made up her mind that such a policy was suicidal. America is no longer sheltered by four thousand miles of open ocean. America has a frontier on the Arctic circle when? the Russians will provide no information concerning meteorological conditions. This has become a hostile frontier which America must consider to be a potential battleground and in a war in the air this is a probable route along which will pass the invader on his way to bombing the isolationist Middle West. Isolationism could be regarded as dead as the Dodo. But yet. another surprise was in store for the waiting world: Senator Taft, Republican Isolationist and a man of brilliant mental endowments has been returned thereby ousting his opponent from the Senate. The widespread change of opinion in favour of the Republican Party, coming after the long term of office by the Democrats together with the latter’s change in the leader from an over dominating personality in Roosevelt to a . secondary personality in Truman should have led to a landslide in the voting. But once more the anticipated result has not revealed itself. The mounting wave in favour of the Republican Party had not been generated by adverse economic conditions, on the contrary the business barometer in America is now at an alltime high, and yet the wave against the Government is.strong. It is not strong enough to sweep away the Truman Administration, but the writing is evidently on the wall and the Democrat. Party must resign itself to going into the wilderness in the near future. PARTY MANNERS POLITICIANS are very sensitive people, notwithstanding their * pretence at being tough in the hide. This is not surprising soring that in order to be a politician it is necessary to be sensitive of public opinion. The politician hates criticism because he knows that such comment goes out into the pool of public opinion and notwithstanding it apparently being lost in the pool it. remains there doing its work, unseen and unassessed. It is for this reason that the Press is never popular with the parliamentarian; it is the vehicle of criticism. It is for this reason, too, that the broadcasting services must b? very careful to do nothing which shall offend this hidden sensitiveness of the politicians. The banning* of the reproducton of the tlle.vising of “Party Manners” was in accord with this need for guarding against touching these open nerve spots. Viscount Simon was acting in accordance with prudence in giving the order which put “Party Manners” off the screens of the television sets. But this did not. end his troubles. The production seemed to be an attack upon the Labour Party, even though it was seemingly only honest fun and that would never do. If this construction was a possibility then trouble could be expected to arrive on the next zephyr from Westminster. The banning attracted attention, however, and the result was a general debate concerning which the man-in-the-strret was enabled to enjoy a quiet chuckle all to himself. Viscount Simon has, true to the tradition however, accepted the blame for the banning and admitted that he made a mistake in taking action in this instance and also was wrong in not conferring with his colleagues on the Board of the 8.8. C. It used to be an axiom of politics that a politician never admits making a mistake. The validity of that axiom, however, is to be challenged, for recent events have shown that far from being sound policy to persist in upholding a mistake real advantages are to lie gained by making the frank admission of error For instance, Mr Holland when advocating a reward tor those who delayed applying for the Age Benefit was on sound ground. On entering upon the office of Government, however he found that such a proposal while apparently sound was not applicable at least immediately. His frank admission on the. point closed the argument for there was nothing more to be said. It is the same with Viscount Simon’s admission. It closes the incident whereas a justification of his banning of I arty Manners would have kept the argument alive and hot.