Let's Talk Politics!

Bv Juck Dionne

Politics is the big front page news right now. On November 7 the United States voters go to the polls. Considering the gigantic proportions of the legislative and military proposals now before us, it will be one of the most important election days in American history. While we gird our loins to prepare and pay for a hitherto unheard-of defense program to make this nation safe from present threats and any that may develop, it is a vital duty to elect to Congress men who will devote themselves to seeing that we lose neither our solvency nor our liberties while doing so.

Already we are being told that we should forego partisanship, not ask too many questions, or indulge in honest criticism. The man who falls for that advice is either a knave or a fool, ft is every man's duty, now as never before, to see that we do what is right for our nation, do it in the most intelligent and efficient and economical way, and while making ourselves strong protect our economy here at home, cut out waste, cut out expensive politicking, and run this coruntry in the most workmanlike style in order that it may survive the great financial strains that are being put upon it. We must cut out our county courthouse style of operations, and we must make mighty changes in our entire set-up, such as the planners in Washington may O" r*.rt* loath to adopt.

One o,f the best and most intelligent Americans I know, Mr. Bruce Barton, put the thing in a nutshell when he said: "It is now imperative that every act of the administration, every statement issued, every demand for additional men and money, should be scrutinized even more sharply than in normal times. For, not only our dollars are involved, but the blood of tens of thousands of American boys." So we must have a Congress that will devote its best efforts to making our economy safe, while at the same time safeguarding our interest in the welfare of the world. ***

Can we stani a professional Army, Navy, and Air Force of three million men, including regular drafts from civilian life? Can we stand to spend over forty bitlion dollars a year? The Dallas (Texas) News asks those questions, and then answers them by saying: "Not on a 5 day week. Not with all this soft leisure to which we have geared America within the last twenty years. If we work six days a week epch of us can average maybe $666 a year more in steel and leather and gasoline and bread and rubber, and so on. If a 3,000,000 man defense force leaves us sixty million people working to create that forty billion dollars worth of annual support for defense, it will average out at $666 per worker. How are we going to do it on a 5 dayweek?"

That's a practical question, and we've got to have men in Congress that will approach the answer in practical fashion, and not in the entirely impractical fashion that has marked most of our governmental activities for a long time past. Senator Byrd, of Virginia, staunch Democrat and believer in practical economies in government, says that the past five years have been "the most irresponsible five years of the great American republic." In order to meet this great defense project we have started upon, we must have a government that is responsible, practical, and intelligently economical, to carry us through safely. Remember that when you go to the polls on November' 7.

'Politics, of late, have hit the headlines in interesting fashion; there has been humor, too, giving us something to laugh about. The head-on collision between President Truman and John L. Lewis, hogged the spotlight for a time. fn much the same fashion that the shocking Marine Corps letter came to light, a Congressman quoted president Truman as saying he wouldn't appoint John L. Lewis for dogcatcher. Lewis waited just long enough to let the other letter become well publicized, then he turned loose a reply, scathing but witty. He said that if he were head of the Dog Bureau there would be more brains in the Do-g Department than in the State Department; and he added a few more blistering thrusts. Funny how many newspaper editors, commenting on this exchange of compliments, uttered the same opinion, namely, that this was one time when both Truman and Lewis were right. John L. is a hard man to meet 1.".*"1.

An interesting turn of events took place'politically when W. Averell Harriman forsook his previous position of high-toned and dignified assistant and advisor to the President in foreign affairs, and became hatchet man, like poor old Harold fckes used to be for Roosevelt. This gentleman appeared before a great labor convention and denounced one of our citizens as one who gave aid and comfort to the Kremlin. And who do you suppose he jumped. on? Senator Taft, of Ohio, one, of the soundest, most loyal, mcst honored Americans of the present day. Mr. Harriman possesses two stout assets, an honored name, and a huge fortune, both of which he inherited. If humans took rank according to their personal worth he would have to bow and tip his hat to Senator Taft every time they met.

,George Allen, of Mississippi, a happy, rotund character that was called court jester to President Roosevelt, and later was close friend to Harry Truman, wrote a book entitled "Presidents Who Have Known Me." To me the most interesting thing in this book was his statement that General Ike Eisenhower would have been ,'a candidate for President worthy of our Abraham Lincoln tradition." Allen idolizes the General. Would Allen vote for Eisenho,wer if he ran for President as a Republican, he was asked? Not on your life, he said. He was a party Democrat, in spite of his high opinion*of Ike.

That brought to mind the old story of the Southern gentleman who was severely critical of the Democratic administration, but, when asked why he continued to vote that way said, "I'm a Democrat, and f vote the Democratic ticket. Never mind about us Democrats. It's when all those Damyankee Republicans stop voting the Democratic ticket that we'll get a change."

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Very shortly after George Allen's book came out with it$ high opinion of General Eisenhower, Governor Thomas E. Dewey, of New York, hit the big headlines with his announcement that his choice for President in the next , election also is General Eisenhower. He also stated that he, himself, would positively not be a candidate for that honor. At this moment, General Eisenhower is certainly high man in the public opinion vote for Republican candidate for President. However, they don't vote, for President for two more years. Right now it looks like General Ike could walk in.

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The name of Roosevelt appears on election ballots in New York and California on November 7. Young Franklin Roosevelt offers for reelection as Congressman in New York, and his older brother Jimmy is running for governor of California. The brothers are men of only ordinary ability, and both are running on two counts'and only two; the Roosevelt name, and the Roosevelt gall.

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The old adage that "there is nothing new under the sun" generally applies to politics and politicking especially and particularly. But we have found this year that it isn't true. There IS something new in politics. Jas. F'. "Jimmy" Byrnes, of South Carolina, proved it in his successful cam, paign for governor of that state. Always has it been the custom for candidates for office to go out into the rural and farm districts seeking votes, looking, acting, and talking like the "pore folks." Such methods have long been supposed to appeal to the farmer and other rural citizens. Old clothes, country style talk, and old cars have long been the rule. Not so with Jimmy Byrnes. The best dressed man in South Carolina, an aristocratic Southern gentleman of wealth and importance, he went out to talk to the farmers and the small town folks in just that fashion. No camouflage for Jimmy.

Riding in a big, ,,"*,* "rlrrrf high-priced automobile; wearing the finest tailormade suits, two-toned shoes, shiny starched white shirts, beautiful and expensive neckties, and everything else in keeping with that front, Mr. Byrnes vrent out seeking votes. And he got them; got nearly all the votes that were cast in the Democratic primary, which is election in South Carolina. And he talked as a gentleman of distinction-one who has been United States Senator, Secretary of State, Supreme Court Justice, and "Assistant President" would and should talk. A gifted speaker, he'showed his gifts when he spoke to the piopte. ***

Yes, Jimmy Byrnes showed that-politically-there is something very, very new under the South Carolina sun. It veill be remembered-this column has often quoted his remarks-that Jimmy Byrnes has been criticizing the present Democratic administration very vigorously for the past year. He has been warning his people against the centralization of power in Washington, against creeping socialism in this country, against the liberties we have been losing under the Fair Deal. He has been saying: .'It .is well to remember that if we but stumble there is no Lend-Lease or Marshall Plan for us." He has been saying that our present county courthouse type of government must be corrected. He did not join the Dixiecrats two years agc, but he apparently hopes to amend the Democratic Party from within, and is going to put the issue before the Southern States and the Southern governors. His will be a strong and persuasive voice in the Southern Democratic councils during the next two years. What his plans are, he keeps to himself. But he went back into South Carolina politics for a most definite purpose, as everyone knows, and it will be interesting to see that purpose unfold.

As could well be expected, Harry Truman struck back. Out comes a ne$r book, apparently political campaign weapon, entitled "The Man of Independence," written about Truman by Jonathan Daniels, and in that book Daniels quotes Truman in some bitter and slashing critiqisms of the man he once admired above most men, Jimmy Byrnes. And so an open battle line is now drawn between President Truman and suave, eloquent, elegant, courtly, aristocratic gentleman from South Carolinb; both Democrats. There will be something worth watching during the next two years. Don't think from these adjectives that Jimmy Byrnes is anything less than a powerful, dynamic he-man of the strongest type. They call him at home "the most distinguished South Carolinian since John C. Calhoun,,, and they used to call Calhoun "the master logician of the age." The clash between this man and the President may become the big political battle of the next two years.

One of Jimmy Byrnes' latest and most quoted remarks is this: "You can get drunk on alcohol and recover-though you may have a headache. But if you get drunk on power, you never get over it. The power to spend forty-seven billion dollars is a terrible power. I doubt if God ever made a man with enough wisdom and virtue to sit in Washington and spend that much money."

Appointed Territorial Sales Representative

The appointment of John A. Roberts as a territorial sales representative for Simpson Logging Company in the San Francisco area has been announced by C. D. Ahern, Northern California district manager.

Simpson Logging Company is one of the leading West Coast producers of lumber, doors, plywood, irlsulating board products and acoustical tile.

Prior to his transfer to the Northern California district, Roberts had been employed in Simpson's production operations in Shelton, Wash., since 1946.

Born in Iowa, he attended the University of Iowa until he enrolled in civilian pilot training in 1942 and was a commercial pilot when he joined the Navy in 1945. He first came to the West Coast when assigned to Naval Officer Procurement in Seattle and Portland.