The Home Front
BOHN, WILLIAM E.
THE HOME FRONT Why I'll Vote For Stevenson By William E. Bohn Now that the great debate about the Yankees and the Dodgers has been settled for another year, politics has again assumed its...
...To this epistle which I am writing now I hope I shall receive a lot of answers...
...The arguments for and against opposing parties and candidates are sharp and loud...
...To a considerable extent, the President is a New Deal Republican...
...There are dozens of young people there on the Democratic side full of life, imagination, intelligence...
...I realize it is difficult to offer convincing proof that if Stevenson were elected he would do better...
...With regard to both foreign and domestic affairs, they advocate about the same things...
...In the second place, he is tied to a party that is unimaginative, un-energetic and backward-looking...
...Any weakness displayed by a man of either party is quickly spotted and denounced...
...If these debates could be broadcast to our readers, it would be clear that our claim to non-partisanship is abundantly justified...
...His personal qualities have done something to establish a friendly atmosphere here at home and have had a favorable influence on our foreign relations...
...The young men who edit this paper are sharp-eyed and tough-minded...
...However, despite all my admiration for the President, I have decided to cast my vote against him...
...In the first place, he wants good things, but he has very little idea of how to go about getting them...
...He didn't send suggestions to the Legislature and then sit around and wait to see what would happen...
...Even in the area of civil rights, which is the weak spot in the Democratic platform, we should get more than we have during these last four years...
...P.S.-I must add that I intend to vote for Jacob K. Javits as Senator from New York...
...As long ago as December 1953, he proposed to the UN General Assembly the establishment of an international agency for the peaceful use of atomic power...
...I would certainly say something about my choice between the two candidates for the Presidency...
...If I were writing a personal letter to each one of my readers...
...I am not talking for The New Leader...
...I will start by confessing that I find the contrast between President Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson less sharply marked than is suggested by the violent language of the campaign...
...If he is elected, he will have working with him a party which contains some of the most energetic and forward-looking men and women we have had in our public life for many a decade...
...They want honesty and efficiency in politics just as they do anywhere else...
...All that its real leaders want is to stick where they are and keep things going about as they are...
...The Democratic candidate is bringing his campaign to a climax by stressing his proposal to investigate the possibility of halting hydrogen-bomb tests...
...These little essays of mine are more like letters than anything else...
...He went to Geneva to meet the top Soviet leaders...
...But the President has from the start done his best to take the lead in the search for peace...
...If our President were a man like Theodore Roosevelt, this handicap might not be fatal...
...Something would soon be done about schools, housing, natural resources...
...During these four years, very little has been accomplished—and that mostly by Democratic energy and enterprise...
...I promise to read and reply-to every one that comes in...
...I am expressing the preference of an old man who began life as a Republican in the administration of William McKinley...
...No one can doubt that this man wants all the best things...
...There are two important counts against this fine, good man...
...There is another powerful argument in favor of the Democratic candidate...
...THE HOME FRONT Why I'll Vote For Stevenson By William E. Bohn Now that the great debate about the Yankees and the Dodgers has been settled for another year, politics has again assumed its rightful place in the New Leader office...
...But since The New Leader cannot announce any platform or suggest any slate of candidates, I feel practically driven to enter the great national debate...
...In fact, I find the pull toward the Republican candidate very strong...
...His charm, his outgoingness, his love of people cannot easily be thrust aside as irrelevant...
...I often sit in the galleries of the House and Senate...
...But for him?gentle, kindly person that he is—the counterweight is just too much...
...If anyone is interested, I will give my reasons in another column...
...He put through a fine program...
...later turned Socialist, and now is winding up as a sort of free-wheeling Democrat who calls himself a liberal...
...He has pushed disarmament discussions...
...Instead of dragging their feet as the Republicans have done to the embarrassment of President Eisenhower, they would form a real team with Stevenson to put through a constructive program...
...They are both against Communism and for peace, Social Security, Federal aid to schools, aid to farmers, etc., etc...
...Adlai Stevenson believes in leadership...
...He would use the immense influence of his high office in the cause of racial equality...
...But there is his record as Governor...
...But remember...
...As good representatives of the younger generation, they are too keen and ruthless to be devoted to any party...
...He showed that he understands political leadership...
Vol. 39 • October 1956 • No. 44
