"Bullets, also Ballots"

THE PRESIDENCY

"We are engaged in an all-out war to keep democracy alive. Democracy survives through the courage and fortitude and wisdom of many generations of fighting Americans. And that includes not only bullets but also ballots."

With these not particularly original words, Franklin Roosevelt urged all U.S. voters to go to the polls this week in the first national election of World War II. Then he packed his bags and was off for Hyde Park to add example to precept. After some playful banter at his press conference, he allowed that his vote would not be cast for Ham Fish.

All week the President had been in a buoyant mood. His press conferences, which but a few weeks ago had reflected a nervous impatience, even a snappishness, were filled with pleasantries and good humor. Asked for his reaction to Wendell Willkie's report to the nation, to which he had listened over the radio, the President replied, with less than his occasional obliqueness, that there wasn't a controversy in a carload of speeches.

He was hard at work, but his mood was that of a man well satisfied. The usual weekly meeting with the Pacific War Council was more than routine; as the other members emerged, their grave faces reflected the seriousness of the Solomons battle (see p. 27). With his onetime brain-truster, urbane Charles W. Taussig, and Sir George Gater, Britain's Permanent Undersecretary of State for the Colonies, he discussed the urgent need for food in the West Indies; with William Green and Philip Murray he talked again about manpower (see p. 18). He also discussed the possible appointment of a food czar. He gave no aid to solving the censorship muddle (see p. 61), by refusing comment on reports from London that U.S. troops are in Liberia and rebuffing any mention of General Dwight Eisenhower's military movements.

At week's end, what seemed to please him most was that he would have a few days' rest in the comfortable house at Hyde Park and a few drives over his own estate.

The President also:

> Asked Congress for wartime power to suspend tariffs and any other laws which block the free and rapid movement of goods, persons or information into and out of the U.S.

> Sent a message to Greek Ambassador Cimon P. Diamantopoulos on the second anniversary of the Nazi attack on Greece, hailing continued Greek resistance.

> Saluted continued Czecho-Slovak defiance of the Nazis in a cable to exiled President Eduard Benes (in London) on the 24th anniversary of Czech independence.

> Signed the $15,000,000,000 Navy appropriation bill which provides for more than 14,000 additional planes, 500,000 additional tons of aircraft carriers.

> Signed a bill making soldiers of World War II eligible for American Legion membership.

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