Poll: Foreign plank unity favored by GOP voters
Leaders will have support in concentrating on domestic issues
By George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
The recent praise given Cordell Hull by Senator Brewster (R-ME) for his “efforts to stop partisan politics at the water’s edge” reflects the sentiments of a great majority of the rank-and-file Republican voters.
Any attempts by Republican presidential candidates to attack the administration’s foreign policy likely would evoke little favorable response today even from voters of their own party.
For a majority of Republican voters are willing to see the GOP take the unprecedented step of adopting a platform on foreign policy identical with that of the Democrats.
Sentiment tested
Sentiment of voters who say they will vote Republican this year was tested in a nationwide survey on the following issue:
Interviewing Date 11/25-30/43 Survey #307-K Question #12aAsked of Republicans: Do you think that both the Republicans and the Democrats should take exactly the same stand for an active part in world affairs in their party platforms in 1944?
| Yes | 58% |
| No | 21% |
| Undecided | 21% |
The fact that so many Republican voters favor the identical platform idea is good indication that GOP leaders have plenty of rank-and-file support for their strategy of removing foreign policy from the 1944 campaign and concentrating on domestic issues.
Many dissatisfied
There is growing dissension among the people over home-front issues, with Republicans benefiting from dissatisfaction over New Deal handling of domestic affairs.
Additional evidence of the actual unity of the people on foreign policy is shown in Republican attitudes toward continuing Mr. Hull as Secretary of State even in the event of a Republican victory.
Interviewers questioned Republican voters from coast to coast on the idea of having the two parties agree beforehand to retain Mr. Hull in office after the next election.
The vote of Republicans with opinions on the subject turned out to be better than 2 to 1 in favor of this proposal.
Interviewing Date 11/25-30/43 Survey #307-T Question #12aAsked of Republicans: Would you approve or disapprove if both the Republican and Democratic parties agreed to name Cordell Hull Secretary of State again after the next election?
| Approve | 52% |
| Disapprove | 22% |
| Undecided | 26% |
When Democrats were interviewed on the same issue, those with opinions voted in favor of the idea 7 to 1.