The Pittsburgh Press (April 12, 1941)
ELECTION ON WAR
By Mrs. Walter Ferguson
The President, in his Jackson Day broadcast, spoke not only to the dictators, but to citizens of the United States who oppose aggressive adventures abroad.
He also had a great deal to say about free elections. In fact, the ether rang with oratory from scores of Democratic leaders declaiming about elections. But not one of them mentioned a free election on the war issue.
Nobody said a word about the people’s holy right to go to the polls and say whether or not they favor convoying armaments to Europe. And nobody will.
The common man is allowed to vote on everything else. Every amendment to the Constitution waits upon his official okay. Every movement for repeal must be submitted to him in the voting booth. But when has he even been permitted to vote on the greatest of all projects – foreign war? In any real democracy, shouldn’t this be regarded as the fundamental right of free men?
And, in strictest justice, only citizens under 50 should participate in such an election. For none over 50 will fight the war, and not many above that age will pay its costs.
The younger men and women will build the New America whose foundations have already been laid by our own imperialistic pronouncements. The world policed, we presume, by our Army must be regulated and kept in order by them. Therefore, it seems to me they should have a word in a truly momentous decision.
If war is declared, no one can speak as I am writing without being justly accused of obstructing national aims. But before such restrictions are put upon opponents of aggression war abroad, can’t we crack down on men like 83-year-old Senator Carter Glass, who whoops for battle and is all for the boys rushing over to knock the hell out of Hitler?