The Pittsburgh Press (October 24, 1944)
Senator Ball: World future is vote issue
Invitation to visit Roosevelt revealed
Baltimore, Maryland (UP) –
Senator Joseph H. Ball (R-MN), who has announced his support of President Roosevelt because of the President’s foreign policy stand, said last night the American people will have perhaps their last chance on Nov. 7 to express their determination to prevent civilization’s destruction in a Third World War.
Speaking before the local chapter of the Foreign Policy Association, the 38-year-old liberal said the United States and the world are at the “crossroads of history” and that decisions of the Allies in the next few years will determine whether a world security organization can be established to prevent future wars.
U.S. support needed
He emphasized his “deep desire” to keep the question on a nonpartisan basis, but added that “it is a political issue because the convictions and attitudes on it of the President and the Congressmen and Senators elected this fall will determine whether or not the United States will join an effective world security organization.”
“Without the United States, such an organization cannot hope to succeed,” he said.
Talked to Roosevelt
In announcing his support for Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Ball told a news conference yesterday that he spent an hour “discussing Dumbarton Oaks and other phases of foreign policy” with Mr. Roosevelt on Oct. 15. He said he went to the White House in response to an invitation sent through presidential adviser Harry Hopkins “as a result of my statements and speeches emphasizing the importance of the foreign policy issue in this election.”
Mr. Ball added:
Because of my great concern with the foreign policy issue, I would have been more than happy to have accepted a similar invitation from Governor Dewey or any of his advisers. I never received any.
Senator Ball predicted Mr. Roosevelt’s reelection. In response to a question, he said that if Governor Dewey should advocate in the next two weeks a stronger foreign policy satisfactory to him, it would be “a little late in the day” for him – Ball – to switch his support to Dewey.
He said he plans a 15-minute radio speech at 10:00 p.m. Thursday, under sponsorship of the Independent Republican Committee “giving my reasons for supporting Roosevelt.” He said he still considers himself a Republican /and expects to run for reelection in 1948 on that ticket.