the 1944 Republican Platform, the brief document took a very conservative position.

The preamble cast the differences between the two parties in much starker contrast

than Brownell had and claimed that the Democrats espoused a policy of "radicalism,

regimentation, all-powerful bureaucracy, class exploitation, deficit spending and

machine politics." The GOP program, on the other hand, was one that promoted

individualism, a balanced budget, "preservation of local home rule," and a strong

defense against totalitarianism. Casting off their isolationist past, the authors

advocated support for the United Nations and humanitarian relief, but only if the

programs "were consistent with intelligent American self-interest."53

 On the domestic front, the statement demanded a reduction of the size and scale

of the Federal government, saying "Government alone cannot feed the people, nor

employ them, nor make the profits from which new enterprises and new jobs are

born." The proposed Republican alternative was immediate debt and tax reduction, an

end to price controls, a guarantee of equality for all, and a more equal level of

cooperation between labor and management in collective bargaining. Most

importantly, the statement asked for a new system of Federal aid to states based on

need but managed at the local and state level. Medical care, unemployment, and

subsistence aid could come from Washington, but centralized control should be

removed. The call for a needs-based system sought to provide a balance between

addressing the plight of the poor and downtrodden and protecting the tax-base of the

middle and upper classes.

 The federal bureaucracy had already assumed the role of economic boogeyman

for the Republicans, but the 1945 Statement of Policy took this rhetoric to a new

level. The authors derided the government for its "thirst for power and self-

53 Republican National Committee, Pamphlet, "Aims and Purposes." Copy in Folder (RNC
Publications), Box 122, Brownell Papers.