South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-02-29


nsrship recently bought q control
Ing interest in a daily newspaper
ir Washington. Mr. Barnes appears
90 be an up-and-coming person,
with a long experience i'm going
right after what he wants and
bringing home the bacon.
Mr.. Barnes IS republican, q
thorough-gOing republican. lie says
and says loudly that Mr. Hoover
ought % have the republican nomi-
nation. Mr.. Barnes Is the type of
republican TO whom republicanism
is a very serious matter So much
so that ne regards any suggestion
OF Mr. Hoover being rendered or
accepting the democratic nomina-
tion as sOmethinb close TO impious
lie gets irritated over f. Mr. Barnes
made a speech about Mr. Hoover
the other night which breathed this
spirit. Mr. Barnes had the air Of be
ing shocked that any one should
80 much as mention Mr. Hoover in
the same breath as democratic
nomination. The republican nomi-
ntion by all means. The democratic
nomination, never. The speech was
not circulated widely through the
country. but It was printed ia full
an the Washington newspaper which
IS owned Jointly BY Mr.. Barnes and
Mr.. Hoover: and appearing in that
authoritative atmosphere the Wash
fngton politicians took 10 seriously
with an air that implied an almost
pasernal. even a proprietorial rela-
ton 20 Mr. Hoover.
Mr. Barnes about Mr. Hoover was
regarded by the. Washington poll
ticians as calling for intent study
on their part II was
Il am, nevertheless. human
enough 40 feel as a lifelong
republican, treasured tC belive
that only one conceivable devel-
ment could place him on the
democratic ticket, In spite of all
that has appeared recently in
the press. I believe that could
come about only If ovcr-conf-
dence in its own political pros
poets binds the republican party
20 adopt a nOn-Erogressive plat
form and to nominate candi-
dates Of reaction"
That paragraph, coming from one
who certainly is a responsible
friend and partner of Mr.. Hoover,
nnG assumes the manner Of his
Spokesman. was interpreted by the
politicians aG a threat 20 tie re-
publicans. That paragraph. as in
terDreted by the politicians. pic
t0red Mr. barnes as saying TO the
republicans
You lake Hoover as YOUR
candidate If you refuse 20 do
chat if you nominate some one
else. then Hoover viii accept
Fhe dem, crate nomination.. and
teke into the democratic Iarty
with him enough OF his friends
nd follOwe; among proc 'es-
sive republicans and iudepen-
dent vO.ers 10 swing the cleo
non"
Not Good POliuc.
]. that was the meauFi,- OF what
fdr Barnes said on behrf Of Mr.
Eoover. It was not good politics. II
was not good politics as respects the
republican leaders. for they regard
themselves as being IN a strong po-
Bition this year and are not in
mood 20 be impressed 10y threats II
democratic leaders. for IL offends
their pride. The democratic party
isn't in the political poorhouse vt
by any means and they don't have
90 accept republican hand-me-
downs
Whether Mr. Hoover IS TO get the
rel ubHcan or the democratic nomi-
nation has some relation to his own
party Affiliations. Mr.. Hoover him
self has never said what his politi-
Cal affiliations are There is no rea-
Fon why he should. IL is "a personal
1natter. once i'm England before
abe war hc did say that If ne were
expressing himself in terms Of
British politics ne would call him
self a liberal statement which
Sen. James II. Reed of Missouri
seized upon and tried 10 make capt.
tai ont o. I'm his thoroughly ruth
less and unfair effort 10 prevent Mr.
Hoover from being confirmed by the
senate as food controller
Mr.. Hoover has never said either
publicly or among his friends so
Ia as I know. what political party
81 America he belongs %. nor what
party he has voted with nor how
often he has voted M all This is a
6eid in which obviously Mr.. Hoover
himself Is the only authority Sub
sect 90 any statement he may make.
fhe evidence seems 20 be that ne
yoteG for Mckinley IN 1896 and very
probably has never cast another
vote since. Mr.. VIII Irwin. who was
DIR. Hoover's roommate IN stanford
university. IL authority for the
statement that Mr.. Hoover voted for
Mckinley. The only other evidence
in this field comes from some OF his
friends. who say that NIr Hoover
contributed 20 an anu-Tammany
campaign fund IN 1918. and that he
sympathized with the progressive
party IN 1919
Hoover Voting Not Important.
The fact Is that from 1899 until
1917 Mr. Hoover was almost con-
tinuously outside the United States
At various times he was engaged IN
mining engineering IN Australia and
Asia. and IN the financial part OF
the mining business IN London. II
e. true that during nearly all or this