Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-10
HOOVER INITIATES
 THAT N: IS WAITING,
 ON PEOPLES CALL
Is Common Citizen Who Does Not Seek Public
 Office

NcW O1k, MalcH -iipIbell | Hoover, in a letter received tonight by Ralph Arnold of Los Angeles, New York representative of the "Make Hoover President Club of California, declared he was not seek ing public office, that his ambition is to remain common citizen" but that he believed "like every other citizen, he should always be ready for service when really called upon. MT. Hoover's letter followed the act ion of a group of prominent Cali fornians residing in this city in ap- pointing a committee to go to Wash ington to ask Mr. Hoover to make known his position.
 Asserting that while "such pro posals are indeed great honor, feel that ] cannot alter the attitude that l have consistently preserved, MT. Hoover's letter continued:
 "First, l am independent progress sive in the issues before us today. think that at this time the issues before the country transcend partl- sanship. 1t is well known that was a progressive republican before the war and I think rightly q non partisan during my war service. 1 still object as much to the reaction ary group in the republican party, as do to the radical group in the demo cratic party.
 "Second, I am not seeking public office and consulting my own per. sonal inclnations, 1 do not want public office. l cannot prevent any citizen or group of citizens from agitating that l should take public office, but I cannot conscientiously participate in any organization tt that end.
 Common Citizen
 | "T belong to group which thinks that the American people should select their own officials at theii own initiative and volition and that resents the manufacture of officials by machine methods. l thoroughly believe that I, like any other citi' zen, should always be ready for ser. vice when really called upon, but tt go out and try to persuade the pub lie to call me is opposed to my every instinct.
 I "Third, hope to have the affect ion of my countrymen, but my ambition is to remain common citi zen, ready to engage in team play with any organization and leader ship that has for it's objective, tho consummation and maintenance oI great issues in the forms that be lieve are to be public interest ant
 benefit I, of course, believe 1T party organization, but it must b' I for the promotion of issues, not O
 r,an am not a straddler of any Tissue. spend most of my tint :. aeitating for issues that believe in It is the privilege of all of us to holt our own views and it is our duty t' express them when called upon to d so. But no man can be so arrogan as to assume that he can dictate th' issues to the American people, or U : the great parties they support. "Fourth--You and your friends have urged that l should undertak' , to organize propaganda for myself a representing issues, by entering int competition for nomination by great party. Aside from the reason mentioned above, this implies entr. .. upon a road of self seeking, where as my view is that l should agitat , for the issues, not for myself. Yo' rightly say that joining sheer or , ganization without issues simply i'm z plies entering upon office-huntini without regard to public service.
 "Finally, l am not so ignorant a i; to not realize perfectly well tha such a course does not lead to nom ination to the presidency, but l woul :. not be myself if I started out on path of office-seeking."