New-York tribune., 1920-02-09
Ex-Food Chief to Decide
His Affiliations After
Studying Platforms;
Won't Vote SBlindfold'
Firmly Against Any
Kind of Socialism
Opposes Dictatorship by
One Man, but Favors
Free Speech Principle

seeking the Presidency" said Her.
bert Hoover in a statement given
out in this city last night. 81 am
not candidate. have no sorgani-
zation.' No one is authorized to
speak for me politically"
AS to his political faith, Mr..
Hoover said that persons in both
parties had urged him to declare
his allegiance to one or the other,
but he was going to keep still until
he found out what each party stood
for. No one was going to make
him vote "blindfold," he said. If
the league Of nations should be a
campaign issue, he continued, h,
would vote for the party support
ing it.
Mr.. Hoover said that while he
'ftook day off" from the Industrial
conference in Washington to come
to New York, his purpose was solely
to straighten out some tangles in
the relief work for children in
Europe. While he was here, he.
said, he would take the opportunity
to "answer large number of qdes
tions all at once"
Stands for the League
"As an American citizen by birth and
Of long ancestry" he said, 81 am nat
urally deeply interested in the present
critical situation. Ny sincere and only
political desire is that one or both Of
the great political parties will approach
the vital issues which have grown out
of the war, and are new, with clear
i, purpose looking to the welfare of our
people, and that candidates capable of
carrying out this work should be nom
mated.
eff the treaty goes over to the
Presidential election with any reser-
vations necessary to clarity the
worlds mind that there can be no
infringement of the safeguards pro.
vided by our Constitution and our ma.
tion old traditions) then 1 must votS
for the party that stands for the
league.
with it there is Rope, not only
of the prevention of war but alss
that we can safely economic in mill
tary policies. There is hope of earlier
return Of confidence and the economic
reconstruction of the world.
81 could not vote with a party if it .
were dominated by groups who seek
to set aside our Constitutional guar
antees for free speech or free repre-
sentation, who hope to reestablish con-
troll Of the government for profit and
privilege. / could not vote with a
party if it were dominated by groups
who hope for any form of socialism.
whether it be naturalization Of indus
try or other destruction of individual
initiative.
Believes in Two Parties
"Both these extremes, camoufaged or
open, are active enough in the country
to-day. Neither of these Nominations
would enable those constructive eco
nomic policies that will get US down
from the unsound economic practices
which Of necessity grew out of the
war, nor would they secure the good
will to production in our farmers and
workers or maintain the initiative Of
our business men. The issues look for
ward. not back.
II do not believe in more than two
Of groups could, as in Europe. create
danger of minority rule. l do believe
in party organization. to support great
ideals and to carry great issues and
consistent policies. Nor can any one
man dictate the issues of great parties.
"It appears to me that the hope Of
great majority of our citizens in con-
fronting this new period in American
life is that the great parties will take
positive stands on the many issues
that confront US, and will select men
whose character and associations will
guarantee their pledges.
Il am being urged by people in both
parties to declare my allegiance to
either one or the other. Those who
know me know that am able to make
up my mind when subject is clearly
defined. Consequently, until it more
definitely appears what the party man.
ayers stand for, must exercise a pre-
rogative Of American citizenship and
decline to pledge my vote blindfold.
II am not unappreciative of the
many kind things that my friends have
advanced on my behalf, yet / hope
they will realize my sincerity in not
tying myself to underlined partissn-
ship"