The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-03-10
NOT SEEKING OFFICE
SAYS Mr.. HOOVER
Has Ambition Only to Remain "Cona.
mon Citizen"
READY FOR SERVICE
WHEN CALLED UPON.
Letter to Los Angeles Man in New
York Notes Suggestions Doing
Him Honor byt Repeats That
He is Not Member of
Either Party.

New York, March 9.-Herbert
Hoover in letter received tonight by
Ralph Arnold OF Los Angeles, New
York representative of the "Make
Hoover President Club" of California,
declared he was not seeking public Of
flee, that his "ambtion to remain
common citizen" but that he believed
he like every other citizen, should
always be ready for" service when
really called upon"
Mr.. Hoover's letter followed the ac-
ton of group Of prominent Cali
fornians residing in This city in ap-
pointing committee to go to Wash
ing to =: Mr.. Hoover to make known
his position. Asserting that while
such proposals are indeed great
honor, I feel that I can not alter the
attitude that l have consistently pre-
served" Mr.. Hoover's letter contin-
ucd:
"First | am an independent pro-
gressivc in the issues before US to-
day. / think that at this time the
issues before the country transcend
partisanship. 1t is we'll known that
was Progressive Republican before
| the war and l think rightly a nom
partisan during my war service. The
! issues confronting lis are new and the
alignment upon them has not yet been
made by the great par;fes. l still OBJ
Ject as much to the reactionary group
i in the Republican party as l do to the
radical group nj the Democratic party.
Second, / am not seeking public
office, and, consulting my own per-
sonal inclinations, do want pub
lie office. l can not prevent any
citizen or group of citizens from agi-
tating that I should take public Of
flee, but | can not conscientiously par
/ tic!patc in any organization to that
end.
II belong to that group which
! thinks that the American people
should elect their own officials at their
own initiative and volition and that
resent the manufacture or officials bv
machine methods. | feel sure that If
| entered the race for nomination to
the presidency and undertook to So
llclt and spend the cost Of propaganda
and organization this would be in it.
self a nePation of the right American
instinct because Of the obligations
that it all implies. l thoroughly be-
hcve that |. like any other citizen.
should always be ready for service
when really called upon, but to 20 out
and try to persuade the public to call
me IS opposed to NJ ycvcry instinct
"Third, / hope to have the affee-
ton Of my country, but my ambition
Is to remain common citizen, ready
to engage in team-play with any or
ganization and leadership that has for
its objective the consummation and
maintenance of great issues in the
forms that I believe are to the pub
lie interest and benefit. I,of course.
believe in party organization, but it
must be for the promotion of issues,
not men. I am not a straddlcr of any
issue. | spend most Of m ytime agi-
tating for issues that I believe in II
is the privilege of all Of us to hold
our views and it is our duty to express
them when called upon 70 do so. But
no man can be so arrogant as to as
sumo that he can dictate the issues
to the American people or to the great
parties they support.
Fourth, you and your friends have
urged that l should undertake to or
ganizc propaganda for myself as rep
rescnting issues, by entering into
for nomination by a great
party. Aside from causes mentioned
above this implies cn:ry upon a road
of selfseeking, whereas my view is
that / should agitatc for the issues.
not for myself. You rightly say that
joining sheer organization without
issues is simply office hunting with
out regard to public service.
FINALLY, l am not so ignorant as
not to realize perfectly well that such
course does not lead to nomination
10 the presidency, but I would not be
myself if | started out on a path of
'C}f~Sppkipcs To clt -. ,ol on -