Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-14


| Roosevelt into revolt. The result in
November of that year proved the
SoundncsS of the contention Of Roosc-
welt that the Old Guard did not rrprc-
sent the sentiments Of the party. Even
IN this state, where machine politics has
I reached its most perfect development.
the Republicans went to the polls and
by vote of 444.000 to. ?73 900 de-
fcated the candidate of the Old Guard,
not because it did not like the man but
because it resented the ruthless methods
of the machine which nominated him.
IT the Republican party is to con
| tinuc as an efficient instrument it must
80 conduct itself as to attract to it the
| younger generation of voters. Other
/ wise IL will die of dry rot. or scnility.
| or whatever other ailmcnt atfiictS or
ganisms or organizations dependent for
immortality upon the infusion of new
/ life. More than million young mon
( come of age every year, as well as more
/ than million young women. And the
young women. even if they are not cp-
franchiscd this year. will be able to
vote before another presidential cleo
tion. Tho party which attracts to it
majority of these recruits each year
will control the government.
These new voters will not be at
tractcd to the Republican party if its
! policies are dictated by the Old Guard.
They will not be attracted to any party
whose leaders are more intent on fight
ing for the spois of Office than on the
application of principles to the solution
of national problems
The enthusiastic support of Hoover
for the presidency by the young men
in the colleges is due to the fact that
Mr.. Hoover stands for certain princi-
pies which appeal to the imagination
of unspOicd youth He has demon
Stratcd his ability to handle large prob
lens in large way. 1t is believed that
he would handle the problems of ad .
miniStration in Washington with the
skill which he displayed in the food ad
miniStratiOn and that he would be in
tent on bencticcnt results rather than
on the maintenance of n political ma
chine. The belief is widespread among
Mr.. Hoovcr's supporters. not only
among the young men but among the
more mature, that hr would use tho
Republican party primarily as an in
strumcnt of efficient government and
would trust for its continuance in power
to recognition of its efficiency.
Everything that .!r. Hoover has said
iuStiics this view of him. His latest
output is an explanation Of his views
on the methods Of administration in
Washington. This is not ono. man
government, he says. but n government
by the majority whose will is expressed
through Il political party. In order to
secure efficiency there must be team
work between the legislative and ex =
Ccutivc branches Of the government.
( The executives must deal with the com :
mittccS Of Congress, and he says that
with full and free discussion and a
sane adjustment of differences results
can be accomplished. He is confident
that such methods applied in sincerity
would produce that hearty co.oppra =
tiOn between the executive and the
legislative branches without which busi
ness is brought to a standstill
There is nothing new in this view.
Other men have expressed il. but when
they have tried to apply their theory
they have failed for one reason or an
other. Mr.. Hoover might also fail,
but during the war he had to conciiatC
moro divergent interests than any Pres
dcnt has had to deal with His friends
are confident that he would be able "a
rescue the government in WASHINGTON
from the red tape which binds it as vel
as from the stagnatiOn that arises from
II deadlock when the President anC
Congress cannot agree.
And in these days, when cxccutiv,
ability Of the highest ordcE is in greater
demand than the abilities of a mere
party organizer or the complaisanCe
Of a mau who will 60 along with tn,
) machine without making trouble, thrr,
| are hundreds Of thousands Of Rcpubli
can voters who would like to see Mr.
Hoover nominated in Chicago.
But the Old Guard will not conscn
10 his nomination if it can help itself
: 1t is not interested in demonstrating
to the nation tho fitness of the Repub
lcan party to serve il. any move thar
[ it was interested in such n thing il
; 1912. 1t is not Interested in attraCtin
p 10 the party the new generation O
voters. It cares for little besides keep
\ ing control of the machine. It's plan
@ were laid months ago, aud those withi
{ its rounscls have been saying that moth
t ing has happened to induce it to max
{ any material modification of its plans
Q The brigadicr generals who led tn
n narty to defeat in 1912 and again /
y 1916 are still wearing their uniform
. and issuing orders. They seem to b
t confident that they can capitalize tn
=, discomfort with the Democratic ad
[ ministration and elect any man thi
2 year. Perhaps they can, for the Demo
cratic party is unpopular even with il
It own members. But there are othe
wears and other campaigns.
y Leaders with imagination and vsio
70 would be considering the future as we
c AS the present, They would not b
characterizing as insane the voters VIII
=. favor Mr.. Hoover, for they would kno,
Il that a party without the support of sue
d voters is doomed to slow but certai
n death. Md they woqN be seeking