The Alaska daily empire., 1920-02-27
The Case of Hoover
est. Louis Globe.Democrat, Republican, ).

Herbert Hoover is a unique figure in the history of American politics. It is perhaps paradoxical to say that man is ''in politics who refuses 10 nave any thing to do with politics and who declines most posi- lively to enter the political Yet wily-nilly MT Hoover is political figure in the public estima- tion and in that he is in politics whether he likes it not. That he will be in politics bodily have doubt, if the public insistence is strong enough for MT. Hoover, we are quite sure is human and although he may be sincerely averse to political office he is too real American to refuse call to great service if certain that the call is genuine Men been mentioned the presidency whose political attitude was in doubt and men have been mentioned who refused to permit their names to be presented Tor the presidential nomination. MT tooVers unlqueness is not in single fact but in a combination of pecu liar circumstances that make him at once sngularly attractive and attractvey singular
 There is to begin with, the glamour of ramance The Americans romantic people in spite of their sturdy practicality Indeed their whole history is And there is much in this mans career to appeal to this quality. The Of a Quaker, an or phan in early childhood, he worked his way through 1choo and university a degree in engineering, and at 22 went to Australia a mining engineer There after for many years his life was spent in strange, outof-he-way places of the world, particularly in Australia and China, achieving fame and material rewards by his in his profession, and the be- ginning of the world found him in London at the head of a great mining corporation, whose activities embraced continents Under his direction were some 50,000 men, working in China Burma, Australia, Rus sia Mexico, California; yet America outside the min ing business, knew him not. And when in 1914 he placed in charge of American relief in London and in 1915 in charge of Belgian relief, the question Who's Hoover?' found few to give answer. But three years later Hoover had become a household word in every or the United States and new verb had been added the vocabulary of the people. That is the romance that leap from remote obscurt ity to an immanent fame.
 And he is being talked of candidate for President, not merely by party but by both par ties. No to know whether he is Repub- Iican Democrat An intimate associate says he is progressive Republican, which is probably not in tended to d Progressive Republican, That is to say the adjective may be presumed be distinction of quality rather than of party. But the other hand, the greatest demand for his nomination comes from the Democrats. It is pointed out that he sup ported President Wilson's appeal of October 1918 for Congress that would back him, and his advocates say that makes him "a good enough Democrat" His full statement however, shows that his support of that appeal based upon national and not upon party considerations. Is Hoover Republican is he Democrat? Or is he neither the the oth- CT? The New York World, looked upon the organ of the Wilson administration announces that it doesnt what he is it's for him. There is talk of his nomination by both parties incredible geson. although Monroe elected to his second term without opposition.
 Meanwhile Hoover himself is saying nothing but that he is not candidate. He has said word to clear the mystery of his political leanings if he has any. He has made it fairly plain. however, that regardless of the direction of his political sentiment he is not partisan. And yet of his positive ness could hardly be neutral That he has opinions public questions and strong ones shown by his public utterances, but still glean from them an indication of party bias Hoover, say again, is a unique figure in American politics.