The Washington herald., 1920-10-10
Democrats Have Failed in
Responsibilities Since Ar
mistice, Is Charge.
NATIONS NEEDS CITED
Former Food Administrator
Tells of Problems of Next
Administration.
(By United Press-)

a great many parts Of the present
treaty are good and are inter-
twined with the stability of the
world" said Herbert Hoover in an
address today before the Columbia
Club of Indianapolis.
Mr.. Hoover made it clear that he
would hold the Republican party
and its candidate to their promises
to undertake the fundamental mis-
sion to put into living being, the
principle of an organized associa-
tion of nations for the pTeserva-
tiOn Of peace"
Text of speech.
Mr. Hoover said:
There is in this election an
overriding issue of which the
question of the" league or "a
league. Of a tariff for protection"
or a tariff for revenue" are but
a. part. The major issue today
and for the future Of our COun-
try is party responsibility. I am
convinced that, underneath all this
discussion, the American people are
raising a most fundamental question
is the conduct and responsibility of
political parties. Not since 1850 has
there been such a looseneSs of party
ties, such a lack of confidence in
party machinery and methods, such
a searching scrutiny of party prom
ises and purposes. The Democratic
party has failed in its resposibili-
ties The Republican party has made
certain definite promises to the cOun-
try If it be placed in government.
The question at issue is: Shall the
political parties be made to assume
the responsibilities for their actions
and promises. both now and in the
future?
Based on MajOrity's VIII.
Our form of government is based
upon the expression through the
ballot of the will of the majority
Although our Constitution makes no
provision for them, we have found
by practical experience over our en-
tire national life that we can only
give this expression through party
organization. This political need
goes deeper than American expe-
rience. The ability to change the
government and its policies by or
ganized political parties giving an
opportunity to the voice of the ma
jOrity i the substitute Of or
derly change that Democracy
has discovered for the violence
of revolution. Therefore. as ours
is a government that must be
based on parties it is fun
damental that when party fails in
statesmanship or fails to carry out
its promises it must accept the pen
altieS of that failure. II should b.
retired that its leadership may be
reformed. This is the real issue, and
is immensely more deeply seated
than superficial partisanship.
No more dangerous thing can
come to US than such a failure OF
our great parties to create a field
for third party growth. II we
are to sustain party government. If
we are to keep two dominant parties
in the field, our parties when in
power must carry out their prom
ises. must succeed in efficient gov
eminent, must find solution for ma
tional difficulties. must march in
progress with the times. must repre- !
sent the will of the majority
Believes Administration Failed.
1 believe that since the armistice |
the present administration has
made a failure by all the tests that
we can apply. No man would be so !!
narrow as to condemn the patriot !
ism of one-half of his cOuntrymen. !
A large part Of the men who have /
supported the Democratic party !
have no direct responsibility for the
failure of its leaders. Nor would l |
condemn all the acts of its officials. !
They are men of high character and /
motives. These should not be mat /
ters of personalities, for the eleya-
tiOn of personalities to the rank of !
issues is the negation of clear
thinking. But if We are. to main !
tain and sustain party government. /
II We are to hold through this our
only means Of expression to the .
Will Of the majority. any party !
that fails as a party should and
must be retired from office. /
In a supreme national crisis, such |
as we nave just passed through, ,
even party government should be +
aid aside. The Republican partv /
recognized this promptly and gave /
its unqualified support to the gov !
, ernment from our declaration tof
war up to its victorious conclusion. !
But with victory accomplished, the /
leaders OF the Democratic party. |,
disregarding this corporation. de-
Cided to ignore one-half the peopIe /
Of the United States and to make I
peace alone. Here, / believe, lies
the beginning of its failure in |
statesmanship. By our government |
alone, OF all the great governments !
engaged upon the allied side. was
il insisted that a single party should |
dominate the issues in making /
peace. Finally, in the bitterness of |
the quarrel which has arisen over
the peace, the Democratic admins
tratton has so disintegrated as to be
incapable Of developed progress
.or the great measures of recon- /
itruction which must follow from
he war. We have simply drifted for
he past two years. In political J
leadership, this party has; at least !
for the present, ceased to function. |
Compromise Was Only Cure.
/ have no doubt our Democratic
friends will argue that. they are
martyrs to adherence to the great |
principle Of the unmodified covenant |
,f the league of nations. They are
Hcking martyrdom on a false prem !
Use. There is but one principle in |
volved, and that is the preservation |
j Of peace by organized international I