The Washington times., 1920-04-20
BRITISH SEEK
TOA|D HOOVER
PriW Councillor Sounds" Head
Of Farmers Union-Told
Johnson Peoples Man."

rett, president OF the National Farm
ers' Union, an organization having
1000, 900 members In thirty-nye states
, has issued statement to the puplic
] through the, Senator johnson heao
I quarters here discussing the candl .
! dacy of Herbert Roover for President.
Mr.. Barrett declared he had re-
Gently been approached by a member
Z OF the Kings Privy Council. who tried
TO Sound" the farm leader on MI
Hoover. The distinguished Britisher
formerly occupied a commanding po-
sftion in the British Parliament lie
seemed much distressed when Mr..
Barrett told him frankly that Hoover
was repugnant to organized agricul
ture.
els there anything in the record OF
Mr.. Hoover that you are unable 10
forgive" the Englishman asked Mr..
Barrett
This question was repeated In the
presence OF several witnesses, all OF
whom noticed the evident anxiety
with which the Privy Councillor await
ed an answer.
Opposed to Conduct.
Mr.. Barrett said the public conduct
OF Mr.. Hoover was not such as to
justify farmers in hoping that they
would obtain equitable treatment
Z from MIN were ne cletieu
Iof the United States.
81 was able to speak with some sort
J of authority because / was a member
OF the Agricultural Advisory Commit
tee of the United States Food Admin
istration," said Mr.. Barrett.
Mr. Barrett said that while his Wis
itor did not specifically inform him
that he was representing King George
and the British Government when he
inferentially urged support Of Hoover
all the circumstances were such as to
justify that conclusion. Mr.. Barrett
added:
"I thought then, and I think now,
I that we ought to be left entirely free
: TO select our own candidates. 1 had
quite made up my mind long before
the British privy councillor visited
= me that Hoover was unacceptable to
the masses of the United States,
| whether on the farm or in the cities,
hut when found that England want
. ed him, I concluded that an addi-
tional and very strong reason was
given for his rejection by the United
States.
Resents Interference.
I'VE are of course, the friend of
England. but even a friend should
not be entrusted with the important
Great Britain would properly resent
any inter<>ence by us ~ in her
domestic affairs, and we have a right
20 treat with suspicion any effort by
British agents to induce US to accept
a man for Chief Executive who en-(
joys intimate relations with for
eign government"
Mr.. Barrett called attention to the
fact that as privy councillor his
visitor enjoyed privileges not avail
able to the ordinary British subject.
For instance, the ears of the King
and his ministers were always open
to him.
"I know the farmers are not ready
to give support to a man who has
been so frankly adopted as the can
.didate of Wall street." continued Mr..
Barrett. THE first big newspaper in
New York to announce a preference
for him is owned by Lamont, who is
,Morgan's man, and Morgan enjoys in
innate relations with King George and
Lloyd George.
1T is only natural that the people
of this country would rebuke the
action of an alliance of British and
American interests in choosing
candidate, dressing him UP and then
offering him to the American voters.
of course. Hoover would be satisfac-
tory to the confederation of big in
terests in whose bosom invisible gov
ernment finds protection and a vantage
ground from which to operate.
johnson Preferred.
an view. of these facts I think the
farmers in making a choice between
Hiram w. Johnson and Herbert
Hoover would certainly select the
Senator. They would certainly prefer
an American to an Anglo-American
Nobody can accuse Senator Johnson
OF diluting his Americanism."
Mr.. Barrett said it was, of course,
quite easy for a man who has the
command of millions of dollars, with
the resources of Wall Street behind
him and a publicity organization such
rs no candidate ever before had Gre
ated for him, to make an impression
on the nation. By the use of these
vast, though artificial means for
reaching the people, 1t would not be
difficult for any man to obtain a fol-
lowing.
uApd that 10 ipct uhara tho