The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-02-11
HERBERT HOOVER

Herbert Hoover ranks just
about as high a politician as jim
Reed does as a statesman. Mean
lug that if he were called upon to
pass an examination in the sci
ence of practical politics, he
would funk.
Now who ever heard Of can
ddate for president who refused
to reveal the brand of politics he
prefers? Yet, in spite of the fact
that he has a pretty fair-slzed
presidential boom ON his hands,
that is precisely the position Mr..
Hoover takes and what S more,
he declares that he won't decide
on the party he will hook up
with until he finds out how they
propose to meet the issues that
are before the country. How in
the name of Nebuchadnezzar is
candidate who talks like that
going to get anywhere? or
course, Mr.. Hoover distinctly dis
claims any desre to be candi
date but that won't prevent the
politicians from seeing dark,
sinister meaning in the perfectly
plain statement in which he sets
forth his position. They will !
, probably discover in his pro-
nouncement some subtle strategy, |
designed to overthrow the sacred |
traditions of the republic and to
put the palladium of liberty on
the pork but they will have to
marshal some mighty strong evil
dence to prove that Herbert s
modest manifesto is a political
document or sort Of "opening
gun" in his campaign.
Mr.. Hoover didn't say a word
about being willing to make the
sublime sacrifice if his friends
and fellow-countrymen insist up
on it. He didn't even hint that
he is a friend of the "peepul"
and will patriotically bow to
their behest if they demand that
he be a candidate. He didn't
hand out soft words for anybody
or any political party but CON
tented himself by outlining in
general terms how he will decide
what party he will support. In
short, he makes it clear that he
will exercise his prerogative as
an American citizen to choose his
own political allegiance when he
discovers what the parties stand ;
for.
First Of all, Mr.. Hoover says !
he will favor the party that !
stands for the League of Nations :
with any reservations necessary
to clarity to the world mind
that there can be no in :
fringment OF the safeguards oro- +
vided by our constitution and :
be believes that with League Of l
Nations, "there is hope not only !
for prevention of war but also =
that we can safely economic in
policies y Further out
lining his views, he says:
" | could not vote with party
if it were dominated by groups
who seek to set aside our consti-
tutional guarantees for free
speech or free representation,
who hope to re-establish control
of the government for profit and
privilege.
Il could not vote with a party
# it were dominated by groups
who hope for any form of So
sialism, whether it be nationali-
zation of industry, or other de-
of Individual initia-
i've. Both these extremes ca
nouflaged or open, are active
in the country today.
Neither of the Nominations
would enable those constructive
economic policies that will get us
lown from the unsound econom-
C practices which of necessity
rev out of the war, nor would
hey secure the good will to pro-
uction in our farmers and work
rsr or maintain the initiative of
ur business men. The issues look
orward, not backward.
81 do not believe in more than
vo great parties. Otherwise