Evening star., 1920-04-01
HOOVER CANDIDACY
KEEPS practical
MEN" WONDERING
"WiII Be Elected if Nom
mated, But Who Will Nom
inate? 2" Politicians Ask.
BY n. O. MESSENGER.

Here is curious feature of this
dacy: One will hear republican and
democratic politicians say: We'll, il
Hoover is nominated he will be elect
3D." and yet the selfsame democrats
and republicans "go up in the air. at
the suggestion of nominating him.
Seems that the wires are crossed
there's 1t not so?
But it is a fact, there is practical
unanimity among what might be
termed the "practicing politicians" OF
both parties that Hoover's nomination
is undesirable. and yet they admit that
he would be a powerful vote getter"
at the polls in November for the party
which should take him on as its candi-
date.
"practicing politicians aver as the
chief objection to his nomination tfat
Re is not a party man-neither a
democrat nor a republican in the ac-
cepted sense OF the word, and 1t Is
held that ours is still a government
by party. In substantiation OF this
charge they point to his hanging In
the wind SO long before declaring
himself an "independent republican.
and cau attention to his support OF
President Wilson's demand for the
election of democratic Congress in
1918.
Mystery to Democrats.
Democrats are unable to understand
how he could have been so enraptured
with the Wilson administration and
the democratic party at that time and
now be ready to oppose them and all
their works.
Republicans, for their part. are
skeptical of the party soundness Of
a man now willing to be their candi-
date who only two years ago could
support the Presidents demand for
continued democratic control Of Con-
gress-a proposition regarded at the
time as monstrous by all republicans,
which outraged their sense Of 5ustice
and fair play In the. muunef OF Its
presentation AID w$1cf served to
cement the republican fSct:ors with
the white heat Of Indignation and
brought about the overthrow OF the
democratic majority in. House and
Senate.
Republicans are still resentful OF
that action Of the President in calling
for nationwide reputation Of the re-
publican party as war measure. in
view Of the fact that the republican
party had given the administration
more consistent support in Congress
of all war Legislation than had the
Presidents own party followers. That
any man who at that time stood with
the President on that appeal should
now stand forth to ask for the sop
port of republicans. Independent or
regular, doesn't look well to repub-
lican politicians, it is declared.
Other Objectiens Heard.
But the foregoing are not all OF the
objections raised by the practicing
politicians to Mr.. Hoover as . candi-
date for President of either party. It
is asserted that his nomination and
election will mean the beginning of
the end Of government by party; that
it will mark the inauguration OF BIZ
partisan rule in politics.
And furthermore, with especial ref
erence to Mr.. Hoover. the politicians
say they apprehend that in his case it
will be but a short step from bipar-
tisanship to internatioualism- His
friends deny this. pointing to his dep
recation of President Wilson's reputed
disposition to entangle this Country in
European affairs. That does not pla-
cate the objections being raised to him.
it is said, and it is declared that all his
affiliations have been foreign in recent
years. f
Moreover, republican old-line poll
ticians say they are frankly suspicious
of the democratic chickering's on Mr..
Hooyer's account before he announced
himself as an independent republican.
They recall the repeated assertions two
months ago that Mr.. Hoover was ia
vorably considered by President Wilson
as a potential candidate for the demo-
cratic nomination.
Point to Worlds Campaign.
They point to the campaign started
by the New York World for Mr.. Hoov-
er as the most available man for the
democratic nomination. The World
has been considered all along the es-
pecial reflector. of White House senti-
ment by it's ardent support Of the
President, and while, in fact, there
may have been no connection between
Presidents friendliness to Mr. Hoover,
and that newspaper may not have
spoken for the President, the circum-
stances led to contrary opinion
among many politicians.
There can be found republicans at
the Capitol who believe that Mr..
Hoover, once elected, would turn out
to be pretty nearly as good a demo-
crat. in fact. as he would be a repub-
lican. If there were democrats in Of
they are not at all certain that he
would replace them with republicans
just as good" There
can be found other republicans, not
chimerical in view. either. who are
not altogether convinced that Mr..
Hoover's election would be viewed as
a calamity by President Wilson and
his administration counselors.
If it is asked how. in view Of all these
many objections. SO many are alleged
to be agreed that Mr.. Hoover would be
so sure of election by whichever
party nominates him, the practicing poll
ticians will say they calculated the vote
of the women. which somehow or other
everybody apparently gives to Hoover:
that they are sensible of the growing
dissatisfaction Of the masses with
.'rule of the politicians: that Hoover
seems to be appealing to the popular
imagination, which is declared to be
jaded over some other candidates, and
that there seems to be danger that the
time is ripe for a great independent
movement in the country with the right
man to head it.
Those. so far as can be ascertained
at this time. are the objections of the
politicians in both the democratic and
republican ranks to the Hoover can
didacy. They are related as descriptiye
of the situation, nothing withheld and
malice.