Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-10
HOOVER ENTERS
PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Smoked Out by California Ad-
mirers, He Agrees to Run If
Drafted by Voters.
OPPOSES MACHINE METHODS
Declaring Issues Transcend Par
tisanship, He Raps Republican
and Democratic Extremists.
OPPOSES MACHINE METHODS
Iny AnsoclatedPress.

NEW YORK. March o.-Herbert
Hoover. in Il letter received tonight
py Ralph Arnold. of Los Angeles, New
York representative Of the Make
Hoover President Club" of California,
declared he was not seeking public
Office. that his ambition is to remain
common citizen" but that he believes
like every other citizen. he should
always be ready for service when real
~ called upon"
Mr.. lloovcr's letter followed the ac-
ton OF a group of prominent Cali
pointing Il committee TO go to Wash
inGton TO ask Mr.. Hoover to make
known his position.
Proposal n Great Honor.
Asserting that while such proposals
l can not alter the attitude that l have
consiScntly. preserved" Mr.. Hoovers
letter continued.
s1'irst, / am an independent progress
SiVc In the issues before us today.
think that at this time the issues be-
fore the country transcend partisan
Sntn 1t Is we,i known that was
and lthink rightly. nonpartisan dur
Ing my war service. The issues con-
fronting us are new and the alignment
the great parties. 1 still object as
much. to the reactionary group in the
Republican party as do to the radical
group In the Democratic party.
Second ! am not seeking public o.
ficc.. and, consulting my own personal
lnGllnntions. s;ll ] do not want public
o,ilee ero eann9i prevent any cltizen
that should take public ofiee.l but Z
cannot conscicntiouslyI participate In
any organization to that end
Ready Ir Called Upon.
II belong 10 a group which thinks
their own officials at their own militia
tive and volition and that resent the
methods, i feel sure that If 1 entered
tho race for nomination to tile presi-
dency and undertook to solicit and
spent the cost of nr95aEanda ga and or,
negation Of the right American in
Stinct because OF the obligations tina.
!; all implies: ] thoroughly believe
always be ready for service whcn
really called upon. but to go out and
try 10 persuade the public TO call me
is opposed 10 my every instinct.
Third, hope to have the affection
o! my countrymcn, but my ambition is
to remain common citizen, ready to
zation and leadership that has for its
objective the consummation and main
tsnance Of great issues in the forms
interest and benefit T. OF course. be-
lievc In party organization. but it must
be for the promotion of issues. not OF
men. am not a straddler of anv issue
! spend most Of my time asitating for
issues that believe in. 1t is the Drivi-
lcge OF all OF US to hold our own
views and 1t is our. duty to express
them when called upon TO do So But
no man can be so arrogant as to as
sumo that he can dictate the issues ia
the American ncoplc or to the great
parties they support.
Seeks Issues, Not ONCE.
Fourth, you and your friends have
urged that i should undertake to or
sanize propasanda ior. myself as rep
resentinS issues. by entering into com
petition for nomination by a great
party: Aside from the reasons men
toned above, this implies entry upon
a. road OF self-seeking. whereas my
view is that / should agitatc for the
issues, not for myself. You rightly
say that joining an organization with
cut issues is simply office hunting with
out regard to public services.
Finally. I am not so ignorant as
not to realize perfectly well that such
course does not lead to nomination
to the presidency, but I would not be
myself If I started out on path of
self-seeking to obtain any Office"