Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-02-19
CONTAINS
BUT ONE PLANK

1.-THE Hoover boom has now
reached the point where the rudi-
ments of a platform are appearing.
OF course entirely without volition
on his part, but the the solicitation
of my friends, the candidate has is
sued a statement Purporting to
inform the people what principles he
intends to support when he casts his
vote next November, he lays before
them his views on some national
questions, Mr.. Hoover well knows
that the public has no more interest
in his individual vote than in that of
the ballot of any other citizen, and
he ought to realize that when he dis
cusses campaign questions the peo-
pie will know that he does so in the
capacity of candidate. They are
not to be deceived by the statement
that I have not sought and am not
seeking the presidency
stripped of its generalities the
Hoover platform contains but sim
gle specific plank 4 must vote for
the party that stands for the league
he declares Mr. Hoover is a man
of intelligence. He recognizes that
the league is a party question, and
that hnless it is disposed of earlier
il will be a party issue at the cleo
tions. II he is a candidate he will
champion the league. OF course
that single fact precludes his selec-
tion by the republicans, even though
nothing else prevented it. 1t stands
as a warning to every republican in
the country that Hoover is an inter-
nationalist of the same type as the
man who appointed him to power
during the war.
"Mr. Hoover says he is being urg-
ed by the people of both parties to de-
clare his allegiance to one or the
other. He declines, however, to do
so until it more definitely appears
what the party managers stand for
Party principles are as definitely
known today as they will be until
the conventions adopt the planks in
their platforms. If Mr.. Hoover de-
lays his affiliation with party until
after that is done he may find him
self too late. More often than not
the proceeding Of political conven-
tion is to nominate candidates and
then turn to the adoption of plat
form. II that course is followed
this year it will be too late for
Hoover, and he will be forced to run
independently, although he says, i
do not believe in more than two
great political parties
1.-THE former food administrator
speaks of himself as AN American
citizen by birth and of long ances-
try Information on Mr.. Hoover's
ancestors is not at hand, and might
not be Of great interest to American
readers il it should be brought to
light. Neither is it of special con-
Germ when selecting a presidential
candidate to know where the man
spent his infancy, except to ascertain
that he complies with the constitu-
tional requirement of American ma
tiyity. The important facts to be
considered are as to where the can
didate has spent his manhood and
under what influences and sur
roundings he has formed his concep-
tons of American and international
affairs. On that point Mr.. Hoover
is discretely silent.s 1t becomes the
duty of others to tell the people of
his 20-year association with British
financiers, with his headquarters in
London and bis whole attention CEN
tered on matters entirely foreign to
American thought.
i hope they (my friends) will
realize my sincerity in not tying my
self to underlined craftsmanship con-
cludes Mr.. Hoover's initial political
outlying. Such realization must
indeed be with feeling of pity for
a man without the capacity to abb
sorb from daily review of events a
well-defined idea of what marks the
division between the republican and
democratic parties. II he can not
comprehend these differences now.
the written planks of platform can
be expected to let but little more
light into his mind. What COM
mentary on the other candidates
now in the field. Does Mr. Hoover
mean to charge that none of them
knows what he stands for and what
he opposes?