Evening star., 1920-01-20
HOOVER SENTIMENT
SWEEPING COUNTRY
NOW,|SD|SCLOSED
Great GroundsWeII for Him Is
Reported From Many
Sources.
BY n. O. MESSENGER.

BY n. o. MESSENGER.
NEW YORK. January 2o.-There
can be no mistake in the fact that
there is a tremendous groundswell OF
sentiment for Herbert c. Hoover for
President of the United States. The
practical question of which political
party shall nominate him appears to
he regarded as of secondary impor
tance.
The writer has encountered this
sentiment in every state visited in his
political meanderings since the mid
die of December. Everywhere the
Hoover sentiment when expressed, is
non-partisan or bipartisan, or what
ever you want to term it. 1t rises
above party politics 1t is claimed
TO be the reaching out of the people
who entertain it for man and a set
of principles: a getting away from
association with reaction and radical
ism both: a sounding with the deep
sea lead for safe anchorage not
marked by channel buoys and spars
set by politicians of the past.
People Are Restless.
Probably every man and woman in
terested in politics who is keeping IN
touch with public sentiment will say
that he or she has instinctively felt
and realized that the people are rest
less and are thinking more deeply
about men and principles than about
parties or old political fetishes. The
existence of this feeling to such a
large extent as now seems to be IN,
dicated promises to make 1920 PAD
year for extremists, for standpatters
of old and for the vender of radlcal
nostrums as well.
- Mr.. Hoover appears to be faSc1n-
ating character. attractive 70 all class
es I can take you into The biggest
financial houses of Manhattan Island
will hoar Hoover DralSed.
The man in the street will tell you
that he finds Hoover men all around
him in his neighborhood. The ten
-year-old daughter of friend, VINO
held up her well cleaned plate at din
ner the other night, and said, That
ought to please Mr. Hoover showed
that his name is household word.
Now, they do say that the farmers
of the northwest are against MIN:
Two months ago the representative OF
one of the biggest granger ogranlza-
tions. with a membership of two mil
lion, told the writer in Washington
that the western wheat growers would
fight Hoover. At the Amen Corner
dinner the other night the president OF
western transcontinental railroad,
just on from the northwest, told The
Star correspondent that the farmers
are against Hoover. They charge. 1t
is said. that he was responsible Tor
s225 wheat. while the southern cotton
growers operated with the lid on OF
cotton prices.
SHES at Being Selected .asss..ss,
Today I heard from another. source
the story telegraphed The Star last
Friday that the democratic admin
istration wanted Mr.. Hoover to run
on the democratic ticket. Today's
informant said that Mr.. Hoover had
SHE'D at the proposition. 1 have heard
from many sources that Mr.. Hoover
&c civ lu Ill a ahnutD he nreSl-
dency. That he feels he has lim1ta-
tiors and has no illusions about
them nor delusions about himself
But, it is declared emphaticaliy by
men here who have talked with him
recently. there is one thing upon
which he is absolutely sure of him.
self. and that is his firm intent to
lend himself to a constructive pro-
wheatever capacity he may be enabled
to further it.
Hoover will not play the political
game the old way for any party" de-
clared today a man who has been
close to Mr. Hoover through many
years. and in other lands than this.
And when this man said that ne
expressed in a sentence lhe leel-
ing which is responsible for the
.rroundswen of Hoover sentiment. 1t
is because they believe that he will
not play the old politics. and because
they have profound impatience
with many of the old poltical plays
and players.
Seen as Political Enigma.
Here is. man who is. in way, a
noIitical enigma. One day they call
him a democrat and the next day a
republican and then an Independent.
But, of course. before he can be Presl-
dent he must be the candidate of some
regular party or or an independent
organization. No one takes seriously
the idea that he could be an independ-
ent candidate and win. If, as report
ed. he repulsed the alleged advances
of the administration to be the demo-
cratic candidate, would he be more
gracious to a tender from republican
hands. the politicians are wondering
Naturally, the practical political
leaders look askance at him. They
don't want any man who is heraided
IN advance as one who will not play
the game as they understand it. So, it
becomes difficult TO see how this
Hoover sen ntir1ent is 20 oe crySta1lized
and assembled for practical purposes
unless some party organization does
take him up and propose him as q
candidate for the nomination. 1t might
he done by delegates to the conven-
tions keeping Mr.. Hoover in the back
of their heads as their second choice,
when the favorite sons have had their
innings or when there should be a
deadlock.
That is looking too far ahead. For
the moment one must be content to
chronicle the existence of this Hoover
feeling and leave the development of
it in the lap of time
But do not make any mistake IL is
mighty wave of feeling, rolling over
this country right now