Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-22
Politics at Large
By G.. Could Lincoln.

And once again. with unlimited enei
gy, ability to grasp essentials and TO
organize, Mr.. Hoover has brought or
der and relief to a great olstIesseu
area. this time in the United states
itself If there is any Republican WHO
could run for office and WIN III .ne
flood district of the Mississippi. thal
man is the Secretary OF Confleise:
If he were the Republican NOMINEES ~.
President, Democrats from the tnIe
States hardest hit, Louisiana, Mlseis
sippi and Arkansas, admit ne Woulu
pile up a big vote there. Indeed. there
are those who insist he would carry
Louisiana in 1928 If he were the re
publican standard bearer, so great Is
the confidence of the people in him.
X X X
The tribute paid by the people or
these States is to the man ana the
executive. not the politician. Had Mr.
Hoover played the great game OF pom,
tics half as we'll as he conducted
American relief work in Belgium, In
Russia, in the flood area of the MIS-
sissippi, the Food Administration dur
ing the war, and half as we'll as he has
conducted the great department or
which he is the head. since the war.
he would be far out in front OF all
other candidates for the Republican
nomination next year. provided Presi-
dent Coolidge should decline to be a
candidate to succeed himself. But
Mr. Hoover has been an executive,
not a politician. That has been one
of his chief virtues in times OF emer'
gency. With almost uncanny vision
he has determined what should be
done and has done it. If his recent
achievements had been in the Republi-
can States of Illinois, Ohio. Indiana.
Iowa and Nebraska, instead OF the
"solid South" his name even now
would be in the mouths or many Tor
the party nomination.
Mr.. Hoover has no Intention of
seeking the Republican nomination if
President Coolidge is to be a candi-
date. He has made this perfectly
clear When his friends put him for
ward for the nomination in 1920, after
his success as American food admins
traitor during the World War, he had
big following in the country, but
the political leaders did not turn to
him. Hiram Johnson, who halls also
from California. had that State dele
cation in his pocket. 1t is a handi-
cap to any candidate not to have his
State delegation with him.
Mr.. Hoover has been in the public
service constantly since 1921, as the
head of the Department of Commerce.
He has been one of the strong men of
the administration. There has been
a growing sentiment for him among
the business people of the country.
And business is not without its in
fuence in politics. Should the unex-
han nd CnnIi6pp
eliminate himself as a candidate next
year.. Mr.. Hoover will have no mean
following for the Republican nomina-
ton.
If there has been no clamor from
the States most affected by the flood
for a special session of Congress to
grant relief. 1t is largely due to the
work of Secretary Hoover in that
area. The necessary relief for the flood
sufferers has been found. Hoover has
told them no one shall go hungry and
they believe him. After all, what the
people of the lower Mississippi Valley
most earnestly desire is such legisla-
ton by Congress as will make impos-
sible a repetition of the flood which
is now passing. If Congress were
called hurriedly, 1t might appropriate
0,000, 900, or even $40 100000, for re-
the other and more numerous millions
which will be needed to carry out a
permanent flood prevention plan. The
people of the lower valley are not
anxious to see the bloom wiped off
the peach in this fashion.
Whether it will take national
emergency comparative to the Missas-
sippi Valley emergency to put Mr..
Hoover in the running for the Presi-
dency remains to be seen. But if he
is not a candidate in 1928 he will bear
watching for 1882.
X y y y
Edward c. Stokes, former Governor
of New Jersey and Republican State
chairman, has formally announced
his candidacy for the Republican nom-
ination for Senator next year. SEN
ator Edward I. Edwards, Democrat,
comes up for reelection at that time.
Mr.. Stokes, however, is not the only
Republican aspirant for the senatorial
nomination. Hamilton p. Kean, Re-
publican national committeeman,
and former Senator Joseph s. Freling
huysen both have turned longing eyes
toward Washington. In the interest
Of party harmony Mr.. Stokes has
suggested that all three step aside and
permit the nomination of a compro-
mise candidate, but without success.
1t appears now that there must be
showdown. A ruction among the Re-
publicanS may aid Senator Edwards,
whose wetness appeals particularly to
many voters in the State where "Jer.
sey lightning" has been famous for
years.
Assemblyman Louis Cuvillier of
New York, confirmed enemy of pro-
hibition, discovered that during the
last quarter of century 20 States
have, through their Legislatures, call
ed on Congress to take steps to bring
about a constitutional convention. 1t
requires only two-thirds of the States
to bring about such convention. Mr..
Cuvillier conceived the idea that if
four more States could be persuaded
to vote for such a convention it nee
essarily would be called and could
take action to amend or repeal the
eighteenth amendment.
Iowa, strong in the dry faith, has
through it's Legislature recently taken
steps to checkmate this plan. 1t voted
to rescind the action of an earlier
Legislature urging Congress to call a
constitutional convention. The reso-
luton asking for a convention, adopt
ed years ago, was intended to provide
an opportunity to amend the Consti-
tuition so as to provide the direct cleo
ton of United States Senators. The
Constitution already has been amend
ed in this particular. Some of the
other States which have adopted sim
liar resolutions in the past had in
view the same amendment to the
Constitution, or amendments for Wom-
an suffrage or for the imposition of
a Federal income tax, or for other
purposes. None of them had in mind
the repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment. 1t is expected that other States
where dry sentiment prevails will fol-