Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-20
Mr.. Hoover's Residence. "

Friends of Herbert Hoover. advo'
Gates Of his nomination for the presi-
dency. are engaged in an effort to
refute the contention raised in some
quarters that he is ineligible for the
Office because of the fourteen years
residence" clause in the Constitution
prescribing the qualifications for the
highest post in the United States.
This contention was evoked when Mr..
Hoover's name began to be mentioned
last Summer when President Coolidge
stated that he did not choose to run
in 1928. It was pointed out that Mr..
Hoover was for a considerable period
engaged in his professional work
abroad and that that time, together
with the space of his work at the
head OF the Belgian relief service,
compassed more than the time men,
toned in the Constitution as the requi-
site length of residence prior to
presidential term.
This suggestion OF ineligibility has
not been taken very seriously until
lately. and now the promoters of the
Hoover movement are enlisting the
services Of constitutional lawyers. who
are contributing to the discussion.
There is some confusion regarding the
matter, owing to the fact that where.
as the text of the Constitution uses
the word resident" in some official
prints the word "citizen" is used in
the index. The text reads as follows:
No person except a natural-born
citizen. or a citizen of the United
States at the time Of the adoption OF
this Constitution. shall be eligible to
the Office Of President; neither shall
any person be eligible to that ONCE
who shall not have attained to the
age Of thirty-five years. and been four
teen years a resident within the
United States.
When the Constitution was adopted
there were many Americans engaged
actively in the affairs Of the newly
formed republic who were Of foreign
birth. Alexander Hamilton was one
OF these. 1t was the thought of the
trainers Of the Constitution, it is be-
heved, that the time-limit provision
should include those who had come
to this country prior to the beginning
Of the Revolution. The arbitrary pc.
Rod OF fourteen years placed that date
at 1878, or the year before the actual
hostilities began in Massachusetts,. 1t
has long been held by many that the
residence clause was adopted as a
supplement to the provision that a
person not native Of the United
States, but citizen at the time Of
the adoption of the Constitution, might
be President, and that when the gen.
Grafton to which that provision might
possibly apply had passed, the resi-
dence limitation had no further oper.
alive force or significance.
What constitutes residence" is
somewhat mooted. In the case OF Mr..
Hoover. it is pointed out by his sup
porters, he maintained his domicile in
1908 at Palo Alto, Calf, and that he
kept his family there almost continu.
ously until they removed to Wash
ington when he became food admin.
istrator during the war. His business
engagements required his absence
for considerable periods. sometimes
abroad. sometimes in other parts of
this country, but that he regarded
California as his home is not ques-
toned.
With reference to the effect OF
this adverse contention regarding Mr..
Hoover's eligibility upon his own po
litical fortunes, it will probably be
felt by most people that the constitu
tional clause in question does not bear
upon a native-born American who
has reached the prescribed limit OF
age, who has maintained his home
continuously throughout his life in
the United States, who has made
many trips abroad in the pursuit OF
his business, who during a part OF
that time was engaged in a most ar
duous, important and self-sacrificins
endeavor in a foreign country in a
cause in which the American people
were deeply interested and concerned