Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-20
HOOVER TURNED DOWN
CHANCE TO GET TITLE
FROM BRITISH REGIME

FnUW Oni lot nEGtWE 4
Continued from First Page)
suggestion that il he would become o
British subject the government would
be pleased to give him an important
executive post and with the hint that
If he succeeded a title might await
him. His answer was: IN do what
can for you with pleasure; but III be
damned if I'll give up my American
citizenship-nOt on your Efep With
in the last six months two large finan-
cial organZa tons, each Independently,
have offered him 100000 a year TO
enter their service; and an industrial
company offered him 100000 TO start
with. lie declined them al. " hen
the Belgian relief work recently struck
a financial Snag, Hoover by telegraph
got the promise OF a loan in the United
States to the British and French gov
ernments for Belgian relief Of $780,
600 000i I do not know, but l think
he would be glad to turn his European
experience to the patriotic use OF our
Government. He is AZ years old,
graduate of Leland Stanford, Jr., Uni
Versity."
Amo~- the stories circulated is a
report That while in India years ago
Mr.. Hoover became associated with
an organization known as the Burma
Co and that he was advised
the company's affairs would nave A
better status with British ofnClals IL
he became a British citizen, and under
this advice he had applied for British
citizenship.
Further Comment by Page.
Mr. Page showed his regard for Mr.
Hoover many times in his letters to
President Wilson, while Mr.. Hoover
was doing relief work abroad. Under
date Of January u, 1915, he wrote to
the President; Life is worth more,
for knowing Hoover. He's 4
simple, modest, energetic man, VINO
began his career in California ana
will end it In heaven"
The Star, on November 10 last, dis
cussed the eligibility Of Mr.. Hoover
under the clause providing for IA
years residence within the United
States, and at the time published
letter written by Edgar Richard or
New York, associated with Mr.. Hoover
IN Belgian relief work during the war.
Mr.. Richard declared that he had
known Mr.. Hoover since 1910 and that
he personally knew that Mr.. Hoover
had maintained his residence within
the United States. The New York
World within the last day or two has
published reports Of the question
raised against Mr.. Hooyer's eligibility
on constitutional grounds. The World,
in an editorial today makes the fol-
lowing comment:
Doubts Issue Is Vital.
"Mr. Hoovers friends assert that
they have proof that he has always
maintained a legal residence WITHIN
the United States and has, IN fact'
been within the United States Tor
some part of every year of his lie.
That would settle the question abso-
lutely, for surely no one can maintain
that the Constitution d1squalll1es u
citizen of the United States WHO, in
the course of his professional duties,
is compelled to spend good deal or
his time in foreign lands. There IS
another school, however, which QUes-
tions his eligibility because 1t IS not
satisfied that Mr.. Hoover on Marca A.
1929. will have been for IA years con-
tinuously a resident within the United
States.
"Going back IA years from March 4,
1929, brings us to March 4, 1913.
Where was Mr.. Hoover on March =,
1915? The whole world knows where
Mr.. Hoover was on March 4, 1919.
He was in Europe as chairman OF the
Commission for Relief in Belgium. II
Mr.. Hoover is to be disqualified under
the 14-year-continuou s-residence-with-
in.the- United States theory, then he
will have to be disqualified because
from March 4, 1915, to June, 1917, he
was directing Belgian relief in Europe
instead of living profitably and COM
fortably within the frontiers of the
United States. We do not believe the
people of the United States would care
to disqualify Mr.. Hoover, because he
was feeding the Belgians."
This eligibility question was raised
in some quarters, too, against MIR.
Hoover in 1920 and former Attorney
General Wickersham prepared an opln-
ion which declared that frequent and
continued residence abroad had not
disqualified Mr.. Hoover under the
constitutional proviso.
Moses RidicuIes Idea.
Senator George H. Moses of New
Hampshire, a strong supporter of Mr..
Hoover for the presidential nomina-
ton, said yesterday with regard to
Mr.. Hoovers eligibility
MY opinion is that the 14-year
provision was inserted in the COnsti-
tuition in order that no person who
had not borne the brunt of battle in
the Revolutionary War should be
able to come into the United States
and make himself President, and also
to protect the interests of Alexander
Hamilton, who, although born in
West Indian island, had nevertheless
lived more than IA years in the colo
MES.
IF the opponents of Mr.. Hoover
have nothing more substantial than
this to urge against his candidacy I
suggest that they all prepare to arise
at an appropriate moment following
the first ballot of the national con-
vention and move to make Mr.. Hoo
ver's nomination unanimous"
Supported War President.
The charge that Mr.. Hoover joined
in President Wilson's appeal for the
election of a Democratic Congress in
1918 is answered by the Secretary's
friends by quoting his exact words.
as food administration, Mr.. Hoover
at that time was an important mem
Der of the Wilson administration. and
was Loyalty cooperating with and fol-
lowing the leadership of the War
President.
A few days before the 1918 cleo
ton, in letter to Frederic r.
Coudert OF New York, Mr.. Hoover
said:
81 am for President Wilson's leader
ship, not only in the conduct of the
war, but also in the negotiations of
peace, and afterWard in the direction
of Americas burden in the rehabilita-
ton of the world There is no greater
monument to any mans genius than
the conduct of negotiations with the
enemy by the President"
This letter was seized upon by the