New Britain herald., 1928-10-17
BUTLER HITS BACK
At Manufacturer
Hartford Lawyer SCOTS It G. I,
kimblllt fllin Claims

Ridiculing the tariff arguments
made by President George T. Kim
ball ef the American Hardware
Corporation at recent rally. At
torney Robert P. Butler OF Hart
ford. the principal speaker at a
democratic gathering in Odd Fell
lows hall last night declared:
When Z man. whether he IL presi-
dent Of = corporation or the biggest
banker in your city tells you pros
perity II controlled by any political
party or tariff. put him down either
for fool or 4 liar!"
With . MAS Of statistics and
statements on = table beside him.
Mr.. Butler for more than a hour
told IN audience Of 1900 men and
women that there was no tariff issue
in the present campaign. that re-
publican administrations have al
most Invariably been marked by
periods Of industrial depression. and
that the country today. under re-
publican rule. 10 far from prosper
Gus, the catch-phrase Coolidge
economy" notwithstanding.
Crowd Over1oWS Hall
The crowds attracted to the gath
ering filled the hall to overlooking
and double doors in the rear of the
building were thrown open to per-
init people who lined the stairways
to hear.
The change Of trade balances, not
protection afforded by any politi-
cal party. governs conditions. Mr..
Butler insisted. He traced industrial
conditions in America for the past
50 year,. Periods OF republican
rule. according to statistics and re-
search reports read to the rally.
were marked by panics and near
panics, and times OF democratic
administration OF the national gov
eminent were shown to be compare
lively prosperous.
Reading from = newspaper clip
ping. Mr.. Butler called attention to
the Kimball claim that the country
was in the throes Of a depression
in 1919 under a democratic tariff.
and that in 1922, under republican
tariff, 1t was prosperous. Mr.. Kim
ball didn't tell you," began Mr..
Butler. that not only the United
States. but also France, Germany,
England, Russia. the countries of
South America, and every other
country in the world was in a period
Of depression in 1912. They didn't
have democratic tariff in those
.ountries, 1t was In the cycle of
hard times and they all suffered.
In 1922. the country was just
emerging from the period Of depres-
sion which has followed every war.
The warning countries Of Europe
had been reduced and in their re-
construction they looked to the
products Of American, and the in
evitablo prosperity came" the
speaker argued.
Calls Hoover Good Forgcttcr''
Candidate Hoover's report on the
unemployment situation in 1921,
when he reported 2.750.000 men GU,
of jobs. was contrasted with his
campaign claims that in 1921 there
were between nve and six millions
Of men jobless.
Claim was made that Mr.. Hoover
has distorted the figure for cam
raiEn purposes, Mr.. Butler charac-
terizing him "a good statistician. but
u mighty good forgotten" In the
seven and one-half years the repub- !
ticans have been in power. the I'M
list has constantly
mounted. he claimed. and the pres
, mt hgure was set at 100000, Mr.. !
Dutler making use OF official and |
semi official reports to substantiate \
his claim.
RETAINING from the mention Of
its authors name until after he had
read . report to the presidents
cabinet, Mr.. Butler read docu-
ment compiled in 1927. setting forth
The causes OF prosperity in the
nited States. Natural resources.
The energy and industry of the peo-
pie and other causes were listed.
but there was no hint Of tariff. Aft
rr repeating the causes -enumerated,
Mr.. Butler announced that Herbert
Hoover was the author of the state
nent.
Often Refers to Kimball's Speech
Mr.. Buffers argument on tariff
md on claims Of prosperity was
made along statistical lines. the fig-
Tres quoted being for the most part
'eports compiled by republican Of
i"ials under various circumstances.
vt intervals through his address he
'aused to make reference to the
imball speech. each time sending
II singing remark which drew
pplause from the house. He sug-
,ested to his audience at he outset
hat. II any point was not made
lear, or II any statement made
'eeded corroboration with official
documents, he be stopped in
lis speech and asked to furnish
roof. There were no questions
sked. however.
Judge William F. Mangan. demo-
ratio state central committeeman
or this district. presided at the
Meeting. He introduced as the 1rst
peaker. Attorney Thomas F.. Nc
,onouSh. candidate for state sena-