Evening star., 1928-10-28
POLITICAL WHISPERINCS
BECOME LOUD SPEAKER
Back-Fence Campaign Slandering Loses
Undercurrent of Secretiveness and New
Is Broadcast as Public Property.

lea if AL Smith we're elected President
and that the Army and Navy would
be scrapped if a Quaker like Hoover
were put in the White House.
Leaders in both parties have been
called upon in this campaign to re-
pudiate the words imputed to possibly
well meaning supporters giving to
whispering an Importance never before
attained in any presidential battle OF
the past. Heretofore the activities Of
the agitators were SC prescribed that
official cognizance seldom was tax; n
of them The whispering was ignored
in responsible circles, and it always
died sure, though lingering. death.
With millic-.s ..[Jr r-illions of ears
tuning in on the libelous TRADES of the
1923 crop of scandalmongers, however,
a serious situation has developed, war
ranting the careful consideration of
sober minded leaders.
Repugnant to Candidates.
Whispering is repugnant to both
candidates. Neither wants to win be-
cause of the intolerance of campaign
bigots, but, rather, in spite of it. How
to kill the forked-tOngued serpent that
has writhed its way into the midst of
what started out as a constructive,
sportsman like campaign has become
a major worry for the candidates and
their aides.
Hoover and Smith have struck vicious
blows at it. but invariably the willy
reptile rears its head again, and with
seemingly revivified determination.
Each candidate has his own idea as
to the best method to stamp ouj
whispering. Gov. Smith demonstrated
his plan in giving to the newspapers
his lie-nailing document. The Gov
ernor's idea is to strike back publicly
and deciSivelv. Mr. Hoover holds to
the opinion that underhanded attacks
on a candidates character should be
ignored. because they are too repre-
hensible to be dignified with formal
denial or defense.
Double Criticism.
There are those who criticize both
courses
On the one hand are those who argue
that silence by candidate in the face
of repeated onslaughtS from his enemies
gives rise to the suspicion that there
might be something to the runors and
charges. after ALL On the other hand
are those who insist that the bringing
out into the open of a scurrilous move
ment tends only to put it on the front
pages of every newspaper in the country
SIAO W AAAV ~ dutOAlldJACdl1y W q DlIltldCI6
OF unwarranted importance, with widely
dangerous potentialities. It Is sug-
gested. moreover that recognition by
candidate of inSidious reflections on his
character, through issuance of formal
denial. serves to put him on the de-
fensive, to make it appear that he is
"cornered."
While these discussions 60 forward
heatedly. the noisy whisperers of the
1928 campaign continue their shouting
from the housetopS, unmindful of the
barrage CT denials, criticisms and re-
examinations flung at them from all
directions.
Unmatehable Nerve.
They are without reason or shame.
but possessed of plentiful supply of
unmatchable nerve. strange faculty
Of making falsehoodS ring with a SEM
blance of truth and an ability to break
into print.
There is nothing ama teurish in their
methods CT getting their particular
brand of whispering" to the ears of
millions of voters.
Will this blatant, undercover cam
paign of whispering la 1923 succeed
in its Interior purposes, where others
before it have failed?
Herbert Hoover and Gov. Smith join
IN the hope that the new order of wniS-
pering will go the way of the old back
yard variety of gossip-into the cob
w7bbed oblivion of outlawed political
practices.
All do