Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-07
LONG SERVICE
IN CABINET TO
!. Aid new CHIEF
Election to Presidency
Is elimination of
Romantic and Inter-
esting Career
By CLINTON COFFIN

ASSOCIATED Press Staff Writer
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7.-P)-
Eight years of cabinet service did
more to lay the foundation for the
political career Of Herbert Hoover
than was done by his romantically
successful business performance, or
by the enduring fame of his war
exploits.
Although the orphaned Iowa
farme boy who rose before 1914 TO
lead perhaps the greatest single
combination in mine engineering and
mine management had, by outstand-
ing professional skill. by notable la
Dor organization and by cunning fl
nance. attached international I'M
portance to his personality, the ac-
eemplishment was really visible to
q rather small group of cosmopoli-
tan population.
Service Overseas
Further, despite that his war ser
vice in relief OF the Belgians had
opened a new vista of accomplish
ment and had branched out until the
movement he led vas responsible
or provisioning half the white pop-
llation of the globe; despite that he
had dared to conduct a satisfactory
war food administration for the
United States, in days when food adj
ministrators, forced to put bars be-
tween people and their food became
almost instantly the most hated c.ti-
zens Of their particular countries,
these things counted for compara-
lively little in the American politi-
cal arena. That was proved ia 1920,
when his friends, great and humble,
tried to get him n presidential nom
ination n strove ~valiantly in both
democratic and republican party
ranks.
First Enterprise a Fiasco
That first presidential enterprise
was a simple fiasco. The delegate
total il placed behind Hoover's name
in the conventions Of 1920 was hu-
initiating; all that was left OF the
bitterness Of failure was ambition
to try again. held firmly not alone
by the man himself, but by the host
Of people who had counted il a
thrilling privilege TO work in re-
lief expedition AMI food administra-
ton as Hoover men" He buckled
down to learn the game Of politics;
TO conform to its traditions and ac-
eepted President Harding's invita-
ton to take the post of secretary
Of commerce.
"Chief. this is n long way down
Pennsylvania avenue from the White
House." observed one Of those engi-
neer associates who came 10 Wash
irgton for the Harding inauguration
as he greeted Hoover, just installed
as commerce secretary.
"Well. it's just as far as YOU fell
lows rot me, isn't it?" Hoover re-
torted.
The rest of the conversation isn't
related. but the spirit of the ex-
change set the note for the never
relaxed, %purposeful exertion Of the
man and his growing and brilliant
galaxy Of supporters during the
succeeding years. Hoover's cabinet
service was to be made one constant.
careful exhibition of his fitness for
the place: accomplishment in public
ssryice-plus the clear adve ,ise-
ment Of accomplishment-was the
argument they sought to make to
nation.
mas DistinctiNe Abilities
In some ways the personality Of
Herbert Hoover. with which the en-
terprise had to do, was almost basic
ally unsuited for politics. Hitherto |
most American politicians have pos
sessed some Of the gifts that 60 to-
ward making actors successful. |
They are touched with what the psy-
biologist might call exhibitionism-
they know how. almost sub-conscious-
", 10 impress people. singly or in
multitude TO earn people by their
their words and their ges-
Hoover did not and he does not. A
man of no pretention. welded TO a
simplicity that makes him even care
Iul to use the shortest word, he
.ould not al first make a platform
unless seriously stirred. He
write well and turn a striking
he had a delightful sense
humor. but he did not much like
crowd. Outside of an intellect adj
nittedly first class. and the stored
memory of a lifetime of i~nveterate
rork, he had but one quality Of
important political value. That was
lis capacity for assimilating the
.-iewpoints of conflicting and com
,elling groups and of puzzling out
compromises. The gift was
kin 10 that ordinarily demonstrat-
\ by the legislator Of long service
nd in combination with adminitrl-
;ve experience Il took him 4 long
,sy on the road that had been laid
ut