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 fTeSS StElL writer
WASHINGTON. Nov. 7.-tP-
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
farmer 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-
eo~mplishment was really visible TO
a 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 was responsible
for provisioning half the white pop
ulstion Of the globe; despite that he
had dared to conduct "A satisfactory
war food administration for the
United States, in days when food adj
m~inistrators, forced to put bars be-
tween people and their food became
almost instantly the most hated csti-
zens Of their particular countries,
these things counted for compara-
lively little in the American politi-
.ul ANNA That u-a pNaK0I -. 1lEn
when his friends. great and humble,
tried to get him a presidential nom
ination and strove valiantly in both
democratic and republican party
ranks.
First Enterprise a Fiasco
That first presidential enterprise
was a simple fisseo. The delegate
total it 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
BIZ the man himself. but by the host
Of people who had counted it a
thrilling privilege to work in re-
lief expedition AMI food administra-
tion as Hoover men," He buckled
down TO learn the game Of politics;
TO conform TO its traditions and ac-
cepted President H~arding's invita-
tion to take the post of secretary
of commerce.
"Chief. this is a long way down
Pennsylvania avenue from the White
House." observed one OF those engi-
neer associates vino came TO Wash
ington for the Harding inauguration
- -~a.ta1 u1nvar fue4 irataf1nJ
as secretary.
"Well. it's just as far as you fell
lows got me, isn't it?' Hoover re-
torted.
The rest OF the conversation isn't
related, but the spirit OF the e1-
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
service-plus the clear a~dvetise-
ment of accomplishment-was the
argument they sought TO make 10
nation.
Has Distinctive 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
sesscd some Of the gifts that 30 to-
ward making actors successful.
They are touched with what the psy-
biologist might call exhibitionism-
they know how. almost sub-conscious-
IL, to impress people. singly or in
multitude. TO earn people by their
bearing, their words and their ges-
tufe.
Hoover did not and he does not. A
mar of no p~retention. welded 20 a
simplicity that makes him ever care
full 10 use the shortest word, he
could not at first make a platform
speech unless seriously stirred. He
could write we'll and turn a striking
phrase: he had a delightful
of humor. but he did not much like
a crowd. Outside Of ar intellect ad-
mittedly first class, md the stored
memory Of a lifetime Of inveterate
work, he had but one quality Of
important political value. That was
his capacity for assimilating the
viewpoints Of conflicting and CON
pelling groups and of puzzling out
feasible compromises. The gift was
akin to that ordinarily demonstrat-
Cd by the legislator of long service
ard in combination with adminitr1-
tive experience IL took him A long
usy on the road that had been laid
cut.