The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-04-16

sent airplanes and supplies, states
loaned their troops, tLe American
Legion volunteered its services, the
Red Cross doctors and nurses came,
army engineers looked after camp
sanitation, trainloads Of food and
clothing poured in. And 80 Hoover
moved toward the consun.n.ation Of
the big task that lay before him.
Hoover's efficiency was not of the
impersonal kind. Once q soldier
entered railway car where Hoover
was studying map and asked:
what are We going to do with
all those dogs, sir?"
"What dogs ?" asked Hoover.
The soldier explained that many
of the refugees had brought their
dogs to the camps with them, and
some had even brought cats.
Allowed to Save Pets
"Take good care of ther,." said
Hoover, promptly. These people
haven't saved much. II any Of
them have pets let them keep them
and take care of them. Some Of
viz IOAu6cVo S<AH UuIlu NSILISlS Aux
them."
The soldier hesitated.
"Some Of 'em got canaries, toe"
he said.
"Ordcr some bird seed with the
rest of these supplies and charge
it to me-" Hoover said, turning to
his secretary.
There are thousands Of negroes in
the Mississippi delta who believe
that Hoover is president today.
Didn't he come down from Wash
ington?
Once a relief worker was trying
to convince an old negro preacher
in Mississippi that Hoover was
merely secretary of commerce.
well, hits all de same, amt it? ,"
the old negro asked.
In Arkansas once an old negro,
after hearing Hoover speak, APP
preached him and said: "Ah's al
wahs wanted to meet yuh, Mistah
Lowden!"
The rich and the poor, the hum
bic and the proud had suffered
alike. The water that ruined the oil
paintings in the home Of rich
plantation owner and laid waste to
his crops, likewise drove the negro
tenant farmer from his 40 acres and
perhaps drowned his mule. Hoover
aided all impartially.
Never Capitalizcs Popularity
The Mississippi valley flood is
history now, but the memory Of
what Hoover did there is one Of the
chief reasons for his popularity as
presidential candidate. Yet, he has
never sought to capitalize this.
The record in which Hoover takes
! most pride is in having made a big
job out of little one at the De-
partment Of Commerce. BY inten-
sive end extensive organization, he
had reached out to get foreign trade
for America and today the United
States foreign trade is 35 per cent
above pre-war level, even after the
depreciation of the dollar has been
deducted.
He has saved millions for Amer
lean industry by standardization,
eliminating odd and needless sizes
in many produces by agreement.
Measures to eliminate waste have
saved many more millions. AS a
building aid, he has initiated the
Better Homes movement in 1000
communities of tho United States.
He has promoted employment by
co-ordinating seasonal activities,
engineered a radio atty with the
nations of the world and done much
to promote commercial aviation.
Steadily, the secretary Of COM
merce has gone about his task of
organizing the business Of a nation
and into this government activity
he has put his tirelcss energy and
ability as an engineer.
The Hoover day begins at 8 a.
m. when his bureau chiefs take
breakfast with him at his home and
plan the day over eggs and coffee.
He is at his office promptly at 0
o'clock. There is an hours inter-
mission for lunch at the Cosmo-
politan Club at noon. And then he
goes back to his desk, which he
seldom leaves before z or 1880 p. m.
And so ends the story of Herbert
Hoover, a tireless, capable genius
for organization and efficiency
whose fame spans the world-but
just about the weakest politician
that Washington ever saw.