The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-13
DURANT Holds
HOOVER GREAT
HOPE OF U. 5.
Nomination Almost Too
Good to Be True, Says
Philosopher.
NATION NEEDS ENGINEER
Praises SCrippS- Howard for
Initiative That Won
Victory.
BY WILL DURANT

BY WILL DURANT
KANSAS CITY, June 13.-The
convention is over before it has
begun. AS you fight your way into
the first session through the crowd
at the entrance, newsboys are an
nouncing that Mellon has sur
rendered to Hoover. The rest will be
oratory.
Nevertheless let us take a seat
and look around. Ten thousand men
and women; delegates, alternates,
spectators, reporters, college presi-
dents, ushers millionaires. This is
the heart of America-geographical-
ly politically, symbolically-this
typical city, beloved of Sinclair
Lewis and Theodore Dresser, this
breeder of pigs and home Of hospit-
able people. Rain has fallen, and
the stencil Of the stock yards is in
the air.
And this convention is the heart
of America, pulsating here in these
500 job hunters, 500 wire pullers,
eighty emand runners and nine
honest men.
For the most part they are hard
faced men, with enormous heads
and jaws, and all the erudition that
is conveyed by horn trimmed spec
tacles, many paid heads, many old
men. Close by is Mr.. Mellon, very
tired and sad; some one has pune
tured him. Here and there are
women delegates, one of them good
looking. Occasionally you see a pair
of clear and kindly eyes; one dele
gate has the intent and distant
stare Of an idealist.
What Is Hoover?
Chairman Butler, of the type that
is kind with children and hard
with men, introduces Senator Tess.
His first sentence tells that the
policy of his party is so to govern
the country that a large quantity Of
goods shall be produced for good
wages, and at substantial profits.
Quantity and profits His party
stands for the enforcement of the
law; he does not add that most Of
the delegates had a bracer this
morning. Despite certain moral
delinquencies, the Republican party
stands for the highest moral stand
ards of public service" mo laughter
We entered Nicaragua ito secure
stable government and to protect
American life and property" (by the
good old fashioned method of COM
petitive murder)
If the convention is to be like this
speech we shall pay heavy penalty
for leaving home. If the candidate
is to be like this convention he can
not be Herbert Hoover. Can it
really be that these politicians are
about to nominate for the presi-
dency the fittest man in American
For a moment we wonder; perhaps
we have deceived ourselves, and
our Hoover is an ideal fabricated by
our imagination and our hopes.
Helps Belgium
Somehow we still trust the man
and like him.
In 1914 he is in London when the
war breaks out, The call comes 70
him that the Belgians are starving.
He resigns all his positions and
salaries, creates the commission for
the relief of Belgium, takes not a
cent of pay in any form, meets all
his own expenses, gets funds and
food, and feeds 100000 people
every day; so we'll, that at the end
of the war the children of Belgium
are reported by their government to
be in better health than ever before!
He comes home to be food admin
istrator; raises the food surplus
from 100000 to 100000 tons in
one year; handles $7000,000000
without the suspicion Of scandal.
After the armistice he feeds Poland,
Lithuania, Esthonia, Rumania, even
Austria and Germany.
Happy in Building
In 1921 he becomes Secretary Of
Commerce; but instead of thinking
only of business and industry he
organizes the commission for Rus
sian relief, which saves 100000
lives. When the Mississippi over
flows, it is he who goes to direct the
control of the flood, the rescue Of
the people. He is everywhere, in all
continents and all crises.
When he takes office in the Cab
met his department is the least of
all. Soon it huns with ideas and
enterprise; men are appointed for
their ability and integrity. He
fights not men, but things; waste,
corruption.
Papers Helped
That such a man should become
the nominee of this convention is
almost incredible. To whom do we
owe this good fortune?
Partly we owe it to the Scripps-
Howard papers, which had the
foresight and the initiative 70 de-
clare for him year ago; which