Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24

If preliminary indications may be
taken into account, Herbert Hoover's
campaign for the presidency Is going
to be one Of the strangeSt in the his
tory of American politics.
The Hoover bandwagon has been
mentioned frequently In the conven-
ton stages of the campaign, but II such
O conveyance exists 1t Is the quietest
calliope ever to steer course toward
the White House.
1t appears that the chief occupant Of
this bardwagon or calliope, or whatever
1t is supposed to be, has put the soft
pedal on the bellows or restraining
hand on the steam valve.
In the old days, when bandwagons
were bandwagons, it was the customary
thing for presidential aspirants to do
some real noisy aspiring. Perching
themselves on the topn1ost elevation OF
the campaign vehicle, they let loose a
barrage of fervent, forensic fanfaronade
that had the natives spell-bound. Thus
transfixed, the trained vote-getters
would come along and escort the WILL
ing victims to the polls.
1t has been said that Hoover Is not
a politician. in the old-School under
standing of the word. Developments in
the few days which have come to pass
since the convention at Kansas City
would seem to show that the statement
was not ill-founded.
Nearly two weeks have slipped away
and not a speech has Hoover made.
Nor has he granted a single interview
to the clamoring correspondents. Nor
has he made any promises so to do be-
fore his formal notification at Stanford
University few weeks hence.
The only public statement he has is
sued to date is the telegram he sent
to Chairman Moses at Kansas City In
acknowledgment of a wire advising
him of his selection as the Republican
nominee. His next public utterance,
he has indicated, will be his formal
speech of acceptance at his home IN
California late in July or early In
August.
This state of affairs has become ex-
ceedingly vexing for the newspaper
men. Some of the correspondents have
come long way to cover" Secretary
Hoover. Several even decided to FORE
go the trip to Houston IN order to come
here and get some high-powered in
terviews with the Republican Standard
bearer
They are still here, chatting at the bit
At first they stood around In the corri-
doris outside Mr.. Hoover's office, or clut-
TT red up the office Of George Akerson,
Vi q Commerce Secretary's genial as
81 liant and chief spokesman. After
a ading out word several times that he
lid nothing to say. Mr.. Hoover finally
WIS prevailed to come out of his office.
~ that newspaper men could get look
u: him, anyway. But he said nothing
i,r publication.
The congestion Of correspondents be-
c ,me SO acute at the Department Of
Commerce that Secretary Hoover took
steps to provide for their comfort and
to make their fruitless vigil at least
pleasant
A press room was established right
next to the Secretary's reception room,
on the seventh floor, from which point
the writer's could obtain q nice view Of
the many visitors who came and went.
They could even snare few Of these
visitors, now and then, drag them into
the press room and vent their pent-up
questions on the substitute prey.
That Is not all. Just to show that
he harbored no Ill feeling toward the
press representatives. the Secretary had