Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-23

matter Of public record and newspaper
columns show that his list Of visitors
has not been confined to those who be-
lieve as he believes, nor to those who
are members of his party, nor to any
one section Of the United States, nor to
any particular kind Of activities. It
has been a cosmopolitan list such as
might we'll be expected of the Nations
Chief Executive. The President does
House open to every variety OF thought
and opinion: the only limit is the ply
steal time available.
Surely there is nothing 'reprehen-
sible' In the action of the President of
the United States in discussing public
questions with individual callers. It Is
vital for public welfare that he should
do so.
Undoubtedly, some of his callers
have sought to convey the impression
by public statement and in private cor
respondence that the President was
partisan to their viewpoint, and eA-
pressed himself to them accordingly.
AS every one familiar with public Lie
well knows, this is failing Of u
limited number of visitors who see the
President. No Chief Executive has ever
occupied the White House who has not
been the victim of such representa-
lions. The President has no defense
against these unfortunate incidents, eA-
cept he close the door to all corners
and become Q political recluse. OBJ
viously, public welfare would be
greatly injured by his doing so. Most
assuredly he does not desire to do 1t.
nor do the people Of the United States
want him to do 1t.
ION the other hand, no individual or
organization enjoying the slightest
familiarity with official procedure ana
possessing the most meager desire for
fairness. holds the President Of the
United accountable for what some third
party says some one told him the Presi-
dent said to some one else. Representa-
tive Garner is not so untutored in
official manners as to be ignorant Of
this fact. Even the Democratic ma
tional committee, amateuriSh though
some of its actions are, Is not 80 un-
sophisticated"
Lobby Probers Handicapped.
Gamers statement said:
There Is no process by which q
senatorial investigating committee can
call the President of the United States
before it for testimony. Consequently
the lobby investigating committee Is
handicapped in getting at the facts III
the Lakin- Shattuck enterprise, in which,
according to the correspondence among
the members of the Cuban sugar lobby
and President Machado Of Cuba, Presi-
dent Hoover took q conspicuous part.
I'VE have, for example, q copy OF
a long report made by President Lakin
Of the Cuba Co. to President Ma
chado, In which, among other things,
it was stated that Senator Smoot was
not willing to cooperate This report
also says of Shattuck, He had been
in constant touch with the White House
and Senator Smoot.'
"Other documents present the Presi-
dent OF the United States as directly
advising the lobbyists how to proceed.
In face OF these communications
Mr.. Shattuck denied before the COM
mittee that he ever talked about sugar
with the President. But the LAkin re-
port to Machado contains this Ian
guage: If Shattuck and can succeed
IN keeping public opinion aroused, the
administration may, along toward the
end OF the debate in the Senate, secretly
notify the Republican leaders that the
tariff on sugar must not be increased
"Lakin wrote to Shattuck, referring
to certain Cuban editorials which he
thought ought to be called directly to
the attention of the White House. this
significant expression: Just before we
last went to Cuba, you had an interview
with President Hoover. You understood
him to approve of Cuban criticism
OF equal, II not greater, significance
Is the statement in the correspondence
that Walter Newton, the Presidents
secretary, had been directed to place