Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07

why 40 we 40 81 HluCH UuSlllCcS ukluCL
the table rather than over It? How
much of our politics springs from hypo-
critical personal selfisfness and how
much Of 1t reflects civic unintelligence?
The President Is not so much con-
cerned with our unSightly, but unimpor-
tant skin rashes. He wants the facts
about our organic diseases-f we have
any.
All of which explains why the Presi-
dents commission Is to devote Itself to
law observance as well as law enforce
ment. with the President this aspect
assumes paramount Importance. The
questions surrounding 1t comprise
vast field and one which has thus far
been obscured through the constant
pressure of sensational developments in
connection with prohibition. The sue
cess of the commission in making some
fundamental Roadway in pointing ways
in which more general observance OF
the law may be encouraged and realized
will determine whether or not its work
will become noteworthy or merely an
other contribution to the already volum-
inous records Of our public ailments.
AS food administrator during the war
Mr.. Hoover counseled against the en-
ployment of governmental coercion az
fecting the personal and individual
habits Of our people. He was then
Guilty Of changing the personal habits
of population. He pressed to success
full conclusion the one great war ex-
pertinent in voluntary and cooperative
effort involving a whole people. He
did not resort to coercion nor did he
rely upon exhortation. There was a
vivid and effective campaign Of educa-
ton which reached every home and
food-consuming institution in the coun-
he cd
by the patriotic urge of a people under
stress Of war.
Presidents Exhortations.
The President is now exhorting the
country to observe the law. He is CIV
| ing assurances that the limits Of law
will not be exceeded, but at the same
time making plain that neither will law
enforcement be stultifled. When FIRE
proof" construction bursts into flame.
at the moment an eXtinguisher Is more
useful than a letter to the manufac-
turer. Hence the Presidents exhorta-
tons.
Mr.. Hoover entertains no deep con-
fidence in the technique OF revivalisr1.
For emergency repairs, yes. For run
damental construction, not so good. He
believes far more profoundly In the
power of education and public unoef:
standing. During the war he possessed
more food facts than any other living
man, He used them to sustain his
great cooperative enterprise In 1000
control. Incidentally he was the only
wartime food controller who emerged
intact and possessed his official skin,
Now Mr.. Hoover has charged the law
commission with ascertaining crime
facts, enforcement facts, observance
facts. With these in hand the Presi-
dent will rely primarily upon exhorta.
ton as a remedy for non observance OF
the law: nor Is he likely to advocate
legislation making compulsory moral
awakening. Eventually we are lkely 10
have a campaign Of public education
with attention to SOME factors winch
are ordinarily neglected.
Let us consider the conspicuous sore
SPOT, What may we expect from PreSI-
dent Hoover on prohibltion? PrimaIny,
no steps calculated to undermine the
eighteenth amendment to the Constltu-
ton he is sworn to preserve, protect
and defend" Repeal or modi1catlon OF
the prohibition amendment falls WITHIN
the legislative function. Mr.. Hoover Is
not going to usurp this function by m
direction. Moreover, 1t has been larry
well established that 1t would require at
least generation to effect the constitu-
tional change.
In the administration of the Volstead
act the President has direct response
bility. In this we may expect MIN 10
insist upon a kind and degree OF en-
forcement that will be firm but sane:
under the limitations skillfully imposed
on the enforcement machinery by poll
ticians, he is tremendously handicapped.
However. the human factor in enforce
ment is likely to be improved as we pro-
coed and methods certainly Will move
away from the spectacular more In the
liberate nullification is, Of course, an
absurdity.
Presidents Attitude.
What do we know about the Presi-
dents personal attitude toward PROM
bition? First neither the drys nor the
vets have enrolled nor claimed him; he
is unlikely to fraternize exclusively with
either side. We know that he has lived
a considerable part Of his years out on
the frontiers of civilization where lie
is to be observed in the raw. We may
regard him as a man Of strongly moral
bent and possessed Of convictions
reached through cosmopolitan ana
many-phased contacts with life. Before
prohibition he was acquainted with the
taste Of wine. Since, he has been
total abstainer.
Mr.. Hoover did not take an active
part in the adoption OF the eignteentn
amendment, nor in its legislative &C.
compartments. During the war, as
food administrator, he had his fingers
crossed on prohibition. The moralities
were not involved. He foresaw that the
withdrawal Of alcohol from consump-
ton would mean a very considerable IN
crease in the individual consumption of
- de- YPkN
to conserve sugar.
AS Secretary of Commerce, 1t was Mr..
Hoover's job to promote business. He
observed that contemporaneously with
prohibition there were notable increases
in home building and in savings de-
pc sits; there was tremendous general
increase in the distribution OF goods
which previously had been regarded as
luxurieS; employment managers report
ed the eradication of hangover Monday
and q reduction Of industrial accidents
on machinery. AS offlcial promoter of
American industry and commerce, Mr..
Hoover was bound to give recognition to
these observations. He did so. 1t is the
nearest he has approached an express
sion OF views. and he was dealing as a
promoter with only small segment of
the question.
Characterized prohibition as a noble ex-
pertinent. OF course, politicians re-
garded this as an artful straddle. It is
more likely that 1t was a precise state
ment Of opinion.
The upsl1ot of this record is that
President Hoover Is open minded on the
inherent and net merits OF prohibition.
II It had come through deliberate proc
esses OF education and evolution he
would not have regarded it as expert
mental. However, the manner of Its
coming, and the immediate complete
substitution Of drastic coercion for edu-