Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-17

The press reflects emphatic public
approval Of President Hoover's denunci-
alton of propaganda designed 20 affect
negotiations of the United States With
foreign governments and the prompt
move in Congress to investigate alleged
activities in connection with the unsuc-
cessful naval conference at Geneva two
years ago.
"The disposition Of the President to
find out the truth about the relations
between william B. Shearer, big Navy
advocate, and the three shipbuildlng
companies against which the latter has
filed suit in the Supreme Court mere is
readily understandable" says the New
York Sun, as i. agrees with Mr.. Hoover
that lit Is obviously against public m
terest' for those financially interested in
naval construction to attempt to 1nf1u-
ence public opinion with respect to ma
val ornaments. It would be even more
against the public interest" the Sun
adds, IF such an attempt were directed
against representatives of the Govern
ment negotiating with foreign powers
The Presidents statement on the SUBJ
ject is characterized by the Columbia
State as the most direct, unequlvocal
and manly pronouncement made by the
President of the United States since
HTeSlOGUI w llSOII ICt4kCo AAOhA bAtS w AAAS~
House." and the Kansas City Times re-
joices that President Hoover is inclined
to speak out" This being the case, the
Chattanooga News Is confident that I'VE
may get some action. In some former
administrations there would have been
much sound and fury signifylng noSh-
ing" the Tennessee paper says, ana IL
pictures the people as liking to see
Herbert Hoover angry III good cause. y
The Appleton Post Crescent Is sure that
"Mr. Hoover will have the overwhelming
approval of the people in this move TO
nail down indefensible propaganda
against his foreign policies" and that
taking the matter to the country the
way he has is likely to prove more eff
fective than any other course he could
pursue.
Congress is also praised for so quickly
getting into step with the Presidents
protest. This promptness reveals an
earnest desire to make all facts known
to the people and determination by
official America not to let any selfish
force stand between the peoples need
and desire for security in peace and the
accomplishing of this desire" declares
the Haverhill Evening Gazette.
The Ann Arbor Daily News thinks
that, in this contingency, 1T is up TO
the Republicans dIlO OcH1OSA aIo IA NeAi
gress to pool their patriotism in an
effort to rid the country of the evil in
fluence that has been at work, regard
less of what individuals or corporations
may be involved in the proceedings. The
Scranton Times observes, THE nope Is
expressed that the Senate committee,
once it gets moving in the Shearer case,
will extend its investigation to cover the
whole line of lobbying as carried on by
special interests and groups"
In the heat of the investigation, now
ever, "care must be taken to diStin-
guish between sincere and unself1sh
advocacy Of big Navy and that which
might be considered Of a prejudicial
character" in the opinion OF the Pitts
burgh Post Gazette, because OF the fact
that. while 1t is indicated that the
majority opinion of the country is Tor
NAVY reduction or limitation upon a
basis of unquestioned fairness TO the
United States, 1t has to be recognized
that there are some, having no connec-
ton whatever with shipbuilding inter-
ests. who are earnestly of the opinion
that the only safe policy for the Nation
Is to have a superior Navy"
The Boston Transcript comments at
length upon the activities of those OPP
posed to big Navy, saying: For years
and years 1t has been the hardest kind
of work to secure from Congress any
appropriation for an increased Navy.
The efficiency with which the oppo-