Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
TO UNDERGO OVERLAPPING
Hoover, About to Reorganize Executive
Machinery, Gets First Intimate Con-
tact With Political Aspect.

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| organizations more to be desired than
the success of government itself
Again, Hoover organizations generally
have beer decentralized structures.
There have been few weak links.
Lesser units have been able to stand on
their own legs in times of stress. Per-
sonal responsibility has reached down
! to the individual. Throughout, up and
down the line, the job to be done was
the thing. And when the job was done,
the Hoover organization melted away
without commotion and without effort,
to adapt and perpetuate itself for other
jobs.
Parties Are Instrumentalities.
President Hoover regards political
parties as instrumentalities devoted to
the mechanics of government, means
by which the popular will may find ex-
preston in public affairs, the cohesive
agency which binds together men and
women of like minds and purposes, the
human device by which that compete
ton Of ideas and ideals so essential to
the republican form of government Is
preserved and vitaliZed.
With some politicians this IS an ut
terly impracticable concept Of what q
political party should be. It does not
jibe with the notions entertained by
those who interpret party success in
terms of jobs, favors, privilege. 1t puts
the premium on public performance
not on private promise or personal de-
livery. In sections of the country which
have become Injured to grating political
machines it will be revolutionary doc
trine. With the few surviving political
bosses it will be fantastic. Notwitn-
standing, the country is likely to wit
ness an experiment On these spec1flca-
tions-if such 1t must be called.
Direction to Be Interesting.
Just as soon as the Federal Farm
Board is functioning the President is
likely to devote some considerable at
tention to reorganization of the Re-
publican National Committee and ius
associated party agencies. It will be
interesting to observe the direction In
which this reorganization moves.
If the Presidents abilities were di-
rected toward perfection of the Repub-
lican organization along conventional
lines there would be much more joy
among job hunters, the flag would be
given fresh political assignments and
we should probably have the most
vociferous and PENETRATING Republican
ballyhoo in history. However, 1t ap-
pears more likely that we shall have an
organization devoted primarily to recon-
Cling party necessity with the PreSi.
dents established pOlicv Of drafting
real talent for public oftlce-one which
will not so much narrate the glorious
past of the Republican party as 1t will
undertake to tell the country what Is
being attempted and what is being &C
compliShed; an organization which,
without subserViency, will ascertain cur
rent public reactions to the administra-
ton program, and one which will de-
velop inconSpicuously, though none the
less effectively, those Sinews so essen
tial to success in forthcoming State and
national contests.
Opportunity for Leadership.
In the existing condition of fiux and
Of movement in our politics there is an
extraordinary opportunity for leader
ship. No existing political institution
adequately gives expression to the
strong liberal tendencies manifestly
striving for emergence and recognition.
Many opponents of liberal thought in
public life are being driven into dis
tasteful coalitions; others in rebellion
drift toward radicalism; still others in
surrender to numbers unhappily sacri-
flee principle to expediency.
No present political institution has
consolidated the counter-forces of con-
servatiSm. Visitors to our legislatures
find it increasingly more dificult to
di1erentiate between old-line Republic
cans and Democrats of corresponding
seniority and lineage. Existing politi-
cal parties comprise curiously hetero-
geneous and seemingly unmiScible con-
generations Of liberalism and con-
servatism.
without intended reflection on the
President, it seems fair to observe that
IN neither party has leadership been
fully accredited. In the Democratic
In the Republican party some of the
pre-convention intrigues still are being
kept alive, and Sullenness rules certain
gentlemen who have failed to. obtain
White House approval and prestige for
their personal projects.
Hoover Dislikes Conflicts.
For President Hoover, leadership
must come through accomplishment.
He has set that standard for himself.
In a democracy accomplishment is
largely a matter of skill in compromise
results which, while falling far short
of the. ideal, nevertheless constantly
move in that general direction.
The President is as nearly idealistic
in many of his views and convictions
regarding public affairs as 1t is possible
for practical engineer to be. He is
impatient of compromise. He dislikes
conflicts. He holds petty
politics in contempt. He strives with
almost fierce intensity to get the par
ticular job done promptly and right.
The demands upon a President Of
the United States during these times
are many-some trivial, others of tran
scendent Importance to the country.
However, If President Hoover can fore
stall an economic pause, II he can help
the farmer to help himself, IL he can
keep wheels turning hEiskly and men
generally working, If he can persuade
the country to replace a few rotting
timberS here and there in our domestic
structure and promote good viii abroad
without sacrifice Of principle, he need
not concern himself greatly about the
immediate future Of the Republican
party. And the Republican party, for
the time being at least, need not worry
much about its leadership.