Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-05-22

It's Not Entirely His Fault, Since
He's Had Some Very Bad Breaks,
But Hoover Is Losing a Great
Many Friends - Unfamiliarity
With Politics a Handicap.
BY RODNEY BUTCHER
NEA Service Writer
WASHINGTON, May git does
not seem to be much Of a secret
anywhere that the Hoover admins
tration has not yet put on that
burst Of speed which al its friends
anticipated.
The president may yet live I'D to
his old reputation as a superman,
but 1t isn't panning out that way
Just now. One Of the ~favorite sub
JectS Of political diagnosis in WASH
ington concerns what's the matter
with the Hoover administration.
Politicians. business men and news
papermen are all interested in the
subject.
Not All His Fault
Much Of the un~favorable reaction
Is based on things that aren't Hoo
verS fault at all. Very few hold
him responsible for the business sit
uation or for the low prices Of wheat.
II Is also argued for the president
that he has made no really serious
mistakes in office which are bound
TO leave their marks against him, al
though there are matters such as
his selection Of Claudius Huston
as Republican national chairman
and OF Judge Parker as a supreme
court justice which are regarded
as rather unfortunate. And it is
further suggested that the voters
IN the mass are not dissatisfied with
him, that Hoover was sold to the
country over a period Of II years
and that he Is not likely, possessing
the prestige that always goes with
the presidency, to be ''unsold' in
a few months.
Nevertheless, the fact that Hoover
Is making no great hit with anyone
and that important elements in his
political ana journalistic support
have been turning sour on him is
not to be ignored. II is an important
and not encouraging fact that not
only does Hoover fail TO fight for
himself, but that there isn't any
one in Congress or elsewhere both
qualified and willing to fight for the
administration.
In some strange manner Hoover
has managed TO stir up an unus-
ually active dislike for himself, es-
pecially in the Senate. without at
the same time building up any strong
group of pro-Hoover partisans. Take
also into consideration the fact that
Hoover's fine executive mind does
not seem to be the kind that func-
tons well in contact with a legisla-
tive group this is Hoover's first ex-
perience Of the kind - and you have
a large part Of the explanation of
the Hoover difficulties.
One must add that Hoover still
doesn't know very much about poll
tics and that no one thinks -
wherever he finds it-that he is
getting good political advice. It's
the sort G. advice that told him that
il would be a master political stroke
to appoint Parker to the supreme
court.
The old complaint that Hoover
was timid Is heard again. He still
hesitates to make strong statements
on controversial issues and general
ly makes none. And so he must
depend upon such spokesman as
Senator Simeon Fess Of Ohio. who
carried the bod for the administra-
ton in the Parker fight. 1t is sad
but true that the best thinkers and
the best orators in the Senate
Borah, Norris and Tom Walsh, for
- are seldom on the Hoo
yer side Of any fence.
Some of those who know Hoover
well say that he probably would
stir UP more enthusiasm over him
self If he would be a little more
human. He often forgets to ac-
knowledge the services Of his sup
porters. il Is said, and dominates
his cabinet TO the extent that its
members generally have given I'D
making suggestions at meetings out
of sheer hopelessness. His failure
to consult with leaders OF Congress
on many points has also caused re-
sentiment on Capitol Hill.
Works Well as Dictator
In China Hoover knew how to
get work out Of coolies. In Europe
and the United States he aroused
great admiration as a food dictator.
AS secretary Of commerce he ran
his own show without interference