Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-04
Nfenher nf tl,e Assnniatna d..
The First Hoover Year.

President Hoover's first year in the
White House closes today year of
real accomplishment, despite the critics
of the administration. and a year of
laying the groundwork for much con-
structive work in the future. To judge
an administration by its first twelve
month is not a fair test. But even in
such a test the Hoover administration
stands out success. A farm relief act
has been spread upon the statutes which
promises real aid to agriculture. The
President took the lead in this matter,
although Congress shaped the measure
and put it through. A revision Of the
tariff, also measure of relief for the
farmer, is in the making. If it has been
unduly delayed in the Senate, that is
not the fault of President Hoover. The
country understands the situation. A
coalition of insurgent Republicans and
Democrats took charge of the measure
early in its consideration in the Senate.
This coalition has in some respects bet
tered the bill. The charge that must be
laid against the opponents of the ad-
ninistration in the Senate is that they
have through five months of debate de-
layed final action on the bill while the
country has waited for this legislation.
Chairman Smoot of the finance COM
naittee has computed the hours used in
the Senate debate by regular Republi-
cans, insurgent Republicans and Demo-
Gratis. The regular Republicans used 80
per cent of the total time and the
coalitionists 70 per cent
With the tariff bill expected to pass
the Senate within the next ten days,
Senator Wagner of New York, Demo-
crat, rises in his place and denounces
Mr.. Hoover because he has not seen to
it that the Senate acted more quickly
on the measure. Mr.. Hoover, the New
York Senator asserts, should have
welded his party together in support of
the bill. Here is an unkind cut, indeed,
for the Progressive Republicans who
have banded so loyalty with the Demo-
Gratis in their efforts, not only to amend
the tariff bill, but to embarrass and
antagonize the administration at every
possible turn.
But Senator Wagner and other
critics Of the President in the Upper
House go further and charge the Pres
ident with responsibility for unemploy-
ment in the country. 1t is even charged
that the red" riots in New York and
elsewhere are a plot of the supporters
of the administration to turn public
attention from the unemployment sit
uation. The lengths to which even
Senators of the United States will go
In their efforts to belittle political OPP
ponents apparently have no limits.
Congress. and particularly the Sen
ate, has been she batter of Presidents
since the Government began. It is a
forum of political attack. Every Pres
ident must expect it. Roosevelt met it
constantly, and so did Wilson and
Coolidge. Administration Senators dur
ing the present session have held their
tongues for the sole purpose of expedit-
ing the tariff bill, when the admins
tration has been under attack. Once
that bill is out Of the way the political
debates In the Senate are not likely to
be so one-sided.
Discussion of the first Hoover year in
the White House must include mention
of the work which the President has
undertaken in the interest of disarma-
ment and world peace. He took lead
ing part in the movement which brought
about the London Naval Conference,
now meeting. Political opponents in
the Senate go so far as to deride the
conference, even while it is sitting. And
it would be amiss not to mention
the call for law observance, which the
President has sent forth-a call which
should be needed by all Americans.
Under ordinary circumstances, when
@ new President goes into the White
House, without a change of party, his
first year develops little more than new
appointments to public Office and his
first recommendations to Congress.
That body ordinarily does not meet until
the December following the Presidents
Inauguration. When President Coolidge
was elected in 1924, he had already been
in Office for more than two years. There
was no special session of Congress called
The first year of the term of Office to
which MIR. Coolidge was elected in 1924
passed with little event. Mr.. Hoover
however, tackled the problems confront
ing his administration without delay
He had promised to call special ses-
sion of Congress to deal with farm relief
and tariff revision. The results have
been considerable and of moment to the
country, politics to the contrary not
withstanding.
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