The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-14
Is Hoover Through ?


more years and out. The people have turned thumbs
down on him So have the politicians He is un-
lucky. He happened to be al the wheel when the
prosperity road slid out from under, and the car
plunged down with it. He got the blame. They are
hunting another driver now.
That is what they say.
Maybe So But maybe not. We are not so sure.
A lot can happen in two years. Hoover has been
down before and not out The reactionaries said ne
could never get the presidential nomination IN 1928
He fooled them The liberals said he never would go
conservative he got into the White House he
fooled them
Now that conservatives and liberals agree that the
voters are deserving him and his policies he may fool
them both For the only thing certain about Hoo
yer thus far is that you not be certain what he
is going to do.
Maybe Hoover will get mad day and kick
out the hack politicians and yes-men who have led
him in two short years from the heights of record
popular vote to the depths of his recent election
defeat Perhaps Hoover will begin being boss for
change.
After all, it is not many years ago since he
showed the world in Belgium, not so long Since he
picked the commerce department from the bottom
cabinet shelf and placed it at the top Of government
efficiency.
Time was when the Fesses, Grundies and Melons
the power interests and the Anti-saloon League did
not run him That time may come again. For he
can not help but reflect that they have him
into hole
His enemies say the trouble with him is that
he has oeen trying hard to fix things for second
term that he could not be real President. That is
an -simpihcation. Motives never are so clear
even in villain-and Hoover is honest
We don't know whether he wants second term.
But what Of It? Strangely enough all Presidents do
Probably he does. If he does, he is headed in the
wrong direction. He can tell that by looking back
at the Nov 4 sign post which he just passed going
down.
Whether he got himself tied to the G. O. P bosses
because he wanted second term as his enemies say,
or because he thought that the best way to get
action his policies his friends say for both
reasons, for neither reason is less important than
the present fact-that this alliance has been dis
astrous for him, for his policies for his party, and
for his country
Hoover is not the first idealist who tried to use
the political bosses and got used by them That hap
pened to Jefferson to Lincoln, to Wilson more than
1t happens to most.
The test of a mans intelligence is whether he
learns by experience. That is true not only of bod
carriers and bankers but also of Presidents.
perence he can build two years of splendid achieve
ment on top of his past mistakes President. All
he has to do is stop compromising and begin to fight
The country Is no less in need of fighting leader
today than two years ago, when it overwhelmingly
elected him as that very leader.
The country is crying for leadership now. Hoover's
friends say the tickle voters have turned against him
and won't give him chance. Absurd No one need
give him chance, one give him chance
He has the chance already and no one can take it
away from him now-that is what the presidency of
the United States is
He is in the most powerful position in all the
world He can do what not kings and emperors
can do A President can govern, If he will.
Hoover has the power He has the mind He tNJ
the good intentions. But it also takes courage He
has not shown courage in the White House yet If he
had he would not be on the defensive he is today
To come down to cases The country is swinging
rapidly away from prohibition, not because of wet
propaganda but because the American people are a
practical people and prohibition has not worked.
Some years ago the majority of Americans thought
prohibition would work. at least that it was worth
trying. They experimental. The experiment has
failed.
Now it happens that Hoovers position was pre-
cisey that of the majority of Americans He was not
as an experiment" and hoped for the best.
His hands are not tied now. Why he abdicated
his own scientific position, and let the Anti-Saoon
League dictate the administration policy, do not
know But we do know that there is nothing in his
public pledges to the voters who elected him to pre-
vent his demanding gepeal of prohibition on the
ground that his own enforcement efforts have proved
its failure.
He is free to lead business out Of the expensive
folly of the higher tariff which the Republican bosses
and interests hung on already weakened country.
1t was Hoover who first said in the campaign that
there must be no general tariff increase.
If he was not able to hold back his high tariff
political allies in the last congress- he can take cour
age now from the voters protest. He can demand
tariff revision downward-and win this time.
SO with unemployment relief and other social
legislation. SO with peace policies so with most OF
the original Hoover reform program which has been
blocked by his unnatural alliance with the reactionary
BOSSES Now he can make good his old pledges. The
election has given congress progressive mandate.
But he can not win by working With the old guard
that has betrayed him. with some of his cabinet
insists nor by leaning on lame ducks.
He will have to be President in his right. He
viii have to fight for the liberal principles he pro-
fesses He will have to reorganize his administration
and his party That takes leadership. That takes
courage