The Washington times., 1931-10-01
KANE MURDER CASE GOES BEFORE GRAND JURY NEXT WEEl
WILSON VICTORY
SEEN AS TIP
TOHOOvER
Disarmament May Be COP.
Cry in 1882, With He Kept
Us Out of War Remembered

Cry in 1882, With He Kept
US Out of War Remembered
By WILLIAM C. MURPHY, Jr.
Political observers who recall
how Woodrow Wilson was elected
in 1915 on the slogan, HE kept
us out of war;" are beginning TO
surmise that the country is in
for a similar campaign next year.
President Hoover's recent in
sistence upon cuts in naval ap-
preparations and his publicly eX-
pressed intimations that Europe
must cut its armament expendi-
lures If it hopes for more gener-
Gus financial treatment from the
United States, are some of the
straws interpreted as meaning
disarmament" is to be the
favorite Republican cry next
year.
For Campaigns Only
The Wilsonian slogan of 1916
has long been regarded as one
OF the most effective bits of cam
paign publicity on record. That
the United States was actually
plunged into the World War less
than six months after the 1916
election is entirely beside the
point.
Campaign slogans are designed
for campaign consumption. That
was just as true Of the 1916
slogan as it was in the case of
Republican promises in 1928 that
a victory for Mr.. Hoover would
mean the abolition of the poor.
house, a chicken in every pot
and two cars in every garage.
Practical politicians, even those
who are decidedly skeptical about
the success of world disarma-
ment movement at present, con.
cede that disarmament would be
a popular issue in 1882.
Tax Cut Hopes
Primarily it would hold some
promise of reduction in govern
mental expenditures which would
mean less pressure for increased
taxation. While the reductions
so far suggested as practicable
are insignificant in comparison
with billion-dollar deficits, still
any reduction can be hailed as a
step in the right direction.
Even more important is the
consideration that emphasis on
disarmament would tend to dis
tract attention from controversial
domestic issues; prohibition, for
example, or unemployment relief
legislation.
That is always an advantage if
candidates for office are dis
inclined to take definite stands
on domestic questions.
Then there are the inevitable
political aspects involved in Mr..
Hoover's war debts-reparations
moratorium, aspects which can,
not be ignored in 1882, even
though Mr.. Hoover may have
given them no consideration
when he proposed the debt pay
ment holiday.
When Debt Holiday Ends
The moratorium will expire on
July l, 1932-just at the outset
of the campaign. There have
been many indications, however
that the end of the moratorium
Will not mean the resumption OF
payments.
Whether the American people
will react favOrabIy to the sug
geStfOn that they give up all OF
part Of the $1O,OOO,OOO, 900 due
from other nations, is likely tt
depend largely upon what il
offered in return.
A program of substantial world
disarmament is about the only
acceptable return which Europe
could offer.
Hence, if the Hoover admins
tration expects to reconcile the
voters to reduction or cancella
ton Of war debts, there is a
strong belief it behooves the Ad
ministration to be in a position
where it can show that disarma
ment is the commodity to be pur
| chased hV the taXDaVerS' billions