Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-28
Tributes to Hoover.

Two widely known leaders In the
Democratic party, speaking to large
audiences Friday night, gave their ap-
proyal to the plan of President Hoover
Tor a suspension of international debts
for one year as a means Of restoring
economic stability in the world. Sena-
tor Pat Harrison, ranking Democratic
member of the Senate Finance Commit
tee, after describing the conditions in
Germany which threatened collapse
of that country financially and govern
mentally. said of the Presidents pro-
posal: 1T was a fine stroke and a
gracious and constructive move on the
part of President Hoover" Jouett
Shouse, the chairman of the Executive
Committee of the Democratic National
Committee, declared it was gratifying
TO be able to commend without hest
fancy or reservation" the Presidents
proclamation, and added: His position
shows craftsmanship. courage and de-
tision,"
These are gracious words, indeed,
from Democrats who in the past have
assailed the President and his admins
tration, and they do credit to the
Americanism of both Senator Harrison
and Mr.. Shouse They have subordi-
mated their partiSanship to support a
national proposal, designed not only
to aid foreign nations in this economic
crisis, but also to. give added confidence
to business and greater employment to
labor in the United States. 1t is not
to be expected that there will be no
exceptions among the Democrats to the
praise for the Hoover proposal Indeed,
assaults upon the plan have come in
some quarters from Republicans at outs
with the administration, But the
American people generally and over
%helmingly have given their indorse-
ment to the debt suspension proposal.
The country already is reacting favor
ably to the plan, although 1t is still
finally to be agreed to by the nations.
Hope has arisen in world which had
almost ceased to hope, and, more par
ticularly, confidence is being re-estab-
lished..
A Republican speaker, James L. West.
director of publicity for the Republican
National Committee, in radio address
last night, also gave praise to the Presi-
dent for his debt-suspension proposal.
His address was laudatory of Mr.. Hoo
ver's conduct since he has been Chief
- 70 I,
suspension proposal had comparatively
small place in the address. But because
Mr.. West is director of publicity OF the
Republican National Committee, the sug-
gestion is advanced that the G. o. P. Is
seeking to play politics with the debt
suspension proposal. to gain some adj
vantage. The Republicans might an
swer that President Hoover's leadership
IN this matter speaks for itself, that any
effect 1t may have politically cannot be
halted by the mere absence of favorable
comment upon it by Republicans.
They might say. too, that If leading
Democrats are at liberty to praise the
President for his proposal, certainly Re
publicans also have such right. How
ever, it is also clear that If party leaders
in the c. o. p. undertake to make capl-
fal out of the Presidents plan. while
the President is urging that it be con-
sidered not from a partisan standpoint
but from a national standpoint, with the
backing of Democrats as well as Repub-
licans, these party leaders will lay them
selves open to criticism. BY their
speeches they cannot add to or detraet
from the credit due to the President in
this case. That is matter of which
the whole country will take care.