The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-10
NEA Service Writer


 Washington--It begins to appear as if President Hoover had at last decided to fight boldly, as many persons hoped he would. At any rate, there has been stiffening of the presidential backbone and 1t seems evident enough that Mir. Hoo- yer is anxious both to strike back at his enemies and keep the domi- nant conservative element in the republican party lined up behind him.
 If one agrees that it is supreme ly important for a president who is a candidate for renomination and reelection to retain the support of the country's business interests. the political strategy of this boldness immediately becomes clear.
 In the past year MT. Hoover and his party have lost their old ability to promise prosperity and good times to the business man. Mean while, the democratic party has be- gun a very obvious attempt to cap  those wealthy, powerful interests which have always been such re- publican bulwark.. And it Is nat ural enough that the administra- tion should seek to emphasize on business that the man in the White House is just as valuable to 1t as another would be-such as Sena- tor Dwight Morrow or Owen D. Young.
 Hoover Isn't Losing.
 On the other hand, Hoover is not losing anything by accentuating his conservatism as against the pro- gressivism of his bitterest political foes. He could hardly alienate the independents and progressives more than he already had. Any damage he might do himself in that respect would be unimportant as compared with the importance of rallying the conservatives, in politics and in in. dustry and finance. to his side.
 Thus, one begins to find Hoover courting the wrath of the "radtcals' from various angles and lining up more definitely than ever with those who most fear and detest them.
 The theory is that Mir. Hoover ap-
  utive Director Lucas of the Repub- lican National Committee to fight the election of Senator Norris, se- cretly. But that required no espe- cial bravery.
 What does indicate that the presi- dent is willing to have a real cleav- age between republican cOnserva- tives and Norris and his followers Is his acquiescence in the series of blasts against Norris which have continued to pour out of the na- tional committee headquarters.
 That headquarters is directly re- sponsible to the president and the plan to attract conservative sup port by the attacks on Norris must be either MT. Hoover's own idea or one which has been sold to him. That Power Row
 Common belief in Washington that responsibility for the dis charge of Solicitor Russell and Chief Accountant King of the Fed defy to the progressives bound to receive the appreciation of "big busi- ness"-lay with President Hoover has also been partly confirmed. The discharge of Russell and King, so certain to produce loud re- percussiOns, was such a major step in policy that 1t was inconceivable that 1t could have been done with out consultation with the president. It is now understood that the ad- ministration got word of its desire to George Otis Smith, the commits sion's new chairman, through Secre- tary of the Interior Wilbur. for merly chairman of the commission and formerly Smiths boss. How popular Hoover's increas- ingly evinced attitude toward the power issue is with business men was indicated in the quite recent referendum taken by the United States Chamber of Commerce. The vote on the proposition that the federal government should always leave the transmission and distri- button of power to other agencies was 2617 for and 214 against In the chamber voted overwhelmingly this and other votes, members of against power theories of the pro- gressive faction.
 PrOgrcssivcs fred MT. Hoover's vigorous attack on the proposal in Congress to appro- priate federal money to buy food for drought-stricken farmers. also carried its strong appeal to con-