Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-31
Mr.. Baker Tells the World.

Day by day, In every way. 1852 Demo-
cratic presidential possibilities are find
ing ways and means to express them
selves and take the country into their
confidence with respect to the views
they hold on national and international
questions. Recently the most active
and informative aspirant to his party's
honors has been Gov. Richie Of Mary
land. Yesterday, with the convocation
of the annual Institute of Politics at
Williamstown, Mass, as his forum,
Newton D. Baker displayed his wares,
and with that cogency Of presentation
at which the Ohioan is a past master.
The Wilsonian Secretary of War, as
his admirers expected, adopts new
internationalism as his keynote. He
has high praise for Mr.. Hoover'S initi-
alive in proposing the tntergovern-
mental debt suspension, terming it the
most conspicuous act of craftsmanship"
in the Presidents career. But Mr..
Baker plainly indicates his belief that
the administration might have gone
much further in its effort to resuscitate
an economically ailing universe and
done so sooner, with the full-hearted
approval of the American people. The
Ohio statesman sees in the electric
response which the moratorium plan
evoked a proof that public sentiment
in favor of broad-gauge international
policy us ahead of the Government"
Between the lines Of that contention
is Enthusiastically to be read the main
plank on which Newton Baker would
like to ride into his party's standard
bearership.
Specifically, Mr.. Baker calls for eco
nomic planning upon world scale, and
to that end would summon the nations
in conference, as they are to be sum-
moned at Geneva in 1882 for disarma-
ment. The Baker program would in
clude horizontal tariff reductions over
a period of years, in order to diminish,
or put an end to, that friction from
which wars have been generated.
Doubtless, with no intention OF tearing
a page out of Herbert Hoover's note
book, yet doing so, Mr.. Baker advocates
"soundly formed public opinion" as the
strongest weapon with which to bring
about international economic readjust-
ment as well as disarmament. The
Presidents belief In the mobilization
of public opinion" especially in world
affairs, is proverbial. It actuated the
call for the London Naval Conference
of 1880. It inspired the recent mora
forum scheme. It lies at the root of
Mr.. Hoovers jealous interest in the
success Of the Geneva Conference to
curtail ornaments. On that score, at
any rate, should the Fates pit the
Ohioan against the Californian in 1882,
they would see eye to eye.
Mr.. Baker strikes timely and useful
note in debunking a good deal Of cur
rent American thought about the beau
ties of the Russian flve-year plan.
He diSmisses it as "a passing phenome-
non," suited, perhaps, to the special
emergencies which the Communist
cars face-"well enough for an indus
trially backward nation like Russia, -
but wholly unsuited to great industrial
peoples unless they are prepared ito
put world economics in a straitjacket."
The Ohioan emphasizes in vigorous
terms that mo form of social organiza-
ton can endure, or is indeed worth
seeking, which does not leave room for
the individual man." Thus, In another
direction-the doctrine Of individual
ism-Newton Baker reveals a side of
his political nature which runs parallel
to familiar dogmas of Herbert Hoover
The World War administrator of
Americas military establishment, which
reached its greatest glory under his
leadership, verifies amply in his VIII
Jamestown address bis claims to high
minded craftsmanship. It breathes
vision, patriotism and sagacity. Those
are qualities Of which the Nation has
enduring need, and in this day more
than ever.