Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-04

Herbert Hoover is exactly in mid
stream this day. He has had two years
of the presidency and at least two more
years of it are ahead Of him. The
ofnce has taken a physical and mental
toll from the man, that reveals itself
Enthusiastically both in his appearance
and demeanor. Undoubtedly the White
House has brought the President a
world Of heartbreaks and disillusion-
ments. But the certainty that Herbert
Hoover is a candidate to succeed him.
self Is the best evidence that while he
has undergone r1lerciless succession OF
disappointments and discouragements
he is far from inclined to throw UP
the sponge. A recent caller, who had
not seen the Californian at close
range for some time. was asked in what
respect he found the President most
changed. He wears fighting face
now" was the reply. A good many
observers have formed the same i'm
preston. 1t justifies the prophecy that
Hooyer's next two years are going to
be combative years, and conspicuous for
spirit Of aggreSsiveness that was
sporadic, rather than habitual, in the
past.
Commonest Of all criticisms Of Mr..
Hoover Is the one charging him with
political ineptitude-his failure to work
amicably with Congress, his unpop-
ularity with Republican leaders, and his
incapacity as a party manager. The
cold facts are that the President has
scored about as many hull's-eyes with
Congress as the average Chief Execu-
tive marks up. Considering the char
acter OF the so-called Republican ma
jority in the expiring Senate, the ad-
ministration had astonishingly good
luck with its legislative programs. Mr.
Hoover beat of the export debenture
in the farm relief fight. He got. his
way on the flexible tariff. He put
through his naval treaty. He effectuated
his schemes for reorganization Of the
veterans administration and prohibit
ton enforcement. He thwarted attempts
to strip him of authority over expendi-
ture Of the emergency Federal construc-
ton fund. He won his fundamental
points on drought relief. He has come
out on top-to date, at least--in his
tussle with the Senate over the Power
Commission. All this is no inconsider-
a. e showing for President whom his
{ tractors are fond Of depicting as a
babe in the political woods. 1t stacks
up formidably against rebuffs like the
bonus.
Mr.. Hoover has had Congress on his
hands for, roughly, three-Quarters of
his "a months in office-thanks mainly
to the farm relief and tariff special
session he called in April, 1929. If the
result was a year and a half Of almost
incessant controversy between the White
House and Capitol, the President has
prof1ted enormously from the expert
ence. He knows the congressional ami
NAL now, from head to hoof, especially
hoof. The knowledge should stand him
in good stead during the next Congress
Mr.. Hoover will have on his hands. 1t
is as certain as the stars that the one
from which he's about to part will
have been meek and lamblike pack
compared to the herd the President
will have to shepherd after next De-
cember. "Mr. Hoover has been showing
signs of using the big stick" remarks
Senator Moses in current magazine
article on the q. o. p. IT commend
these opportunities to him.
X X \
This observers guess is that Herbert
Hoover intends TO follow the advice of
the shrewd and cynical sage Of Con-
cord and fight from now on. The Presi-
dent undoubtedly approaches 1882 un-
afraid. He does not think the Ameri-
can people can be kept indefinitely in
the doldruns. He believes there is a
s0Ou oeal Ol HySLeTa III the present
situation, economic as well as political
He thinks the country will have
snapped out of the depression by the
time he faces it for reelection. Unless
he radically changes his mind in the
meantime, Hoover will run dry. Moth
ing to date has convinced him that the
Nation has gone wet or is likely to dc
! so in the near future. Like all good
Republicans, Hoover has Abading conf
dence that the Democratic party will
continue to be the Republicans bes