Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-24
Hoover Address Stirs New
Discussion of State Rights

President Hoover's personal expert
ence with bureaucratic government &C.
tivities Is recognized in the genera
discussion of his advocacy OF STATE
rights in his speech on Lincoln DAY
There Is much commentator OF HI
plea for a return to old principles anc
his attack on paternalism. Changes
in scope of problems to be met, how
ever. are viewed as raising some doubts
as to the boundary line between ma
tional and State duties.
1.-THE conduct of Democracy at the
short session of Congress this Winter,
says the Roanoke World-News, where
every principle has been sacrificed tc
the greed to secure Federal appropria-
tions, seems to have thrown away q
campaign issue on which the party
might at this time go before the coun-
try. Instead of building a construc-
tive platform, based on State rights
and home rule, the party that once
stood for those principles stands with
outstretched palm at the door OF the
Federal Treasury, while leaders OF Re-
publican thought. including the Presi-
dent and former President, sicken OF
the monopolistic trends of their OWL
ord of special favors through unfair
tariffs, seek to gather into the party
that has always stood for centraliza-
ton those who are becoming alarmed
at the extent to which that very con-
dition now obtains"
IAN evil of the Capitalization OF
authority" in the opinion of the Fort
Wayne News-Sentinel, las Mr. Hoover
points out, is the limitation which it
places upon the liberty of the indi-
vidual and the resultant restriction OF
individual opportunities, both charac-
ter-weakening tendencies. This ap-
proach must lead us to the conclusion
that, inasmuch as the true growth of
the Republic is commensurate with
the growth of character in its indi-
vidual citizens. then to weaken or re-
tard the development of character by
depriving it of the opportunity for
initiative action and the exercise of
liberty Is obviously blow at the Re-
public's basic structure"
X X X
"For two years President Hoover has
been in a position to determine the eff
the people as a whole. He Is drawing
upon personal experience for his warn
ing" according to the Champaign
News-G Gazette, which concludes: His
warning should be taken to heart. The
individu-l must realize his duty toward
government. He must realize that COM
munity government is for the benefit
of society and that larger political di-
visions are merely for the purpose of
binding together the smaller groups.
The larger division should not be ex-
pected to perform service that the COM
munity government can perform. The
National Government Is to bind the
States together-not to solve the prob
lens of the individual States. The
State binds together the counties and
the counties bind together the town
ships Each should take care of its own
problems and not pass them on to be
solved by another division
His sound and sane remarks apply
with great force to a great many steps
in paternalism, contemplated or already
taken,' declares the Columbus Ohio
State Journal, while the Oklahoma City
Oklahoman remarks that Mr.. Hoover
has learned that governing and sup
porting are two incompatible things"