The Washington times., 1931-02-13
SPEECH SEEN AS
FIRST BID FOR
REELECTION
Lincoln's Birthday Address
Advocates of Notification
Used as Occasion to FIay

Political prognoSticators today
were analyZing President Hoover's
Lincoln Day address, broadcast
from the White House study last
night, with a strong suspicion
apparent that it constituted the
first serious document in his
campaign for reelection.
Although the speech was briefer
than most Presidential utter
anceS. Mr.. Hoover managed to:
Attack the "unceasing agita-
tiOn" for Federal assumption of
new financial and regulatory
burdens which, he asserted, be-
long peculiarly to the States and
local governments;
Declare against qualification"
and call for law obedience and
adherence to Constitutional pro-
ceSseS;
Plead for party regularity and
majority rule;
Praise the Republican party as
the "Darty of responsibility"
The Presidents remarks were
sent out over the complete hook
ups of both broadcasting systems,
while G. o. P. headquarters here
arranged Republican rallies all
over the country to listen-in. 1t
was his first speech of conse-
Quence in a little over four
months.
Mr.. Hoover was. quite positive
In his stand on the question of
States rights and States respon-
Sibilities. and he brought the
situation up to date by asserting
it was up to the American people
to fight their way out of the cur
rent economic depression.
The Government already has
undertaken it's share of the bur
den, he said, adding:
Though less pregnant with
disaster than in LincOln's
time), the dominant problem
today in our form of govern
ment turns in large degree upon
the issue of the relationship of
Federal, State and local govern
ment responsibilities. We are
faced with unceasing agitation
that the Federal Government
shall assume new financial
burdens; that 10 shall undertake
increased burdens in regulation
Of abuses and in the prOSecu-
tiOn Of crime.
Warns Of Superstate
Carried to its logical ex-
treme, all this ShOuldering of
individual and community re-
spOnsibiIity upon the Govern.
ment can lead but to the super
state, where every man becomes
the servant of the State and
real liberty is lost"
That portion of his address
which bore inferentially on the
prohibition issue was brief but
pointed. Enumerating the vari-
Gus principles Lincoln stood for,
Mr.. Hoover said:
"You will find him pounding
at the public mind against
notification and for adherence
to constitutional processes Of
government. No stronger state
ment has ever been made than
that Of Lincoln upon obedience
to law as the very foundation
Of our republic"
At the outset Of his address the
President said:
'It is appropriate that 1
should speak from this room In
the White House where Lincoln
strived and accomplished his
great service to our country.
"In this room Abraham Lin
coin signed the Emancipation
Proclamation of January /,
1868, whereby 100000 slaves
were given their freedom and
slavery forever prohibited in
these United States"
"It was here that he tOiled
by day and by night that the
union created by the fathers
might be preserved and that
slavery might be ended
Issues Still Alive
'"While many of the issues of
that time are dead and gone,
GUUAC VI UuA PACSCAb pIUDACAAS
were equally vivid in his day.
You will find Lincoln addressing
the country in strong and
urgent support of the prOtec-
tive tariff, with vivid declama-
tiOn against the party opposing
that policy. You will find him
advocating Federal Government
aid in internal development of
waterways, rivers and harbOrS,
and transportation. You will
find him pounding at the pub
lie mind against notification
and for adherence to cOnStitu-
tiOnal processes of government.
No stronger statement has ever
been made than that of Lin
coin upon obedience to law as
the very foundation of our Re.
public.
Tn LincOln'S day the dOmi
nant problem in our form of
government turned upon the
issue of States rights. Though
less pregnant with disaster, the
dominant problem today in our
form of government turns in
large degree upon the issue of
the relationship of Federal,
State, and local government re.
spOnSibilitieS."
STATUE TO BE DECORATED
Commemorative the llIth ami