Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-27
SHOUSE SAYS ISSUE
WILL Be ECONOMIC
Democratic Chairman Scores
Hoover" Mistakes at
Rhode Island Dinner.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PROVIDENCE, r. l., April 81
Jouett Shouse, chairman Of the Demo
cratic National Executive Committee,
last night said the economic problems
Of the Nation would be the chief is
sues Of political battle in the next presi-
Dental compaign. Shouse spoke at a
dinner in honor of the memory OF
Thomas Jefferson under auspices Of the
Democratic State Committee.
Although Shouse said he hoped the
Democratic party would have the cour-
age to face the prohibition issue with
out equivocation and to make definite
announcement of its stand on its plat
form for 1882" he would not have 1t
become the dominating point Of politi-
cal debate.
ST would not have prohibition over
shadow the other matters of ire
mendous importance that confront the
American people," he said. I'm my
opinion, the economic problems, in
volving unemployment, embracing re-
form Of the glaring iniquities of the
tariff, the water power complications
and other phases, constitute the out
standing issues of the coming campaign.
Failure Laid to G. O. p.
1.-THE party in power has failed mis-
erably in its handling Of these things.
It Is the responsibility Of the Demo-
cratic party to show its ability to cope
with the difficulties"
Shouse said he was not welded to any
particular plan for solution Of the prohi-
bition problem, but favored submission
to the people of a constructive program
dealing with the existing situation, al
afva~ rNf
saloon by removing the temptation OF
private profit from the liquor trafic and
always protecting to the utmost those
States which want to be dry from the
imposition Of liquor trade within their
borders"
The Democrats will have to blaze the
trail for legislative accomplishment in
the coming Congress, Shouse said, re-
CARELESS Of whether the Republicans
succeed in organizing that body.
ut IS Of small Importance" he said
which party organizes the two branches
Of Congress by one or two votes. The
administration has lost control Of the
legislative arm Of the Government. The
Republicans are divided as never before
Fully third of their membership In
the Senate Is frankly anti-administra-
ton. The same thing is true, although
not to SUCH an extent, in the House Of
Representatives. The Democrats in
either house remain the sole coherent,
cohesive group, and therefore must as
sumo the leadership of legislation In the
Seventy-second Congress, for the flrst
time since the election Of 1915"
Test Of Last Two Years.
1.-THE administrations record during
the last two years has been o success
IA III
shown itself utterly inadequate to each
situation as 1t has arisen. The test OF
the administration must be its ability
to pilot the ship of state in times OF
stress. It requires no skill to steer
through calm waters. When states
manship Is required, when judgment
and decision are demanded by circum-
stances, the administration at Washing
ton reveals its caliber. It was this reve-
lation In the case of the present adj
ministration that disclosed to the coun-
try its mistaken estimate OF Herbert
Hoover.
"The man who cannot lead his own
party certainly cannot lead the Nation.
with few exceptions, the tnsurgent Re-
puhlicanS in Congress were definitely,
positively and whole heartedly with Mr..
Hoover on his advent to the White
House That they were swift TO change
from supporters into critics is due to
the Disappointment Of their hopes, pre-
sented by the Reputation or evasion of
the promises on which he obtained his
election"
Ehouse listed as "chief among the
plumbers Of the Administered ton" "the
Hoover Grundy tariff" and farm relief
legislation. Prohibition he did not list,
he said, among the Administrations
mistakes, because that Is one subject on
which it has been found impossible to
get any expression whatever from the
White House"