Evening star., 1932-08-12
EDITORIAL OPINION
ON HOOVER SPEECH
Excerpts From Press of
Country Show Various Con-
structions on Address.
By the Associated Press.

1IOIn eO1LOTldlS III NEW 4Ork ClIy papers
on the Hoover acceptance speech follow:
Brooklyn EagIe-Mr. Hoover's at
titude on prohibition is still indef1-
mite. 1t presses down harder on both
sides than does his party platform,
equivocation on this issue is all the
more marked coming after his generally
candid speech. 1t mars his whole story
and raises doubts about 1t.
Evening Post-It seems as If a
new Hoover were trying to struggle out
through that acceptance Speech-or,
perhaps, the old Hoover for whom so
many of us thought we were voting
in 1928. There was in it degree OF
candor, of definite commitment and of
deep feeling, such as we have not seen
in any speech by the President since
he entered the White House.
World President Hoovers
acceptance speech interests us as
an exceedingly well written, and, on
the whole, frank statement of his con-
Servative position. He does not
definitely pledge himself or his party
to do anything to appease or hasten
even revision of the eighteenth amen.I-
ment, and, of course, he does not pledge
himself to any modification of the dry
laws excepting change of amendment.
Evening Sun-The part of Presi-
dent Hoover's speech of acceptance
which deals with prohibition will please
his wet supporters in the least in one
respect The President goes farther
than the platform of his party.
This 0he Presidents plan) is the
Dwight Morrow method except for the
mention of the saloon system. Mr..
Morrow wished to leave the problems
of regulation entirely to the States.
And, after all, what other practical
way out is there?
The Times-The real substance q"
Is that he has been compelled to hold
that the eighteenth amendment is
failure. "% 1t is an honest and manly
thing that the President has done in
thus making his attitude clearly known.
In the beginning of the speech
Mr.. Hoover reviewed "the past three
years of unparalleled economy calami-
ty." 1t would be cruel to remind him
that in 1928 he was promising three
years of mounting Republican pros
perity.
The Herald -Tribune-Instead of an
improvisation from an airplane, COM
posed of smiles and generalities, there
is offered an account of a stewardship
which has had few parallels-deeds ac-
complished and plans envolving out of
experience. $ =" Here is not only his
tory in the making, but the ordered
review by great commander of pro-
1onged and bitter attack which he has
the honor to report has been at last
definitely repulsed. In going be-
yond the Chicago platform he
places the end of National prohibition
beyond the realm of debate.
Editorial comment from papers out
side New York City follows:
Chicago Daily News-The address as
a whole, presenting as it DOES full
length portrait of the mind of Herbert
Hoover, will repay careful study. 1t is
the product of an able, sincere and
deeply conscientious Chief Executive.
Omaha World Herald President
Hoover's speech of acceptance is an
eloquent and earnest apology
for the failure of his administration to
do the things that were promised.
The Democratic party will charge, we
believe truthfully and in all fairness,
that President Hoover and his adminis-
tratien, together with previous admins
trations of which he was an important
part, have been guilty of gross betrayal
of the principles to which he pays Lip
service.
Cleveland Plain DeaIer-Mr. Hoover
goes farther than his party in the
direction of repeal. His position Is
nearer the Democratic than the Re-
publican platform. . This can mean
but one thing, the end of the eight
eeuth amendment. Mr. Hoover
gives his dry friends a spanking, but
insists it hurts him more than it does
them.
Cleveland News s. Not only has
he presented the case of the break
down of the eighteenth amendment
but he has offered a remedy for
the diSgraceful conditions. The stigma
of the Chicago straddle has been wiped
with the precision of the scientist lists
the results of the noble experiment"
and finds them wanting. He is honest
enough to admit it.
Kansas City Star-The President be-
lieves the evils of the saloon system are
too overwhelming to take chances with.
So he favors State rule on liquor, sub
ject to constitutional provisions to pro-
tect the dry States, and to prevent the
return Of the saloon in any State, wet
or dry. Has not moderate opin-
ion come along the same road to the
same conclusions? And is not his So
luton, rather than the one supported
by Gov. Roosevelt, the practical one?
Atlanta Constitution-The chief sig
niflcance Of the address Is in his ad-
mission that his one-time noble ex-
pertinent" of prohibition has become an
1gnoble failure. He seeks to garner
the dry vote by an attack on the Demo-
cratic position on prohibition, while ap-
pealing for the wet vote by indorsing
the Democratic position.
San Francisco Chronicle-And, finally,
prohibition. This is Hoover's master
piece. the clearest, the most
constructive and the most intelligent
utterance on the subject which this
whole controversy has produced.
Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger
It Is hoped that the Presidents definite
support of repeal Of the eighteenth
amendment will subordinate this issue
in the campaign to its proper place and
permit discussions of the important
economic questions before the country.
No opponent Of that amendment could
be more vigorous than he was in de-
nunciation of the abuses which have
grown up under it.
Philadelphia Bulletin - Prohibition
ought not to be the dominant issue in
the coming presidential campaign.
Mr.. Hoover is definite, explicit
There is no artful lodging, no pussy
footing. Aside from its appeal
to popular interest this declaration on