The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-11-10
THE TIDAL WAVE

What swept over the country Tues
day was plainly no ordinary ebb and
flow of partisanship. Here was a
tidal wave Of popular emotion de-
manding change. Beneath its flood
the familiar landmarks of party lines
vanished. The matter which normal
" decide elections-the merits of the
candidates, the debate of policies, al
legiance to party-were forgotten.
In a very real sense the country
experienced final upheaval from the
World War. Remote as those des-
tructive years are in time, their mark
is still heavy upon the world. Funda-
mentally the whole world depression
was due to its dislocations and Tues
days balloting was the depression's
own child. What was recorded was a
blind protest against forces of des-
truction that defied precise analysis
and for which there is no simple
remedy-save time. In the mood of
Tuesdays voting there was room for
neither patience nor reflection.
These forces have swept round the
world leaving a trail Of revolution
and bloodshed in their wake. 1t is a
tribute to the stability of American
institutions that Tuesdays great
overturn took place amid complete
order and entirely within the letter
and spirit of the Constitution. Ameri-
cans without regard to party can be
supremacy thankful for the admirable
structure of their government and
they have right to be proud Of the
admirable temper of the nation in the
darkness of unemployment and hard
ship.
Mr.. Hoover labored manfully to win
the voters from their resolve. We
have said and we still believe that he
was right. In our judgment, Tues
days verdict did a gross injustice to
an able President, which history will
not be slow to reject. But no one can
demonstrate with cataclysm. Plain
ly the Republican case was hopeless
from the start.
The depression was the major
cause of the result. Yet we think
that the prohibition issue must be
ranked as a contributing cause. With
some of the driest spots in the Union
going for Governor Roosevelt, the
folly of placing any reliance on the
dry vote cannot be missed. The truth
is that in respect to this vital issue,
Mr.. Hoover Jagged months behind the
sentiment of the nation. He failed
to appreciate the strength of the
evidence against prohibition which
was first summed up in the Wicker
sham report and which has since be-
come overwhelming. Rightly or
wrongly, wet voters felt that Mr..
Hoover did not realize the difficulties
in the way of retaining any degree OF
Federal regulation and they were
loath to intrust the task of repeal to
his leadership.
A difficult four months lies ahead.
The more cooperation there can be
between the parties and between their
leaders the better for the country.
The national welfare must come first
in this difficult winter. We hope
that the bitterness of the late cam
paign will be buried promptly and
that united nation will carry on
through these months of strain and
want.
To Governor Roosevelt we extend
our congratulations and our good
wishes for a happy and successful
administration. He should have the
sincere support of every loyal Ameri-
can. Much as we regret Mr.. Hoover's
defeat we are glad to see New
Yorker bearing name that is a
symbol of stanch Americanism the
country over. We can think of no
better wish to make for the Governor
than that he may live up to it.-New
York Herald Tribune.