Evening star., 1932-10-23
BY WILLIAM HARD,

CHICAGO. October PA miracle OF
faith has happened. Hoover's managers
now In large numbers think that they
can re-elect him They may be en-
tirely in error in this thought. The
striking fact is that they actually enter
tain 1t. 1t represents a profound change
within them.
A month ago they were essentially
without hope They were going through
the mere form of a fight. When speak
ing for publication they were. Of course
predicting victory. When not speaking
for publication they were stagnant
ponds Of pessimim.
Now they spontaneously bubble with
liveliness. They assert that a turn has
come. On this point they are in a
degree admittedly right Straw votes
and journalistic personal observations
both indicate that Hoover Is getting
stronger What is puzzling is that his
managers sincerely believe that his
strength will rise to height suficient
for the leap back into the White House
On that latter and definitive point
the journalists are still Overwhelmingly
of the opinion that Roosevelt cannot be
overtaken. They regard him as being
so far ahead that he can falter q lot
and fall often and yet cross the tape
hrst. The Republican managers for the
most part are now Of a different view
They think that the changed tide will
float Hoover along the course to a tri-
umphant finish
They make these claims because of
their most recent reports from their
county chairmen and precinct workers
These gentlemen-and ladies-send nu-
merous communications to the Repub-
lcan national headquarters in Chicago
and to the subordinate Republican
clearing house in New York City. Some
Of their stories seem almost fantastic.
They insist upon it that wholesale
conversions of voters by the thousands
in their localities were accomplished
by Hoover's speeches at Des Moines and
at Cleveland. This discovery Of Hoover
as spellbinder IS surely one of the
great curiosities of American political
history. A month ago the common Re
publican feeling was that few Presidents
had ever equaled Hoover in dryness
and unpersuasiveness of oratory. Now
local Republican politicians all over
the country are clamoring to have him
come and address their communities.
Even those of them who till now have
been really anti Hoover. or, at any rate,
nom Hoover, are repenting and are re-
entering the reservation. A remarkable
instance Of such . development Is to
be seen in Illinois.
The local Illinois Republican ticket a
few weeks ago was holding itself well
aloof from Hoover 1t seemed to re-
gard him as a liability. Now it has
come TO regard him as an asset. Now
1t earnestly wishes him to deliver a
speech in Chicago Now it thinks that
Hoover would not hurt but would help.
Hence a wonderful scene, here in Chi
cago, the other day Of Republican fra
ternal affection. On the platform was
Len Small, Republican candidate for
Governor of Illinois. Beside him was
Everett Sanders, chairman Of the Re-
publican National Commluuee and Hoo
ver's principal campaign general. Not
far away was Lyman Wilbur. Hoover's
Secretary of the Interior and Hoover's
most intimate personal friend. Nearby
was Frank L. Smith, Republican nation
al committeeman for Illinois and not
often previously regarded as any hot
Hooverite.
Hoover will carry Illinois," declared
Small. The statement seemed so re-
markable to listening journalists, in
cluding the present writer, that efforts
were subsequently made to discover the
genuine personal views Of National Com
Smith. who has q great rep
utation as apredicter Of political events.
The journalists were still more as
founded and bewildered when they at
length satisfied themselves that Mr..
Smith really and truly and with his
hand on his heart was the possessor OF
perfect confidence that Hoover on No
yember 8 will inherit Illinois and Its 2S
electoral votes.
After that experience this writer was
80 numb that he had no sensation OF
shock when talking on the next day
with Mr.. L. W. Ainsworth, who Is In
charge Of our Western discontented
farmers and Of efforts to make them
happier in the rooms rented BY the Re-
publican national headquarters in the
Palmer House. Mr. Ainsworth Is sure
that Hoover will capture Iowa and
Kansas, and South Dakota and COLORADO
and wyoming and Nebraska-and Ne
braska
Mr.. Ainsworth mentions Nebraska
twice. He mentions 1t without Q tre-
NOR. He manifestly believes what he
says. The reporters automatically ask
him If he is willing to be quoted. He
says firmly that he is. He is willing
apparently to be held up to history as
either one of its greatest forecasters or
one Of its greatest self-hypnotizers.
And Mr Ainsworth then goes even
farther and declines to concede Wis
consin or Minnesota or North Dakota
to Roosevelt, If only Hoover VIII make
. speech at Minneapolis.
. * ~
Granted, e must b granted. that
Hoover q now making some heAdWay
and that he might now b described %