Evening star., 1932-10-24

Senator Hiram Johnson's refusal to
support President Hoover seems to have
been not unexpected. but his pronounce
ment of his reasons is more vigorous
and determined than had been looked
for. Its reaction upon the public Is
favorable or unfavorable, depending, in
most instances. upon the party anna
tions of the readers.
California should be safe for Gov
Roosevelt" thinks the Oklahoma City
Times independently, after Senator
Johnsons statement to California news
papers, which asked the eminent pro-
gressive how he stood on the support
Of President Hoover for reelection.
Senator Johnson stated bluntly that he
will not support President Hoover. and
stated why. He Is lifelong progress
sive, and President Hoover has proved
himself an ultra-conservative. Sena-
tor johnson still is power in the State
of California and, even before he spoke
the trend Of public opinion in the
Golden State apparently was away from
President Hoover"
The editors of the Southern Cali
fornia Republican newspapers did a
public service in bringing Mr.. johnson
into the OPEN" says the Santa Monica
Evening outlook (Republican). as II
declares: The people of California now
know where he stands. If they admire
that sort of a public man they will
probably have the opportunity two years
from now to vote for him again or to
express their condemnation of his pres
ent course by voting against him.
Referring to the Senator's statement
II am a progressive Republican; Mr.
Hoover is notl" and the definition that
1.-The progressive thinks in terms of hu-
man beings; the standpatter has little
thought or concern for them," the San
Francisco Chronicle independent Re-
publican) springs to the defense of Mr.
Hoover, saying that when it comes tt
being interested in human beings, "whc
is better entitled to that designation
than the President, who, during thi:
great depression. has agonized in spirit
and spent himself to the limit for the
relief of the misfortunes of the people
and has mobilized for them the re-
sources of Government and of business
on a scale unexampled in history?"
Quoting the Senator's statement that
he was elected by men and women oi
all shades of political opinion" the In
dianapolis News independent Republic.
am suggests that perhaps he has
worked OUT q system Oh alternating Ms
support of national tickets
Though Senator johnson doesn,
spell his democracy with a capital d
he derives it from those spring Of thought
and feeling which in all times and al
lands have moved men to stand forth
for human rights against political oil.
garchies," says the Atlanta Journa
CDemocratic), with the further com.
ment: The Republican clique which
he repudiates today is in many respects
a parallel to that which ruled at Wash
ington in the Scandalous and tragic era
of reconstruction. For IL years it has
controlled the National Government
and what inglorious years they have
been! The graft that grew rank under
Harding, the stuffy materialism that
throve under Coolidge, and the inevi.
table disaster that has come undel
Hoover are all manifestations of thu
kind Of politics that puts special privi.
lege above equal rights, love Of money
above loyalty to truth, and the per.
formance of machines above the prog
ress Of men,"
As to the statement Of Senator John
son the Roanoke Times Democratic
most important campaign pronounce
ments to date and will rank in impor
tance among campaign development
with the famous reconciliation between
Roosevelt and Smith. 1t will brinl
about Mr.. Hoover's downfall on tn
Pacific Coast" The Charleston Is. c..
Evening Post (Democratic) agrees tina
it may mean . good deal In q practt