Evening star., 1932-10-05

ica, In the course Of a few months
these nations. resentful over the 45
per cent Jump in our tariff rate. raised
their tariff bars to shut out our trade.
"As a consequence. American COM
merce was strangled, the wheels OF in
dustry were stopped, and world progress
was set back.
Bankruptcy of Farmer.
"Everyone. with the possible excep-
ton of President Hoover and his ad-
visars, is aware now that the HaUley-
Smoot tariff has bankrupted the farm
er bv provoking other nations to match
our insurmountable tariff walls so that
the farmer cannot sell his surplus
crops abroad
MIR. Hoover is President CT the United
States and as such the utmoSt respect
is due him. But at this juncture he is
a candidate to succeed himself ard his
acts of omission as well as commission
are subjects for legitimate criticism.
Offering no apologies. I say with all
the emphasis at my command that II
We judge the promises he now MAKES
in the light of those he has made ana
failed tc fulfill, either his sincerity or
his ability to make good his attest
pledges is seriously open 10 question.
In making this fiat statement / am
only echoing the opinions OF men ana
women in all walks of life. Democrats
and Republicans alike. who have 1ol-
lowed the official course OF Mr.. Hoover
during the four years of his Term now
approaching its close.
Failure of Promises.
1T is regrcttable. yet true, that the
section hand. the clerk. the little busi-
ness man. the farmer. the great CSecu-
tive. the railroad magnate and even the
big financier have. reluctantly perh7ps,
reached the conclusion that premises
bearing Mr. Hoover's imprint have
often been made either 10 DE studiously
disregarded or, TO put IS ohsritably.
overlooked.
Four long years have elapsed since
Mr.. Hoover voiced his first promises to
the American people. Having faith N
him. they took these promises at, their
face value in 1923 and opened the coors
CT the White House to him by vote
the proportions Of which measured
their desire for fulfilment.
What of the high hopes and ex-
pectations of these millions of men and
women whose confidence has been
shamefully betrayed?
They have been shattered ruthleSsly.
Their faith in Hoover, the man. has
been dissipated and cannot be revived.
Broken promises cannot be explained
away. They do not form even flinlsy
foundation upon which to rear ano er
structure of pledges calculated to hep
re-elect a President whose lack of fit
ness for the Office has been conclusively
demonstrated-and demonstrated by
himself
THE Presidents Des Moines speech
indicates that he still cherishes these
same obsessions that characterized his
acceptance speech. Like the famous
Mr.. Docley, who marched them up the
hill and marched them down again, he
IS battling mythical enemies and win
ming a victory every time he counter
marches.
He still is using these long-range
glasses. which reveal nothing except
what occurs in foreign lands. It seems
impossible for him TO focus them upon
his own country in an effort to ascer-
tain the real cause and effect of the
depression He has not yet discerned
the fact that iacl. of administrative in
itiative and leadership and blind ad-
herence to obsolete policies here in the
United States are the fundamental
causes of the domestic as well as the
world conditions"