The Republican., 1932-08-25
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
By FRANK P. LITSCHERT

| ing IHS hepuUiCdu HOIIlludCIOn LUZ Tic
Presidency was logical and convinc-
ing recitation of the things which the
national administration has done to-
ward counteracting the depression
and a lucid and direct statement of
the principles for which the President
stands and on which he will wage his
campaign. Those who have not
paused to sum up the efforts which
the administration has made to check
the depression will be surprised at
the number and extent of the con-
structive steps which have been
taken. And on the question of party
principles President Hoover shows
that he stands squarly on the Repub-
lican platform as an advocate of time
honored Republican principles. He is
for the protective tariff and against
competitive tariff for revenue,
which he says will place the Ameri-
can worker and farmer in competi-
ton with the poorly paid worker and
peasant of Europe. He is opposed to
debt cancellation and is unqualifedly
in favor of national defense. His eff
forts toward limitation of armament
and preservation Of peace, have been
made with our defensive needs in
mind, and with the thought that there
shall be no interference, in a politi-
cal way, with our time honored prin-
ciple of American freedom in interna-
tional policy without foreign entan-
clements.
One of the most striking portions
of the Presidents address was that
which pointed out that it has been
his aim, in fighting the depression,
to see to it that American principles
of individual effort and state and local
responsibility were not interfered
with. In his speech Mr.. Hoover said:
"The function of the federal gov
ernment in these times is to use its
reserve powers and it's strength for
the protection Of citizens and local
governments by support to our insti-
tutions against forces beyond their
control. 1t is not the function of the
government to relieve individuals of
their responsibilities to their neigh
bors or to relieve private institutions
of their responsibilities to the pub
lie, or of local government to the
states, or of state governments to the
federal government. In giving that
protection and that aid the federal
government must insist that all Of
them exert their responsibilities in
full. 1t is vital that by the use of
pubic revenues and public credit in
emergency the nation shall be
strengthened and not weakened.
"And in all these emergencies and
crises and in all our future policies
we must also preserve the fundamen-
tai principles of our social and eco
nomic system. That system is founded
upon a conception of ordered free
dom. The test of that freedom is that
there should be maintained equality
of opportunity to every individual so
that he may achieve for himself the
best to which his character, ability
and ambition entitle him. 1t is only
by this release of initiative, this in
sistence upon individual accomplish
ment which carry this nation for
ward"
In this matter of preserving indi-
vidual liberty of action and state and
local responsibility, with federal aid
and control only where necessary, we
have one of the most distinctive
achievements of the national admins
tration in the present crisis. 1t is
we'll to remember that in these years
of depression and economic injury
through which we have been passing,
American principles of government
have remained unaltered. Three
fourths of the people of the globe
have changed their government since
the worldwide economic breakdown
began. There have been revolutions
almost everywhere. More men are
living under relationships now than
has been the case for generations. In
many instances constitutional provis-
ions have been set aside that the &C.
onomic and political unity might be
preserved. In others, millions of
people, as in the case of Russia, are
ruled by the authority and desires of
one man alone. The regular processes
of government have been set aside
almost everywhere in order that the
nations might save themselves.
But in the United States, where
the storms of depression have blown
as hard as elsewhere, the American
Constitution and the American prin-
ciples of orderly government and in
dividual freedom have remained unal-
tered. This is due Of course to the
great patience of our people and their