Evening star., 1932-11-04
HOOVER BECOMES
SEASONED SPEAKER
Early Characteristic Shyness
Seen Overcome by Hard
Campaigning.
BY ]. RUSSELL YOUNG,
staff CORRESPONDENT of The Star.


ABOARD PRESIDENT HOOVER's s
TRAIN EN- ROUTE WEST, November
4.-As President Hoover heads West or
his final campaign swing before cleo
ton, which is to carry him as far as
Palo Alto, Calf, where he will cast
his ballot on Tuesday and then await
the verdict of the electorate, it is ap-
parent that he has developed into a
genuinely seasoned campaigner.
Those who are with him on this wind
up expedition, who have been close tc
him throughout his public life. are
pleasantly surprised at his rapid de-
velopment in this respect. This trans
formation has come about during the
last five weeks since he entered upon
MS first campaign trip away from Wash
ington which eliminated in his speech
at Des Moines, Iowa.
Shy at Beginning.
At first he was shy and showed heSi-
fancy about entering boldly into the
game Of vote getting. He was not
especially apt at waving, or laughing
readily at some happy greetings or re-
tort from the station crowds along the
way When he addressed these crowds
from the rear platform, he did so in a
low, conversational tone, which could
be heard only few feet away. 1t
seemed at the start of all this that ne
had mastered none of the campaign
er's art during his electioneering four
years ago. The old-timers in his party
say he performed at first like a novice.
In the lapse of five busy and arduous
weeks he has rounded out, and as he
starts out on this last swing he Sug-
gests nothing of the amateur. The
President seems seasoned and expert
enced.
Learns to Smile.
OF course. there still is a certain shy
ness about him, but no longer does this
trait suggest indifference or coldness.
He has learned how to smile and laugh
and to give happy replies to the greet
ings from the throngS and he enters
cordially into the handshaking. His
rear platform talks, no matter how
brief, are improved to such an extent
that nothing more in this respect could
be asked Of any nominee. He has not
yet, however, overcome his tendency to
address the open-air crowds in a low,
conversational tone. His close friends
doubt if he could overcome this if the
campaign lasted year. The trait is
attributed to a certain self-conScious-
ness
Just the same, the Presidents de-
yelopment has been a source of as
much pleasure and pride to himself as
to his intimateS who have been travel
ing with him. He has more confidence
in himself. Most important though is
the fact that he has grown TO like it
all This evidently has all been
brought about from the kindly, cordial
and responsive receptions he received
on his initial efforts five weeks ago
He found that the thousands of people
who had gathered about the stations
to see and hear him, as on his first
trip. were glad to see him and to
have the opportunity to show their re-
spect. He ran into no hostility With
each succeeding platform appearance
he liked it better and entered upon
his task with more zeal and confidence.
Now as the curtain is about to ring
down on all this, and he soon will be
returning to the grind and worries
of the White House desk, he enters
upon this last campaign trip an almost
entirely different Herbert Hoover from
the one to whom the outward trend
OF the campaign five weeks ago was
looked upon as serious enough to
prompt him to tear himself away from
his desk and leap into the fight
Shows Confidence.
AS the President, with Mrs. Hoover at
his side, waved to those about the plat
form as his train pulled out of Wash
1ngton yesterday, his appearance was
that of one who was confident and full
of fight and who had not felt the
under.
The Presidents personal train party
Is a small one. including only, besides
Mrs Hoover, Walter Newton and Law
renee Richey. two of his secretaries;
former Senator Allen of Kansas. direc-
tor Of publicity for the Republican ma
tional campaign; Capt. Joel T. Boone,
White House physician, and French
Strother. executive assistant to the
President
OF course. there are the usual compile
ment of newspaper correspondents,
photographers. Secret Service men,
stenographers in addition to staff Of
clerks and mimeograph workers from
the Republican National Committee,
along f0T the purpose of making copies
Of the Presidents speeches.
"Chats" at Martinsburg.
The Presidents special train made
its first stop at Martinsburg. 1t was
nearly O'Clock last night and dark.
The seasoned campaigner was out on
the rear platform before his train had
come to stop and he remained there,
with one hand in his overcoat pocket
and the other on the rail mostly,
throughout the five-minute halt and
until the lights of this thriving little
town had faded away
About 2GO people gathered at the
rear of his train and they gave him a
warm welcome in the form of cheers
and hand clapping. Mr.. Hoover did not
attempt anything resembling speech:
He merely chatted. in a friendly and
democratic fashion.
When the cheering subsided and he
had bowed his acknowledgment, an
elderly man. attired after the fashion of
a small town merchant, called up from
the crowd:
Mr.. President, I am the Oldest Jew
in this town and I always have voted