The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-10-15

Washington. ~ The presidential
campaign Is warming up--and so
are the whispering campaigns.
with very few IL any exceptions,
all election years have found poll
ticians circulating malicious false
hoods about the opposition's can
didate among the mass of credu-
lous voters.
The only pleasant aspect to this
ancient phase OF politics Is that 1t
doesn't seem very effective. Whis-
pering campaigns probably do not
change many votes, and there Is
no good evidence that one ever AZ
fected the result in a presidential
election. Those best remembered
have usually been aimed at can
didates who were victorious.
Also, the whispering campaigns
Of 1892, 1t appears from reports re-
ceived here, are singularly free
from undercover attacks on the
characters and personal habits OF
the nominees. Apparently no one
anywhere Is whispering that tho
candidates are habitual drunkards
or unfaithful to their wives. But
whatever the reason for this re-
markable omission, 1t is hardly to
be attributed to any increase OF
scruples among politicians.
Origin of the subterranean cam
paign canards is usually hard to
trace, but there 10 frequently a
suspicion that they emanate from
a source close UP toward the
party's high command. Either the
| AnvNnnrafin a.
tional committee people can work
themselves into high Indignation
over the other committees alleged
propagation Of them.
Sometimes they even take ofh-
cial notice and issue substantiated
denials.
Perhaps the chief rumor cir
c1Iated against Hoover this year
has been the allegation that he
was q British citizen and had
voted in England. Republicans say
"millions'' Of photostatic copies OF
a page from q London voters roll
bearing Hoover's name have been
distributed widely.
There is not the slightest evil
dence that Hoover ever voted In
London. Yet Republican Public
ity Director Henry j., Allen has
felt 1t worthwhile to issue a new
denial by Assistant Secretary Of
state Castle, who said he had
| checked the records again.
| The British voting charge wai
| old stuff, having been investigat'
ed and denied by Secretary KEEL
logg in 1928. ..o :.
Another revival from 1928 Il
the absurd yarn that q ranch Of
| Hooyer's in California put out Q
sign saying mo White Labor
Need Apply" Also, according te
e. O. p. leaders, millions" o.
scurrilous post cards are being
mailed which malign Hoover fol
his eviction OF the bonus army.
|
AL Smith suffered far worse thar
Hoover from whispered attacks ir
1928, but no one supposes they cos
him the election, even though
they were as vicious and absurd al
any bafrage of false gossip ever
laid down at an individual. And
no one supposes that whispering
cam paigns will decide the contest
OF 1882.
Democrats say the republican!
have been spreading lies abou'
Roosevelt's health, also basing ar
under-cover attack against Jack
Garner on the assertion that Gar.
ner would be sure to complete the
Roosevelt term. Roosevelt hai
pretty well vitiated that one b,
his vigorous western swing, which
made everyone realize that hi
health was excellent despite hi
lameness.
Catholic democrats have beer
told that Smiths defeat ant
Roosevelt's nomination were tht
result of Ku Klux plot and tina
the way to be loyal to AL was Il
rebuke Roosevelt.