Evening star., 1932-10-04
ROOSEVELT HELD
DESPAIR APOSTLE
Secretary Ogden L. Mills
Calls Hoover Veteran of
Courage in Speech.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, October Secretary
of the Treasury Ogden L. Mills was
cheered when he described President
Hoover as "a tried and seasoned veteran
of magnificent courage and resourceful-
ness" and pictured Gov. Franklin D
Roosevelt, the Democratic presidential
nominee, as ''an apostle OF despair"
Every seat in Trinity Auditorium was
taken to hear the cabinet official speak
last night in behalf of the Republican
presidential campaign. The auditorium
has capacity of 5000 and Republican
campaign officials estimated at least
1000 others crowded the streets outside
the building to listen to the address
over loud-speaking system.
Secretary Mills, former college mate
of the Democratic nominee, deplored
what he described as Roosevelts refusal
to discuss major issues of the campaign.
Introduced by Scott.
Joseph Scott, Los Angeles attorney
who nominated Hoover at the Chicago
convention, introduced Secretary Mills
as President Hoover's strong right
arm" Mr.. Mills characterized Gov.
Franklin D. Roosevelt. Democratic
presidential nominee. as a candidate
who practically admits the depression
has him licked before he starts"
On the other hand, he said, President
Hoover, with his record behind him, IS
pointing the way to ultimate victory"
He said Gov. Roosevelt has been
campaigning over two months" and has
not yet made plain his attitude on i'm
mediate payment Of adjusted service
certificates, "Mr. Gamers pork barrel
building BILL" immigration, Federal
guaranteeing Of bank deposits and other
problems.
I'VE do not know his attitude" Sec
retagy Mills said. toward the gigantic
program of reconstruction which, under
the Presidents leadership and with the
support Of some members Of his own
party, has been put into effect; or
toward the other measures undertaken
under the Presidents leadership to at
tack the problem of depression on
broad front.
And. strangest of all, we do not
know what, if any, program he himself
has for dealing with this depression, a
question which transcends in impor-
tance every other issue now before the
American people"
Secretary Mills reviewed the Roose-
welt swing about the country.
"At Topeka Gov. Roosevelt elaborated
a siX-point farm program which left
his audience completely mystified and
which, If it failed to state the means
by which the desired detectives were to
be attained" said Mills, "at least pre-
served to the Governor six or more
avenues Of escape, should the time ever
come when he is called upon to make
good.
"At Salt Lake City he described a
railroad program taken almost word
for word from the recommendations to
Congress of President Hoover and of
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
I'm Butte he stated that he wanted
to do something for silver, but didn't
disclose what or how.
I'm Seattle he promised to remedy
the abnormal depreciation of the buy
ing power of Oriental countries and
then went on airily to say that there
are many ways of producing the results
desired without mentioning one of
them.
Cites Portland Speech.
"In Portland he favored the reten-
tion of the title to water power sites
oy the Federal Government, which Is
already the case under the water power
act, the Development, operation and dis
.ribution Of electric power by the Fed
eral Government, but with very heavy
string tied to 1t so as not to alarm the
ocal power companies"
The Secretary said Gov. Roosevelt's
fundamental concept Of the present
and future social and economic condi-
tons in this country as outlined in his
Commonwealth Club speech at San
Francisco Is strangely reminiscent of
an old world point of view.
HE said In that speech:
"a glance at the situation today
only too clearly indicates that equality
Of opportunity as we have known 1t no
longer exists.
Plant Is Built.
"'Our industrial plant is built. The
problem just now Is, whether under
existing conditions it Is not overbuilt.
mere builder of more industrial
plants, q creator of more railroad sys-
tems an organizer Of more corporations,
is as likely to be danger as a
help -
IF Gov. Roosevelt is right, then the
promise of American life has been full
illed. To me it still beckons us forward
along an ever-rising path, leading to
better future, in which there will be
greater security more general well-being
and comfort, and greater leisure for
spiritual and intellectual development"