The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-06-09
(Official City, State and County
Newspaper
The Issue Has Changed

The battle over what steps the gov
eminent shall take to relieve the dis
,tress of those who are unable to care
for themselves illustrates one Of the
pitfalls into which the non-political
mind of President Hoover has led him
on numerous occasions.
In 1880, when the drouth hit Ar
kansas and other parts Of the south,
there was long-drawn battle on the
question of whether the federal gov
eminent should dip into its funds to
aid the people who were suffering
there. Technically the government
won victory and bitter comment was
made that funds were appropriated to
provide food for livestock rather than
human beings. Actually, however, it
was defeat for the idea which Hoo
yer espoused on principle.
No longer ago than the opening of
the present session of congress last
December the president was emphatic
in his opposition to appropriation of
public funds to meet emergency hui
man demand He maintained that
viewpoint until after Speaker Garner
offered his relief bill in the house.
Then came Hoover's about-face. He
reversed his former position and Of
fered rival plan. 1t is different from
Gamers in many important details
and is not as broad. Quite probably
it il a better one. But the fact re-
mains that it ignores the principle for
which the president previously con-
tended. Politically speaking, he was
willing to fight but not to die for his
views.
The significant thing is that the is
sue now is not whether the govern |
ment should provide funds to feed the !,
hungry but how it shall go about it. |!
And right here it seems fair to point !
out a happening which Mr.. Hoover
may regard as a mistake later on.
He has threatened to fire the po-
lice chief of Washington for aiding .
the veterans bonus marchers in find
ing food and shelter, the inference be-
l,nf aft tal ft,,,+
must stop.
There is no question but what the /.
bonus march is ill-advised and that
those who participate in it are not
entitled to caviar and fricasseed
chicken. The question presented, how
ever. is whether they should be left
to starve.
Pat Hurley, Hoover's secretary of
war, refused to loan the demonstra-
tors army tents and Police Chief
Glassford assisted them in arranging
shelter. That started the whole bust
ness and it may be that Glassfords
head is on the block for lese ma jesty.
The evident intention was to dis
courage the veterans from remaining
IN Washington, but the adoption of
such tactics proves only that, Hurley
was never a buck private. He seems
with the where do we 90
from here" spirit. Or maybe he has
forgotten it. At any rate, his action
was a boomerang and the march to
now is on in earnest.
X X X
Difficult as the situation presented
is, 1t seems that "the white house"
might have kept its own counsel un-
til it figured out what to do about it.
From the human angle, OF course, it
IS utterly uncomfortable that the bonus
marchers will be permitted to starye.
Not only would this outrage the social
consciousness of the nation but it
would be politically inadvisable.
Hoovers campaign would not be
helped any by daily reports Of cas-
lalty lists from the veterans encamp-
nent and pictures in the newspapers
the emaciated forms of the
victims. And besides, some of them
might collapse and die on the white
,ouse steps In full view of the large
taft Of newspaper correspondents as
signed there.
y y y
Apparently grasping at straw, the
'ffort has been made to brand the
Whole business as a Red" demonstra-
ion and doubtless the marchers are
lot feeling any too kindly toward a ,
et-up In which their bellies grow ]
hinner and thinner, but they will be
90 smart to say SO. Il
X X *
The plight Of these men and of the
alton, not to mention the political :
light OF the president. is too real to