Evening star., 1932-10-12

President Hoover's address 20 the
country. and especially to the farmers,
at Des Moines appears to have brought
out in the ensuing discussion more
clearly defined views as to the issues OF
the presidential campaign. The record
Of the administration in dealing with
economic matters, the situation in rela-
ton to agriculture and the meeting of
responsibilities by leaders of both par
ties are debated.
1T was a mastery defense of his
administration. thinks the Rock Island
Argus GndepenCenp, observing that
the President rose to new heights and
revealed himself in a new light" The
Cincinnati Times-Star Republican,
calls it ''one of the most dramatic ap-
peals in the history Of American poll
tics" while the New York Sun Gnde-
pendent) asks: What American is
there who can remain unmoved by his
disclosures about those terrifying two
weeks when the financial structure of
the United States seemed about to
crumble into an abyss. dragging the
welfare of civilization with it in its
imminent fall? Who can fail, in its
sharp outline of plans holding promise
for better days for agriculture. to recog-
nize its clear grasp of administrative
detail?"
mo fair-minded person will deny
that he has put forth his very best
effort to help his country" says the
Newark Evening News independently,
with the comment that ''the President
is not to be blamed for feeling as he
does with respect to some of the trans
actions in the House last session." when
some of the members went on a ram
page and delayed execution of the re-
construction program for three months"
The Birmingham Age-Herald Demo
cratic) remarks that whatever may be
the intrinsic worth of his promises, it
is not to be denied that Mr.. Hoover
was more vigorous and forceful in this
utterance than he has ever been be-
fore" The Age declares: THE
President offers higher tariffs. But he
had his chance to utilize a tariff boost
on agricultural products when the
Smoot Hawley bill was in the making
and what has happened since that
measure went into effect is only too
obvious. The farmer was not helped.
The President IS now against the price
stabilization feature of the farm mar
keting act because experience shows
that it ought to be wiped out Ought
the farmer to forgive and forget merely
because the President now finds it
necessary to make a show of repent
ance? The President is for various
devices, even with the r. F. c. to help
out. to relieve the farmer of his imme-
diate troubles. But, as Mr.. Garner
points out, he was not SO interested
when the legislation was being framed"
He was right" according to the
Youngstown Vindicator Independent
Democratic). lin saying that things
could have been much worse, and that
they would have been if the Govern
ment had not taken proper measures in
time" That paper concludes: IF we
are to have a campaign it ought to be-
gin with as clear and complete an ex-
planation as possible of what has taken
place and a statement from both sides
as to the plans they have to lead us
back to better times. Mr.. Hoover made
a good beginning, but he still has far to
go. The war may be won, but the Ma
tion needs to be rebuilt, and the process
of reconstruction, being difficult and
unspectacular, is apt to be as tedious
and discouraging as the slow GONZALES
cence that follows critical Illness"
ut was fighting speech" AYERS the
Boston Post independently, while the
Worcester Telegram independently sees
revealed "a sincere man. who, with full
knowledge Of the perils which beset him
and his country. is fighting on un-
daunted." The Rochester Times Union
independently holds that "the voter
can scarcely fail to be impressed with
what has been accomplished by the
administration" while the Gary Post
Tribune independently thinks the
President "is stating the truth when he
says the situation might be a great
deal worse" The New Castle News
while the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern
(Hepuhlicaul helieves that che showed