Evening star., 1932-09-14

No semblance of an effort is made in
administration quarters to minimize the
gravity of the Republican disaster in
Maine 1t is conceded to be a debacle
significant and ominous in the highest
degree. No excuses, no explanations.
no alibis" was the sententious though
non -quotable comment Of Hoover field
marshal when the lugubrious news from
the pine woods no longer admitted CT
doubt. Secretary Mills Postmaster Cen
eral Brown. Ray rBenjan OF California
Hoover political Southland other
! machinists who CROPPED their way to the
executive Offices yesterday through the
all-encircling gloom. emerged With an
identical thought-that Maine is warn
ing to the party to get out and Tight
The business, uptur7i, a supposed swing
toward Hoover since the acceptance
speech and other factors had gener-
ated a good deal Of Republican COCK
suTenlsss Leaders now recognize they We
A tattle on their hands. The Presl-
dent held his regular TUESDAY press
conference. with Maine uppermost in
everybodys mind. He was glum ana
grim. and discussed other matters.
n Maine causes a drastic change in
the campaign strategy~Mr. Hoover nag
adopted for himself, his managers Will
be gratified. The President let, it be
known soon after his denomination
that he conceived it to be not only his
duty. but the best politics. TO- stay on
the lob at the White House "and not
20 vote-chasing" The idea was tnat
the picture of hard-work1ng Cnlel.
Executive, with his hand resolutely on
the helm of the ship Of state, would DC
far better campaign material than nan
a dozen swings around the circle. More
over there was the Secret Service.
Throurhout the depression. the organi-
zstion responsible for the personal
safety of the President of the United
states has disapproved OF extensive
travelling by Mr.. Hoover. What some
desperate unemployed person. or dis
pr,lntled bonus advocate, or man
erazed bv distress might try to do NIL.
ed the Secret Service with natural
anxiety. It opposed the running OF un-
necessary risks. which might De IN
Cured if Mr.. Hoover embarked upon
any extensive stumping tour.
So it'll presently develop whether the
President will adhere to his program
OF mastery inactivity and connnlng
himself to two or three set speeches
his dCCGptdllCt doNASN'o' 49,
and foe concede, was a vote-ma.ser.
1t proved that the Hoover locker con-
tains plenty of shots. The question
now is. will he step out into the hgnt-
Ing zone and fire them, or rest content
| to battle for his political life by proxy?
The American people are accustomed
to punches in their. presldentlal con-
tests. They're not much impressed py
a candidate who expects to win oy de-
fault. They are in politically renelllous
mood in 1932-"rock-ribbed, Hepup-
lican' Maine demonstrates that, II II
| indicates anything-and If the Re
publican, nominee has anything 10 say
for himself, the consensus among poll
ticians is that he'd better speak up.
Persuasive efforts to that end are now
in progress.
Ambassador de Martino OF Italy was
to have quit his post at washington
and retired from the Fascist diplomatlc
service about the end of September.
| He has nov, received instructions from
! Rome. to prolong his stay in the United
states, for several weeks and until
after the preparatory work for the
World monetary and economic confer
ence IS farther advanced. With Mobile
| de Martin6s departure another ,promi-
nent member of the Italian embassy
staff Will desert Washington coun-
selor Of the embassy, Count Alberto
MarchettE, The diplomatic corps Will be