Evening star., 1933-04-23

NICTURE a country school house
- in the hills of Western Tennes-
see. The time is nearly half
i century in the past. The hour
is 7 o'clock of a Winter night.
A red-hot wood stove, almost bursting
its bellied sides from roaring fire,
stands in the center of the school room.
Bracketed oil lamps throw Pickering
lights over an assemblage of hundred
men and women. These are plainly,
even roughly, garbed and they are striv-
ing to make themselves comfortable on
backles5 benches intended for children.
On their fares. however, imagine eager
interest, intelligent understanding.
sturdy character.
There is not a railroad within 40
miles. Electricity is unknown there.
The automobile, the radio or the flying
machine is undreamed of. Keen enjoy
ment, however, is registered in every
face and every face is directed at tall,
slender, gangling boy of fifteen, who
stands beside a table on the teachers
rostrum. His long arms make awkward
gestures. but some of the keen eyes no
tlce that he has slender. graceful hands,
which seem to be almost as expressive
rs his voice, which, it is observed, is
gently modulated, though rich and full
considering the age of the youth It is
also a very earnest, serious voice. In
fact, the whole appearance of the lad
Is earnest and serious, but, it compels
attention. His auditors find themselves
earnest and serious as they listen. They
detect note of patient pleading, as if
the young speaker feels that he must
convince them. They note particularly
his glowing eyes, deep-set in his finely
shaped head-dark blue flames of anX-
ious appeal. They follow his argument
nQrof1IllE Thou rpdarctanI
grasp his points easily. They nod their
heads in approval and they applaud
happily when the solemn judges. seated
at one side of the platform, declare him
winner Of the negative side of the de-
bate: Resolved, That Columbus rem
deed greater service to the United
States than Washington"
Future Secretary of State.
Unnowingly, these hundred farmers
and village neighbors have witnessed
the first public appearance of a future
Secretary of State. for the gangling
youth was Cordell Hull, whose manner.
voice, gestures, expressive hands and
methods of argument have changed very
little in the intervening years. And
1t is doubtful If any of the many hon
ors which he has earned since then
has ever given him the thrill which he
experienced when he won that debate.
Furthermore it is doubtful if any of
them has had a more far-reaching
effect upon his career, for that de-
bate, on that winter night in the little
country school, really set his foot upon
the path of public service which he has
followed with cumulative success and
honor to, premiership in a new nation
al administrations post from which,
many believe. he may, within the next
few weeks, begin to lead the world to
q solution of its economic dilemma.
That debate at the age of Is settled
Cordell Hull's future. Warm-hearted
friends gathered about his proud par
ents when the meeting ended and
murmured: "Cordie's smart: you ought
to send him off to school," Send him
off his father did, the following year,
and the young man applied himself
with the earnestness and seriousness
which have characterized his whole
life. Normal school, law school, law
practice, war, judgeship, Congress, the
Senate and now the Secretaryship of
State followed as a result of his studi-
GUS diligence.
Few people have, as yet, grasped the
full significance of the selection of
Hull as Secretary Of State. When his
appointment was first rumored, Wash
heads and frowned. why Hull?" they
asked. He has no qualifications for
State. Treasury, yes, but State -
Fight Against Tariffs.
They were thinking in terms Of
diplomacy, of ambassadorial functions,
of ministers plenipotentiary, OF state
dinners. To understand Hull's appoint
ment and appreciate what it may mean
to the world you must think in terms
of economics. For II years Hull has
been patiently and earnestly fighting
against tariffs. trade barriers and ma
tionalist isolations. In season and out
he has declaimed against them as un-
sound economic policies, inaugurated in
the United States with the Fordney-
McCumber act of 1922 and followed by
all other civilized nations ever since,
until each has shut itself of from all
Others and is suffering from the same
disease-strangulation on its own sur
pluSes.
THE absurd attempt of every nation
to live unto itself and aloof from others
by erection of trade barriers mas re,
suited in a breakdown of international
confidence, credit, finance, exchange
and trade and is gradually pushing the
world into bankruptcy" he declared
over and over again. mo human i'm
apinaticn can describe the utterly cna-
otic and dislocating effects OF this
yeritable network of restrictions OF
every kind for obstruction, discrlmlna.
ton and impediment to the natural
movements of capital, goods and serv-
ices back and forth between nations
The most hopeless arrangement and
REORGANIZATION of our international A.
nanciaI. credit, exchange and trade sit
uation has inevitably resulted. How
can any person not blinded by provln-
cialism or selfiShness fail to recognize
the indispensable necessity for practical
international cooperation to clarity
and liberalize these extreme compllca-
ttons before we can hope for that de-
gree of balanced prosperity here at
home that the welfare Of the American
public requires?
"It is my unalterable opinion that the
practice Of the half-insane policy OF
economic isolation during the past 10
years by America and by the world un-
der American leadership is the largest
single underlying cause OF the present
American and world panic, and that
gradual or material reversal ana modl-
fication of this policy, SO suicidal. espe-
cially to great creditor and surplus
producing country. Is an indispensable
prerequisite if this and other nations
are to be restored to full. sound and
well balanced prosperity"
Puts Theories to Work
From the foregoing can be derived
an inkling Of the reason that Cordell
Hull might be presumed to be q good
man for Secretary of State in these
particular times. Incidentally, 1t gives
Hull the opportunity that comes to few
great thinkers-the opportunity to put
his theories into practice.
The expression great thinker" is
used advisedly, for Hull is one Of the
few, last remaining great thinkers" OF
q fast disappearing, thinking type in
public life With the disappearance OF
John Sharp williams, Cordell Hull.
flanked by Glass and .pitifully few