Evening star., 1936-01-20

Herbert Hoover persists in emulating
the sphinx with reference to his presi-
dental nomination plans. He has now
delivered four major political speeches
within about go days and managed to
the last to keep the country guessing
what his intentions really are. A cryptic
remark in his Lincoln, Nebr., address
last week was interpreted in some quar-
tiers as an "I-do-not choose -to-run" in
dication. Having observed that his new
farm plan contains features "unpleas-
ant to certain interests, the former
President said: However, my position
is such that approval by politicians and
others who live by the sweat OF the
farmers brow is immaterial." There are
surprisingly many people who continue
to believe not only that Hoover is re-
ceptive candidate for denomination, but
that the Republican situation and the
state of the Union" are combining to
make the Californian, from various
standpoints, the elephants logical stand.
ard bearer. He undoubtedly remains
the Democrats favorite Republican son.
They are convinced that because OF the
stigma of depression. Hoover would be
by far the easiest man for Roosevelt
to beat.
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Not since the tempestuous times OF
Huey Long has the Senate rocked with
such fight and fury as it did last week
while Senator Nye and his Munitions
Investigating Committee were being
blasted by Senators Connally and Glass
on two successive days. The veteran
Virginian, always devastating in attack
has seldom given so effective an account
of himself. No man in Congress is q
more devoted WilSonian, and Glass flung
every ounce of his bellicose spirit into
the defense of his old friend and chief.
The Nye-Wilson episode is probably not
vet ended. More combat Is in prospect
when the Munitions Committee seeks to
rescue its in, ,estigation from threatened
collapse through lack Of funds or other
causes. Further fireworks may be ex-
pected when neutrality legislation Is up,
with renewed fervid defense of the war
Presidents name and fame by devOtees
in both houses The Morgan angle of
the munitions inquiry never generated
much excitement at any stage. For the
time being, it seems pretty effectually
blanketed by the Wilson 'falsifying"
storm.
One of the earliest references IN Con-
sress to the Supreme Courts A. A. A. de-
cision emanates from Senator Sherman
Minton of Indiana. Addressing the Sem
ate, the young Hoosier Democrat said:
"As a lawyer, have the greatest respect
for the Supreme Court. I accord to their
decisions the respect that is due them.
I remind Senators that there Is nothing
sacrosanct about the opinions of the
court. Unlike the law of the Medes and
Persians, the courts opinions can be
changed 1 disagree emphatically with
the most important majority opinion in
the A. A. A. case. think 1t is the most
strained, forced construction of the Con-
stitution, and the most highly favored
political opinion to come from that court
since the Dred Scott decision" Senator
Minton took law at Yale, under the late
Chief Justice William Howard Taft, and
won distinguished honors as q student
of constitutional law.
In addressing the Cleveland Auto
Council during the week end, to marx
the launching OF an organization drive
in the motor industry, John L. Lewis,