Evening star., 1937-09-29

gestion. it has been tabooed by some
OF the Republican politicians. Because,
also, any declaration of platform be-
fore 1910 might cause embarrassment
here or there to some Republican
candidates for Congress in 1888 who
want to be pro and anti-New Deal at
the same time and hence are afraid
OF positive declaration on anything,
the idea Of a midterm convention has
been received with the utmost GOODNESS.
AS matter of fact, former President
Hoover has come forward with plan
that is really constructive from
Republican viewpoint. Despite his
protestations privately that he does
not ever intend again to become a
presidential candidate, the proposal
has got tangled up in mischievous
comments about his alleged ambition
to dominate party affairs. The former
President is represented by his friends
as desirous only of doing his bit in
the big task of rehabilitating the party
H0over's Plan Good.
Mr.. Hoover did not propose a mid
term convention for the benefit of
lot of orators and speech makers
What he did suggest was that the old
Republican party rebuild its founda-
tions and promulgate declaration
Of fundamental principles which would
give expression to historic liberalism
to offer program, as he sees it, to
rescue the Nation from the gradual
development Of totalitarism and COL
lectivist Government.
The former President believes new
Issues have developed which the Re-
publican party must meet squarely
II 1t expects to live, and that ordi-
narily such profound disturbance
OF political alignments would be un-
dertaken by the development of O.
new political party. He has insisted
in his talks with various leaders
throughout the country that an old
party can be converted into a new
instrumentality If it makes the kind
Of declaration of principles that will
attract young and old in the Re-
publican ranks and young and old
in the ranks Of the Jeffersonian
Democrats.
The steps which Mr.. Hoover has
proposed are, first, the establishment
Of q policy committee of constructive
minded Republicans to draft a pre-
liminary declaration of principles and,
second, that this declaration be sent
out widely for comment and opinion.
and, third, that the comments and
suggestions should be taken into con-
sideration when final draft of prin-
ciples is agreed upon by a general
conference of Republican leaders in
a midterm convention called to con-
sider amend or adopt this declara-
ton of principles.
Doesn't Go Far Enough.
The plan is in the main a good one,
but it doesn't go far enough Simply
calling together a group of con-
structive-minded Republicans to write
a declaration of principles is going
to be attacked, and properly so, on
the ground that mere negative de-
nunciation of New Deal mistakes and
errors will not satisfy the American
electorate. who want Affirmative poll
cies set forth, too
Inside the Republican party are
men who know more about unem-
ployment, old-age pensions, wage
and hour problems of labor, soil con-
servation, agricultural marketing,
anti-monopoly regulation and kin
dred problems than anybody in the
New Deal. This is because they
have had more experience with the
actual evolution of these questions
and know them from a practical as
we'll as a theoretical viewpoint.
The Republican party in the last
four years, however, has shown no
penetrating interest in these prob
lens of the hour beyond some gen.
eralities in party platform. If now
there could be gathered together
groups with special knowledge of each
subject to formulate reports that could
be useful to future. legislators. a
service thn country would be rem
dered by n &C discussions Of