Nogales international., 1938-05-21
OUR CIVIC PLATFORM
Hoover On Depression Cures

4 little while ago, just before Senator Pepper was
"A renominated in Florida the minority party spokes
men were gravely telling that that nomination
would settle the fate Of the New Deal.
That distinguished political prophet, Mr.. Frank
Kent, for example, late as April 18th proclaimed
that Senator Pepper in the thrOes of desperation
and he referred to the contest between Senator and
Congressman Wilcox for the Senatorial nomination
as clear-cut issue, and he "a realization that
something than Roosevelt endorsement was
needed to pull him (PeppeD through" We were ad-
vised in the same story that those best posted had de-
cded that in the primaries candidate would receive
majority, and if Senator Pepper and Mr.. Wilcox
faced each other in the run-off "he Pepper advant-
age of split opposition will disappear and strug
gle between Democrat who votes independently of
Mr. Roosevelt and one who votes SubServingly will be
smplified" And Senator Pepper when it came to the
voting, polled than all four of his competitors
combined
Mr. Mark Sullivan, another eminent political phi
losopher, assumed the outcome of the Florida con-
test which had not yet off, would be defeat of
the Senator who supported the President. From this
he deducted the moral that the Republicans in States
where they had chance to win the election should
vote i'll the Democratic primary and there support
the anti-NeW Deal Democrat. II am tOd,'' said Mr..
Sullivan, speaking of the then imminent primary,
"they are doing this" So he advised that in other
States under similar conditions they should follow
the Florida example and thus teach the President a
lesson
The Charming Dilemma
When Pepper came through with better than a
two-to-one majority over Wilcox, these writer's and
others like them faced rather uncomfortable dem-
ma. All of them had implied that the New Deal Demo-
crat had strength except the influence of Presi-
dent So they confronted according to their
hypothesis, with the thought that the President s
popularity was actually the determining factor in
such contests That Of course did not ibe at all with
their diagnoses of declining faith in the President
and the success OF the reactOnary revolt against pol
ices; would it be comfortable theory to advance
In future primaries where the issues were the same
So all hands apparently abandoned the idea that the
waxing or waning of the Presidents popularity was
the deciding factor and now agreed that it was
the distribution of patronage and the handling Of the
relief funds.
"You didn't have to spread the information, wrote
Mr. Kent after the primary, "that if they (the
Floridans) wanted money jobs relief Senator Pep
per the man to tie to-" And he also gives pub
hcity to the view that Congressman Wilcox chad his
fight Won up to the time the Presidents new pump
prlm1ng program was announced"
If it is the coumnists idea that the distribution of
relief funds is to be conducted on political basis,
one might be tempted to ask why money should be
spent in Florida which is hopeessly Democratic in
any event? However, they had to make some ex-
panatiOn other than popular support of the Presi-
dent and popular desire to have people in Congress
who will aid in carrying out his policies The relief
appropriations the only thing handy for that pur
pose.
Expert Hoover on Depression Cures
One advantage of the opposition to an administra-
ton is that it does not have to be either consistent
logical. This brings to mind ex-President Hoovers
recent long Speech in which he moaned over the fu-
tility of President Roosevets plan for handling the
present business recession the blame for which he
of course, places the shoulders Of the New Deal
ers, The constructive action today says the pontif
cal eXPresident, els to change the national direction
and get off this dangerous road. That would allay
fear and reestabsh confidence in the future" The
general purport of Mr. Hoovers remedy for existing
conditions is that should "restore common morals
and intellectual mOrels in government. In democracy
or in Christian country the ends do not justify any
means.o So he wants 10 be thriftu to tha