Evening star., 1939-10-27


Strong indications that this is q
correct reading of Mr.. Hoover's mind
run all the way back to his address
to the Cleveland nominating con-
ventlon OF 1896. The belief among
politicians IS widespread-and 1t is
one that has been supported by per-
sons close to Mr.. Hoover-that he
had high hopes of stampedine the
convention in his favor. He received
heart-Warming volume of ap-
plause, so much of it that ne is said
10 have left the rostrum in a glow
OF expectation, but there was no
semolance OF a stampede.
Hope Still Indicated.
Ihat Mr. Hoover has not ceased
10 nope is indicated by his political
ACTIVITY since that time. He has
kept IN touch with his sympathizers
throughout the country and he has
used TO the full his elder statesman'a
prerogative of setting forth his views
on public questions. Recently he
took hand in the neutrality fieht
oy proposing that distinction be
made between offensive and de.
lenslVe weapons, and this week he
mas an article in the Saturday Eve
ming Post telling why the United
States should keep out of the war
In Europe. 1t was inevitable that
the publication of this article at this
tlme-a forceful and well-oreanized
article, by the Way-should heiehten
the speculation as to the authors
political future.
Wnat Is this future to be-? Is there
any chance that Mr.. Hoover will be
nominated for President in 1910?
Concelvably he could be-but the
prooaollltles run strongly against
hlm. The nomination of Mr.. Hoover
IS conceivable for two reasons. The
nrst Is the fact that out of the state
OF confusion into which the Repub.
mean party was thrown by the de-.
oacles of 1882 and 1896. no leader
mas vet emerged at whom the party
could point and say, This Is tho
man. There is Taft. There is Van.
denberg. There is Dewey. There Is
Minority Leader Martin of tho
house, and he may be a conner.
None OF these has assumed com.
mandlng strength. The party has
yet to ind its man of DESTINY" Mr..
Hoover, therefore. cannot be en-.
tlrely dismissed as a possibility.
Fits G. o. P. Strategy.
The second reason is that the
views OF Mr.. Hoover on our foreign
relations. as expressed in his Satur-
day Evening Post article and else
where, fit perfectly into what is
certain to be the strategy of the
coming Republican campaign. The
Republican party, it is clear, will
seek to exploit a feeling which lately
existed. if 1t does not still exist in
large part of the electorate
nancy. that Mr.. Roosevelt, despite
an protestations to the contrary, is
war minded" to a degree that
might become dangerous to our
peace. oA
Justified or not, there has been
thls apprehension in the country.
ana 1t is something that the Demo.
cratlc campaign managers, whether
or not Mr.. Roosevelt is nominated
Will have to reckon with. The Re-.
publican party will seek to bl,ild
itself up as the peace party" the
safe party. Mr.. Hoover would he a
ioeical man-perhaps the most log
lcal OF all those who might be non,i-
nated-to carry the standard Of
the party in such campaign. He
would be logical, too, on the score
OF his general opposition to the
New Deal, set out in numerous we'll.
considered speeches.
Practical Handicaps.
But party nominations are not de.
termined by any logic save that
which is taught in the school of
practical politics 1t is automatic
in this school that defeat as over.
Whelming as that suffered by Mr..
Hoover in 1882 reduces the future
availability" of the victim to the
vanishing point. The 1882 defeat
put curse on Mr.. Hoover as a can.
didate, which it is not likely he can
remove. Besides. there is the fact
that Mr.. Hoover's name (as witness
the "Hoovervilles' that sprang up
over the country is associated in
many minds with depression. That
is mountainous handicap in his
effort to come back.
1t was true measure of Mr.
HooVer's standing with the party
leaders that in the fight against the
court-packing plan they called him
on lest his opposition to the plan
should do it more good than harm.
Significant also was the failure Of
any Senator to try for an amend
ment to the neutrality bill to carry
out his recommendation.
Anything. of course, can happen in
these fantastic times, but it s a terri
bly, tall hurdle that looms between
Mr. Hnover anS fha ,,o,,,},o t;o~