U.S. PRESIDENCY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 13 August 1928, Page 7

U.S. PRESIDENCY

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

SOME INTERESTING FEATURES. GOVERNOR SMITH’S PROGRESS. (United Prew Association —By Electric Telesrapb Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) NEW YORK, Aug. 10. The presidential campaign is producing some interesting features. In Missouri the Democratic nonnination for a Senator has gone to. the “dry” advocate. Mr Hay. thus rebuffing the present Senator, (Mr Reed, a. “wet” supporter, and a follower of Governor Smith.

The nomination for State Governor, however, went to a “wet” advocate, Mr Wilson. Thus Prohibition is not j the deciding isstue in Missouri. So far many things have combined to assist Governor Smith's. candidature for the Presidency. Without effort on his. part, the irony of fate, or the stupidity of his opponents, has has brought him a succession of advantages, and recently several representatives of big business interests have declared for him, ,so that a Republican vie try in November is far from certain. The attarJcs on Governor Smith have largely comprised! aspersions oil his moral' standing, but thus far these have rather reacted against lids opponents. Senator Owen, who for a long time ha,s been a Democrat, announced that he would support Mr Hoover, because Mr Smith’*? connection with the reprehensib'ipi Tammany organisation must make him a person non gratia with all right thinking people. . Governor Smith, in a brief rejoinder regretting the loss of Senator Owen’s support, added that in 1924 Senator Owen begged him to obtain 'support from tb? Tammany delegates so that Senator Owen could .secure the Democratic Presidential nomination. When the leading Republican editor, Mr White, of Kansas, alleged that Governor Smith’s conduct eailry in bus legislating career was such a» to render him morally unfit to be President. Kef ore Governor Smith could act on White’s invitation to refute these statements, the latter recanted abjectly. , _ T.he last incident occurred' on Sunday, when a clergyman named Straton said' in a sermon that Governor Smite was the l>est friend of the forces of rea't'ion, immora.'ritv, vice and crime in the land to-day.' Mr Smith immediately wrote Mr Straton a remarkable letter, saving: “I do not feel I should charge sou with making this statement for anv politica l pnrpo.se, as it was made in a. church devoted to the teachings of Christ, one of whioii was 'Thou shaft not bear false witness? against thy neighbour.’ ” He asked permission to answer (Mr Straton s statements in the latter’s own church, and will have an opportunity of doing so in September. Republicans 'generally Teg,ret that Governor Smith is. getting these enance j to answer 'his critics anu. regaining country-wide attention. He ie an able orator and handles the twoedged sword of politics well.. Hi? is likely now to score votes out. of his detractor*?’ faulty tactics.

MR. HOOVER’S POLICY

JTTS \TTITPT>K TOWARDS PROHI BITION. WASHINGTON, Aug 11. A Chil i forma,n message 'States that Mr. Herbert Hoover officially accepted the Republican Presidential tion to-dav with a. reiterat’on of his stand against the r?fpenl of the prothibit.ion nmemlment or any modification of its o,n feu •cement constituting nullification thereof. He did not refer to Cover nor Smith’s declaration for tlie liberalisation of the Volstead Enforcement Act. He deelaned he stood for the “efficient enforcement” of the laws enacted under the prohibition amendment to the Constitution. addling: ‘•Whoever is chosen as IVeklent has, under the hoi? iron oath of duty, to pursue this course.” For the lelief of the farmer lie out':iue<l a programme embracing tariff ‘protection, increased and cheaper transportation. supported by Federal financial aiid. and the building up of farm-or-owned and controlled corporations to take care of crop surpluses. Ffo dpclmred vigorously for religious tolerance: inveighed against corruption in pubic officer; advocated a foreign policy dedicated to peace, and the fostering of disarmament, but with the retention in the meantime of an adequate navy for national defence. With, Mr Hoover’s acceptance speech delivered to-day, the Presidential campaign had its official opening at 'Palo Alto. California. where _6S,<KK) perrons crowded the Stanford University football stadium to hear him, while 20,<X)0 000 invisible auditors hoard li'.s words over one of the most extensive radio chains ever employed’ in this country.

kd.tonal comment imm every section of the country is even.y divided along partisan lines, but praise is unanimous on the high and dignified basis on which, are the present issues of the campaign. There arises, however, some question concerning Mr Hoover s attitude towards prohibition. I t ifl agro?d hi,s 'Support of the Eighteenth Amendment bs unequivocal, but even'll,is c o>=est friends admit he is not opposed to liberalisation of the law provided such liberalisation does not run, counter to the Constitution, whereas bis opponents declare that while he floes not favour the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, they would lik? to know whether he endorses it.