Mr. Hoover Assails The “New Deal”

Northern Advocate, 12 June 1936, Page 7

Mr. Hoover Assails The “New Deal”

Republican Convention Roused To Enthusiasm

[United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright! . CLEVELAND, June 11. A T an early hour this morning the Republican committee had completed its draft of a platform, ostensibly satisfactory to all sides. The draft then was transmitted by telephone to Mr Landon, at Topeka, Kansas, for his final Approval before submission to tiie convention, “as undoubtedly, he will be the party’s candidate,” in the words of a member of the committee.

The Convention rallied strongly to Mr Hoover. It had not had anyone else to. cheer so far, and there is little prospect of having anyone. Although during the day and evening the strength of Mr Landon continued to grow—additional State delegations indicating that they intend to vote for him—it is a commonly acknowledged fact that Mr Landon is virtually an unknown figure in his own party. i “Stop Retreat In Chaos.” .

He has said little and has declined repeatedly to make any declaration of his opinion on controversial issues. Except for the fact that his personal fortune comes from the petroleum business there is scant information available as to his background.

( In the Convention Hall last evening. the appearance, of the former President, Mr Herbert Hoover, introduced the first genuine ingredient of excitement to the proceedings. After the delegates had cheered him to the echo for 15 minutes, he launched a harsh and bitter attack ?on the “New, Deal,” and uttered a solemn exhortation to Republicans to “Come to the rescue of the nation.”

As for Mr W. E. Borah, he has not even appeared at the convention so far, being content to remain in his hotel, “bickering” for support or making threats. Consequently to the delegates, and even to the spectators, Mr Hoover represented a cause, even if a lost one.

Greatest Responsibility.

Continuing, Mr Hoover said: “In this room rests the greatest responsibility that has come to a body of Americans In three generations. To some people the “New Deal” appears to be a strange interlude in American history, because it has no philosophy, because it is sheer opportunism, because it is a monopoly of human sympathy,. of greed for power, and desire for popular acclaim. / That is not a charitable view.

As he completed his speech, a heavy thunderstorm caused the steel rafters of the hall to crackle ominously, and to give startling emphasis to his concluding words. Mr Hoover said: “Republicans and fellow Americans, this is your call to Stop the retreat in a chaos of doubt, confusion and fear. Yours is the task to commend the turning of the eyes of your fellow Americans to the sunlight of freedom, to lead the attack to retake and re-man the citadels of Liberty. “Thus can America be preserved, thus can the opportunity,-the inheritance and the spiritual future of your children be guaranteed, and thus you can win the gratitude of posterity and be able to sing ‘Almighty God.’ ” “We Want Hoover.” After nearly half an hour’s cheering upon the former President leaving the rostrum, the delegates from the floor began an impromptu chant of “We Want Hoover,” which the chairman’s gavel was able to drown out only with difficulty. The Californian delegation raised its banner and began an ecstatic march around the hall. Finally the chairman made himself heard above the clamour, saying “Mr Hoover has left the hall. He had to catch a train to go to New York.” However the delegates were not so easily satisfied. They continued to make a tremendous noise, and broke into “Onward Christian Soldiers.” The chairman of the Republican National Committee, Mr Fletcher, bent down from his official stand, and said to the reporters: “This is enthusiasm.” After another half an hour’s demonstration, the chairman announced the adjournment of the convention for the night. No account of the day’s proceedings would be complete without the inclusion of the fact of the arrival of a number of members of the Oxford Group, under the leadership of the Rev. Frank Buchman. They had just concluded a long meeting at Stockbridge, Mass., and came to Cleveland to “put the thoughts of the delegates on God.” . Roosevelt’s Counter. President Roosevelt took some of the spotlight away from the convention when, in an address at Little Rock, Arkansas, he reiterated his plea for a broader interpretation of the constitution and attacked the Supreme Court. The occasion was the centennial celebration of the admission of Arkansas to the Union. In a review cf how the valley territory was acquired by the United States. Mr. Roosevelt remarked that the Missouri purchase of 1803 was not “carried to the Supreme Court.” Without suggesting a constitutional amendment, he insisted that it should be broad enough to allow legislation necessary to safeguard human welfare under modern conditions.

“To other people, the ‘New Deal’ appears to be a cold-blooded attempt by starry-eyed boys to infect the American ' people with a mixture of European ideas, flavoured with our native predilection to get, something for nothing. ■

“For the first time in the history of America we have heard the gospel of class hatred preached from White House. That is a human poison far more deadly than fear. Every reader of the history of democracy knows that it is the final rock on which all democracies have been wrecked.”

Before the President left Washington he said his south-western trip would be devoted to non-political subjects. Consequently these remarks came as a surprise. Mr. Roosevelt will \ visit Texas where the centennial observation of that State’s independence is in progress, and. en route to Washington, he will speak again at Vincennes, Indiana.