Dearborn independent. [volume], February 21, 1920, Page 6, Image 6

About Dearborn independent. [volume] (Dearborn, Mich.) 1901-1927

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
oor Could Advertise
Like Roosevelt!
By HAROLD T. CHASE
in CH I SE, writer of this article, is editor of the Topeka Daily
M Capital. Mr. Chase is known as one of the foremost thmkers ofthj
H tu oZ has always been a bulwark in the Republican
patter, nora machine man. but a progressive. I his artidi iS offered OUt
readers as Mr. Chase's vines.
IN riMES past we have all frequcntl) heard rt de
plored that a "business man" is not ottered tor
President. And occasionally a candidate answering,
or purporting to answer, that description has ottered,
but has not been nominated, The "business man I
candidate," indeed, has been somewhat oi a droll con
ception to the politicians, who. when all is said, know
their business. There was ucn a candidate tour yean
ago whose literature" penetrated to hundreds or
possibly thousands of editorial offices and must have
represented the expenditure oi considerable money,
yet before the convention assembled he was forgotten.
No banners floated over headquarters bearing his mag
netic name. Sot a delegate had gone tor him.
There are several reasons for the futility ol the
much discussed "business man" candidacy, one of
which is because the business man ordinarily is nothing
more: that is, he is in fact a private man. engaged
wholly m private affairs; and another is because the
public does not know the business man who is
mentioned, there is nothing ifl or about him that
exercises a thrall or an appeal, and a third is because
i ften he is suspected of obscure relations with the
bogv of Big Business. For these and other reasons no
"business man's candidate" has obtained a foothold
in a presidential canvass, and it is perhaps true m
consequence that the business community has aban
doned hope or idea of living to witness the miracle
of the nomination of a distinctive business man for
President of the United States.
And it ma) be that ordinarily it has not been de
sirable that distinctively a business man should be
not ahav occurred that
chosen President. It has
industrial or economic
political questions, and wl
manifestly more and m
develooment of industrial
occurred that they were approached b
from the point of view th
a typical Dusine.ss niai
such problem
1
s ol: an oi a
in St ns w ere dominant
en they were. a they have
re come to be with the
society, it has not always
the country
would lou'icallv suggest
eadership in attacking
So it may be logical enough that the
'business man for President" has never
vfrtH rlir nnnnlar anneal that would launch such a
candidacy auspiciously.
But however all that maj be. the economic dis
turbance, the devastation, tin- looses and wastes, the
overshadowing debt, the widespread and acute industrial
Unrest winch characterize this present time make it
unmistakably the time when business leadership is
died for The world has to be reconstructed and
underwritten, largely through American agencies.
The time !ia manifestly come when America needs
a constructive business man for President, a man of
trained business faculties, a man of broad business
experience, a man acquainted with the larger business
conceptions of international economic relations, a man
of tried and tested business wisdom and balance and
imaginati n, proof against hysteria and sensationalism.
It would clearly appear to be such a time if by the
favor of the ods sUch a man were available.
Now, if we turn from the question as to the sort
of candidate that the times demand, to the question
what ort of candidates have been placed on view,
what do we find ?
Inquiry of politicians, and of persons who profess
a proud ignorance of "politics," of employers and
workmen, merchants and bankers, traveling men and
professional men. reveals one outstanding political fig
ure in this presidential year. It is not the figure ol anj
of the announced candidates, but the rather lotuild,
rather amiable-looking, altogether unobstrusive ngui
of Herbert Hoover.
Other might name another pre-eminent tacult i I
Hoover, but in a political sense 1 think hi- nr
quality is unobtrusiveness. Conceive tor a moment
how he could have dominated tins presidential canvass,
if he had any faculty of obtruding.
Conceive, for the sake "t illustration, the late
Theodore RoOSCVclt occupying and filling the office oi
Food Administrator of crucified Belgium, in those days
which burned themselves into histor) when the thought
of Belgium swallowed up all other thought! as th.'
lean kmc of Pharaoh extinguished the fat kmc.
Conceive of Colonel Roosevelt filling this office with
he s.nne skill ami capability and lUCCCSS as Hoover.
Then conceive Colonel Roosevelt promoted to the
functions of Food Administrator at Washington, the
new foseph, having arbitrary command of the world s
graftary, to whom all the nations came up for food,
even as the sons of Jacob in the famine tune of
Canaan and Egypt. Imagine Colonel Roosevelt filling
this job calmly, efficiently, to the admiration of his
fellow citizens." the only Food Administrator oi am
of the beleaguered nations who lasted through.
Imagine Colonel Roosevelt in tins focal position
of the world in that critical time, and doing his work
well ; so well that when war ended w e see him
i .laced bv the treaty Powers at Versailles m sole
command of the distribution of food throughout
stricken Europe, and become by common assent the
world's economic autocrat.
And incidentally, in the Course of his jjoing about,
conducting an economic survey, there is a coup d'etat
suddenly at Budapest the return of the overturned
and discredited Hungarian dynasty, and Versailles
looking on dumbly, doing nothing, receives the
command from its economic dictator to repudiate tin
dangerous restoration, and instantly does repudiate it.
SO that the attempt collapses!
Conceive of Colonel Roosevelt doing these things,
filling the world's eye not by dint of any pift for
publicity, but by sheer, raw ability in administration
and economic knowledge.
And then try to conceive of his not bein' a
candidate for President, not being clamored for for
President, not having any presidential propaganda,
organization or massed and compact following to
engineer his candidacy.
The thing is inconceivable and unimaginable, but it
suggests what T meant to convey by mention of the trait
of Herbert Hoover of not being obstmsive.
IS A business man never a politician: Can a man
not a politician be elected President?
If Hoover possessed political instincts, as distinct
from political capabilities, he would long ago have
enthused the country with well timed messages. He
would have made public addresses and in these de
liverances would have incorporated remarks to stir the
political pulse, instead of delivering plain, business-like,
common sense, economic judgments appealing to the
best opinion of the world. No man in history, it
may be said "without fear of successful contradiction."
in the familiar old Political phrase, has possessed an
Opportunity in a political way to advance himself
a- ha- Herbert Hoover. One is tempted to a that
BSbb
J IhU ST
I mrm l mm Nr u
I BBBBv '
'
pm ' sj9HH I
IbT $B&&3k BBh
To Head National
Geographic Society
MR. GROSVENOR, for twenty years director of the National
Geographic Society and editor of its nsagasine, has been made
president of the society, the largest scientific educational body in the
world. Under Mr Grosvenor's management it has grown from a
membership of 900 to 750,000 and has lent expeditions for scientific
research to all quarters of the globe. Mr Grosvenor is a son-in-law
of I)r Alexander Graham Belt. His country home, "Wild Acrci," in
Maryland, lias tin densest and most varied bird population of any pri
vate estate in the country.
(C) Harris 4 Ewlnf
Oil BERT GROSI VBNOl
C) Pre Hi I 'ic
HERBER1 HOOVER
S..m;cstcd hy a well-known Western editor M a BttMMM
Man's CtnJidatt .
with a tithe of it Mi. Roosevelt could have I me
what George Washington once declared pro cly,
according to the testimony of Ins Secretarj tate,
he would not take it it were offered to him I
ot the World.
And contrariwise, with a tithe of Colonel Ro
political faculty Mr. Hoover today would be t
ceded nominee of the Republican party for Pi
The party would have come to him en ma
politicians of every faction, element and lha
they say in politics, "it would be all over
fhouting." Nobody could hope to contest th
mation. It would be a choice by acclamation.
And yet. notwithstanding that Hoover is
candidate, has no organised following, and no!
tician so much a- whispers his name in public
being a little apprehensive of doing so in the i
human discussions that an going on among th
he dominates the situation. His name in Pullm
in clubs, at conferences of business men. in th
of the American people, is mentioned oftener
other, perhaps than all others together. If
is a candidate in any sense he is the can1
unorganized people. Not a politician favors hi
Hoover is a Republican, of progressive
was for man) years a member of a Republi
in New York City, has never, it is said. vt
Democrat for President, yet is frequently sp
as a likely Democratic nominee next summei
Is it impossible for the unorganised people
ab.ut his nomination in his own party.'
And the business community that has dep"
.dwner t riitmrtivlv "Ktiinc" turn from
the Presidents, what is the matter with bus "J
such a situation? Has it none to sleep? Does jl,tJ.
all. care nothing for a business man for l'' 'u'n
Haa it J. .t, , ir-. l U MMimattnn ? v
is obvious that the politicians will not "u '
tlirn :t r 1 1 1 1 if I 1 1 .. ii lu 0 mm HtVf llOl
...... . . ......iv, n ii i i .- it i i 1 1 1 i n , 1 1 1 '
attempt m business, to organise a Hoover movent".
Is the business communit) indifferent to whai lJf
to be its one opportunity to launch a business nw
for President, or has its genius for organizen cn
suddenl) atrophied, that it has not held a n,cv"j5
appointed i committee, or as much as lifted telepn
receiver, to "draft" Hoover for President
1 he onuortntm v t . it winm the situation
.1. ... ...t..i. '.i. i ' . haa (hi1
vi-iwv Bwvui mui me Dusincsi coiiiinuinij ,mm
of ever realising, .1 business man who IS fjjj-j
tile Dublic. who h:N net wrri't tit s with Bs . i
. elt's
c cli
ent, the
As
the
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poli-
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imon
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cars.
rnes
. any
iver
it of
ingii
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r I
en of
hrin?
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. . . . . ..... .r in1"
in tne political!) objectionable sense, who 's in . W
greatly more, than a business man engrossed in P
affairs, a business man who in fact mmi;f0nli!lg
common thought in considering the fortneo
pi lidential c ntest,