Hoover to the People

During the first week of the 72nd Congress President Hoover sent three messages to the Capitol. One was on the State of the Union. One was on the Budget. One was on foreign affairs. Because he thus elaborated and separated his ideas, the ordinary citizen, no great reader of presidential messages at best, was left with only a muddled headline impression of the President's manifold purposes. Therefore last week President Hoover adopted a new wrinkle by addressing a fourth message to his countrymen through the Press. The President-to-the-People:

"In my recommendations to Congress there is a definite program for turning the tide of deflation and starting the country upon the road to recovery. . . . A considerable part of it depends on voluntary organization. . . . A part of it requires legislation. It is a non-partisan program. I am interested in its principles rather than its details. . . . The major steps are domestic. The broad purpose is to restore the old job instead of creating a made job. . . . This program will affect favorably every man, woman and child. . . . I appeal for unity of action."

Under a dozen heads the President reiterated these points in his program: 1) voluntary local contributions for Unemployment Relief; 2) part-time work in industry; 3) more money for the Federal Land Banks; 4) a Home Loan Discount Bank System; 5) relief for depositors in closed banks; 6) a broader discount base for the Federal Reserve system; 7) a Reconstruction Finance Corp.; 8) a railroad credit pool; 9) revision of banking laws; 10) the National Credit Corporation for frozen banks; 11) economy and tax-upping to balance the Budget; 12) "the American system of individual initiative and community responsibility."

P: Five heavy black Cabinet chairs were lined up last week on the official posing ground back of the Executive offices. Out strode President Hoover with a grey hat, Vice President Curtis with a black one. Secretary of State Stimson marched out in a derby. Soon the full Cabinet was assembled. A solid semicircle of cameramen began snapping, clicking and cranking at them to get the first picture in more than a year of the President & official family. Secretary of Labor Doak stood at attention on the left next to Secretary of the Navy Adams for his first picture with his colleagues. The whole group continued to buzz with informal talk. Mr. Stimson chatted away with Secretary Mellon as if they were in private conference. Secretary Wilbur bent his head to hear what Postmaster General Brown had to say while Secretary of War Hurley hobnobbed with Vice President Curtis as if he had never thought of getting his job. The U. S. S. Akron droned overhead.

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