National Affairs: Burnt Brand

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The House is a sporting body. It loves a fight. And the House is a sportsmanlike body. It loves to see the biter bitten, especially after the biter has barked loudly and snapped from behind.

One day last week the galleries were crammed and many a Senator strolled over to what it pleases Senators (but not Representatives !) to call the "lower" chamber. For days beforehand, a speech had been advertised by the man who was going to make it. The subjects were to be Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce Hoover and Ohio politics. And the speaker was Charles Brand—Methodist, Mason, Moose, Eagle —who is now enjoying his second term as Representative of Ohio's seventh district (Urbana).†

A few members of the House are such good sportsmen that, when what happened did happen they were really wrung with sympathy for bumptious Mr. Brand, after whose name in Who's Who appears the proud legend, "member of the Butter and Milk Commission under Herbert Hoover during the World War," but upon whose soul now rests the necessity of supporting the curious "boom" of his fellow Ohioan, Senator Willis. Never did a big butter-&-milk man undertake a braver job than attacking a once honored chief for the sake of a boss to whom he was now obligated. And never did a big butter-&-milk man have his job turn out a more gruesome botch than did "widely known" Mr. Brand's.**

Mr. Brand had come, not to praise Secretary Hoover, but to bury him. "I ask the President," he cried "to ask the resignation of Herbert Hoover ... !"

The reasons would have curdled blood—or milk. The Department of Commerce was "honeycombed with politics." The country had seen "an ex-city political boss [meaning Walter F. Brown of Toledo] picked up in Ohio and made Assistant Secretary of Commerce." This man was now running the Hoover campaign in Ohio. Therefore, "the campaign of Mr. Hoover for President is being paid for to a large extent out of the Treasury of the United States!"

But there was more. Agriculture, said Mr. Brand, was making a "gigantic struggle for equality." It must have a sympathetic President. And—mark well—"Mr. Hoover has been the supreme opponent of agricultural prosperity for the last ten years!"

He sold out the U. S. farmer to the English. He depressed wheat prices. He killed the McNary-Haugen bill. Besides he is ineligible for the Presidency. He would spell eight years of misery.

He would be opposed. Candidate Willis would oppose him. Candidates Lowden, Dawes, Curtis, Watson would oppose him. Ohio would oppose him. They would all oppose him. "All Republicans! ALL AMERICANS! ALL VOTERS! . . . Mr. Hoover will be defeated in Ohio!"

Charles Brand sat down looking shaken with the emotion of a vicarious victory. A great many people were clapping and cheering. A great many more were laughing, waiting. They saw what was coming —saw grave old Theodore Elijah Burton arising to rebutt.