National Affairs: Silent Draft

Tradition is that in every national election any party that has a living ex-President drafts him to make a series of speeches lending his prestige to its nominee. In 1936 the only living ex-President is Herbert Hoover and he is an exception. Instead of having prestige with the majority of voters, he is widely regarded as a political liability. Nevertheless, when Republican Chairman John Hamilton reached San Francisco last week on an airplane stumping-tour of the West, Herbert Hoover was drafted to serve his party for the modest job of introducing him to...

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