It’s Throwback Thursday. Let’s visit the editorial page of the Bainbridge Review from Friday, Nov. 1, 1946:
HOOVER AND COMMUNISM
We attended a Washington, D.C. forum during the political campaign and we were startled to hear a speaker give the old song and dance about Herbert Hoover, how he “caused” the depression and set veterans to selling apples on the street corners and how, therefore, the Republicans were all a bunch of capitalist Hoovers and ought to be cast into the sea.
We were startled to hear this because we had thought the Democrats had given up on the Hoover smear. As a matter of fact, as this campaign nears an end, we believe the Democrats have abandoned that bit of demagoguery. Outside of that one instance, we haven’t heard Mr. Hoover being used as a scapegoat. All of which, we’d say, is a point in favor of the Democrats.
There is another political attack which we’d also like to see minimized. That is the constant use by some Republicans of the word “communist.” We mean the too-quick branding as “communistic” of any and all liberal or progressive ideas. To label as “communist” an honest progressive is as much demagoguery as blaming Mr. Hoover for not putting two chickens in every pot.
Mind you, now, The Review certainly is aware of the communist menace in this nation; it is aware that J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI labels communism as one of the two great threats facing this nation; it is aware that here in Western Washington we have lots of real communists; it is aware that some of them will be on your ballot next week.
The Review, however, believes Republicans should scream “communist” only when there is something about which to scream. To be too free with that word will result – just as the boy who cried “wolf” learned to his dismay – in a public which will not respond to a valid expose.
THE GHOST OF OF A SMEAR WALKS AGAIN
Way back in 1930 – remember? – Al Smith and other Democrat Party chieftains plotted and planned how to get Herbert Hoover out of the White House. History tells you they did “get” Mr. Hoover. They got him with as masterful a “smear” campaign as any politician ever has had to face. They made the name Hoover a hated one; Mr. Hoover’s face in a newsreel still draws some boos today, and he hasn’t been in public office since 1932.
Remember how they derided that phrase, “Two cars in every garage”? They turned that one into a depression slogan like this: “Two apples for every veteran.”
The ghost of that “smear” campaign seems to be walking again, however. There’s a new slogan being whispered across the nation. Have you heard?
“Two families in every garage.”
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