"My Own Main Street"

His heart warmed by a Presidential farewell, and perhaps stimulated by foreknowledge of a Presidential blessing he was to receive en route (see p. 7), Herbert Hoover set out from Washington to Palo Alto, to vote for himself and be voted for. At Cumberland, Md., he paused and spoke again about Prosperity. One aside in this speech revealed the political flair which he had seldom been suspected of having. Spying some of the train crew in the crowd he said: "I think I ought to tell them I am grateful to them. . . . I have come to think of this strip of railroads across the middle of America as my own Main Street, on which I make my journeys from my office to my own front gate. . . ."

His own Main Street took him to Louisville, Ky. It rained, confetti as well as water. He proclaimed Prosperity once more.

Having recited in Manhattan what he thought Government should not do in business, he recited in the Coliseum at St. Louis what he thought it should do. It was a generalized speech on waterways, "adequate" Road control, an "adequate" tariff, and "understanding" Federal farm board. It was loudly cheered.

Proceeding to Pueblo, Colo., the Hoover Special deposited National Chairman Dr. Work, with thanks and praise from the Nominee for his campaign assistance. Experts had credited Dr. Work with more blunders than brilliance, but 10,000 of his fellow Coloradoans heard Dr. Work briefly exonerated.

Through the western desert stretches of his own Main Street, Mr. Hoover rested, read books, beamed confidently from the platform. He entered California with the dawn before election. Palo Alto made holiday. To throngs he said, and repeated that evening over the radio: "This enormously enlarged interest is evidence of the great depth of conviction and even anxiety of our people. . . . Whatever the conscience of America determines, that will be right. . . ." Everywhere he made special reference to women. Before noon of election day friends were generally addressing him as "Mr. President."

This election, he said, "should hearten the confidence of every believer in government by the people."