"A Good Man"

Last week was published a new biography. Title: Our President: Herbert Hoover. Pages: 45. Price: $1. Author, publisher, printer and salesman: one William J. Marsh Jr. of New Milford, Conn., aged 11.

When news of this publication reached Washington, the White House issued a statement: "The President has read with much interest the account of the writing and printing of his life. . . . He is anxiously awaiting a copy of the book."

In addition to 60 regular copies, William J. Marsh Jr. printed a special one on vellum to carry to the White House and present personally to his subject. The President will find in it not only a record of his own career but also many views, comments and digressions by the author, also photographs of the author holding his country's flag. A moralist, Biographer Marsh is no less interested in Prohibition, Public Schools and the art of growing rich than he is in Herbert Hoover.

William J. Marsh Sr., an antique dealer, acquired for 50-c- an old-fashioned printing press, gave it to his son. In a foreword to Our President: Herbert Hoover, the boy explains that as a job printer "I done a real good business" but there appeared to be "more money in the publishing business."

Excerpts from Our President: Herbert Hoover:

"The Hoovers lived in a one-story cottage across the alley from Mr. Hoover's blacksmith shop. Of course we all know, a person would never become rich from shoeing horses, as horses don't need to be shod every week; but he did make quite good on selling the machinery, which he had the agency for.

"When Jessie Hoover was twenty-four years old, their first son Theodore better known as (Tad) was born. Three years later Herbert Clark Hoover was born. And then later his sister May. I don't know anything about his sister, but; I can say this, I think she is a very lucky girl to have a brother like Mr. Hoover.

"All summer long Herbert played with the Indian children and they became very dear friends. . . . Perhaps it was the Indian boys who taught him to be such an expert fisherman. Mr. Hoover can't be beat when it comes to catching the big fish. . . .

"The death of Herbert's father made quite a difference in the Hoover family, his father left them comfortably fixed, providingly if they were very careful. . . . Herbert Hoover's mother was like all good Christian mothers, she wanted her children to have a good education . . . our country is noted for its fine public schools. . . . There's no excuse for people saying, I can not afford to send my children to school. . . . Any boy who graduated from High School with a good reputation can as a general rule get a good position. . . .

"A good mother don't spend her time at dances and parties, she spends her time teaching her boys to be good. . . .

"He [Herbert] decided he was going to Stanford University. . . . At first if I am right, he did not pass the examination but being ambitious he studied harder than ever and when he took the next examination he passed. And if I am right he graduated in 1895. . . .

"At this University he met his wife, Miss Lou Henry, Miss Henry was a beautiful girl, she was like Mr. Hoover. . . . Mrs. Hoover is an educated woman and a very refined Christian mother and of course we all know that is the only kind of woman we want to be the First Lady of the Land. . . .

"As soon as he arrived in California he went to see Miss Lou Henry and I bet she was glad to see him too. . . . After they were married they sailed for China. I suppose they enjoyed the trip, especially Mrs. Hoover for I don't think she had ever been to China. . . .

"I have heard Mr. and Mr. Hoover do not care for society, that is, they don't believe in wasting their time. Society is all right for lazy people. . . . I, myself, would rather be an honest working man, than a society bug.

"The World War was one of the worst wars ever known in history. . . . My mother does not allow us even to play wars, she says it is the wrong way of thinking. . . .

"Mr. Hoover never said one mean thing about the man who was running against him on the Democratic Ticket. . . . Everytime I heard anyone say something mean over the radio about Mr. Hoover, I made up my mind, right then, they either didn't know much or they had poor bringing up.

"The women in our town are for Prohibition. If any one says light wines and beer to them they fly up in arms. . . . I cannot understand how any good loving mother could be so small, as to say her boy or girl needs wine or beer. . . . I think the women should stop serving wine at their parties. . . . Mr. Hoover is strictly dry for he said so over the radio and he also said so in his exceptance speech. . . .

"He is a good man and everybody knows it. And one thing I do like him for, he don't drink. . . . Prohibition is here to stay. And let me tell you mothers, if you didn't smoke so many cigarettes, it would be more to your credit. It is bad enough for a man but it comes to a mother or daughter smoking, that is awful!"

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.