THE NEXT PRESIDENT

Perhaps five editions of the daily papers since the fall of 1928 have failed to carry sweeping predictions about the indisputable probability of so-and-so's capturing the 1932 Presidency competition. The average per day now approaches two; it will rise by leaps and bounds until next autumn, when it attains unbelievable heights.

No matter what the circumstances, the general tone of these forecasts is and remains the same. Last night, from one side of the campaign came the headline, "Would defeat wet Democrat by 10,000,000." Diametrically opposite in viewpoint is the opinion, "House sees Democratic sweep in 1932." The whole situation is, as a matter of fact, utterly simple. The Republican prosperity bubble, thoroughly exploded, has undoubtedly proved the downfall of the party in power. The Democrats, headed by Roosevelt, will bridge the arid canyon with a wet plank; Prosperity is bound to return; the farmers are to receive their aid; freer trade will, however, be advocated; Americans will live happily ever after, after. The same tone of reasoning is in the opposing propaganda, which, however, reaches the same results by the high rather than the low road. Hoover, of course, was not the cause of the depression; Prosperity is bound to return; the farmers will receive aid from the government; not much possibility of anything but dryness, but if not, there are always the bootleggers; Americans will live happily ever after. Therefore, no matter what happens, Prosperity will return and Americans live happily ever after.