Mark Hatfield: Last of the Hoover men

By Timothy Walch

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The last Hoover man passed away Aug. 7. A former Oregon governor and U.S. senator, Mark Hatfield is being heralded as a compassionate humanitarian and peace advocate. Missing from these tributes is much mention of Hatfield's passion for the values and virtues of Herbert Hoover.

Yes, Hatfield, the very definition of a liberal Republican, was a lifelong champion of one of the most reviled presidents of the 20th century. In fact, Hatfield once told me that Herbert Hoover of Iowa was the inspiration for his own life of public service.

It began for Hatfield in his hometown of Salem in the bleak political year of 1932. Mark was 10 years old and eager to work to re-elect the president. Hoover had lived in Oregon as a boy, and as far as Hatfield was concerned, that made the president a native son.

Young Mark wanted to contribute to the Hoover campaign, so he marched down to the local Republican Party office and filled his wagon with window cards that read “This Home is for Hoover.” Over the next few days, he knocked on all the doors in his neighborhood and persuaded a majority of his neighbors to put the signs in their windows.

The cruel reality of politics came home to him after election day, however. Hoover had been swept from office. Mark had learned that it takes more than one neighborhood to win an election!

Although he laughed when he told me that story, Hatfield also admitted that this first election experience was a formative one for him. The loss meant that he had to redouble his effort to carry the Hoover message forward in other ways. And he never varied from that vow for the rest of his life.

Following his college education and military service, Hatfield pursued a graduate degree at Stanford University, Hoover's alma mater. He was determined to meet Hoover and learn from him. They finally met in August 1947 when Hoover approved Hatfield's master's thesis on the president's conservation policies.

The two men stayed in contact over the next 15 years, meeting several more times in person, most notably in 1959 when Hatfield was Hoover's guest at the Bohemian Grove encampment (Bohemia Club was a private San Francisco men's club). Hoover tutored the young Hatfield. It was an education that the younger man never forgot.

After two terms as governor of Oregon, Hatfield was elected U.S. senator, the first of five terms. He frequently quoted Hoover's words and policies and championed the president's virtues and values. In 1980, Hatfield compiled a volume of historical essays commemorating the 50th anniversary of Hoover's election as president. “My goal,” he wrote in the introduction, “is to try to acquaint the general public with something of Mr. Hoover's tremendous character and accomplishments.”

Hatfield also introduced legislation that renamed the Commerce Department building in Washington in honor of Hoover. And as chairman of the Senate appropriations committee, he set aside funds for the renovation of both the Hoover Presidential Library and the visitor center at Hoover Dam.

Hatfield paid his last respects to his mentor in 1997 at the rededication of the Hoover gravesite. After noting all that Hoover had accomplished, he touched upon a quality that is still valued today. “Hoover was always asking how we were going to manage the future,” he said. ‘He was a futurist, even at the age of 90.”

Hatfield lived a life of compassionate humanitarianism, guided in part by his friend and mentor, Herbert Hoover. At this time of political acrimony, our nation needs more Herbert Hoovers and Mark Hatfields.

Timothy Walch is director emeritus of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and a friend of Mark Hatfield for more than 20 years. Comments: Twalch47@gmail.com.