Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

It is by no means certain that Pres
ident Coolidge will identify himself
with Col. Carmi A. Thompson's view
that Gen. Leonard Wood has over
militarized the government of the
Philippines. The President has long
been aware of the stubborn fight the
governor general has had to wage at
Manila against the ever-advancing
pretensions of the native "poi1tlcos.
Wood not only has had to resist IN
creasing encroachment on American
executive authority, but struggle:
step by step, to regain the ground
forfeited to the Filipino independence
party by his predecessor. Francis Bur
ton Harrison. Many of Gen. Wood s
friends in Washington think Col.
Thompson's report damns the COVER
nor general with faint praise. They
declare that the soldier-statesman has
remained at the post Of duty In the
Philippines through lofty sense OF
public service. But some Of them
would not be surprised any day to
hear that WEAKNESS of the flesh, IN
the presence of heart-breaking conN-
tions, had determined Wood to lay
down the burdens he has carried I'M
lnterruptedly for more than Ave years.
Boris Skvirsky, sometimes called the
Russian Soviet Ambassador to the
United Systematically head OF the
Russian Information Bureau" at
washington-has recently returned
from a protracted visit to Moscow.
M. Skvirsky, Community though he
be, comes and 57~5 .>orrily through
the supposedly barred and boited
yates of America, which no Bolshevist
may pass. He carries a Russian pass.
port, but 1t Is, of course, not honoreo
by United States immigration authori-
ties. What does give him right OF
entry, apparently, is the American
visa on his application to land on our
shores. This formality Is attended
to on the other side-at Whatever
port the Boishevist emissary embarks.
When M. Skvirsky left for Russia
earlier in the year there was sug.
gestion that his return to this coun-
try would pave the way to far-reach-
ing changes in our relations with the
Red government. But this observer
is authoritatively informed there's no
ground for such expectations.
~
w. s. Mccormack. Lieutenant COVER
nor of Montana, was a. visitor TO
Washington this week. AS presiding
officer Of the Montana state Senate,
he was anxious to see how Vice Presi-
dent Dawes runs" the senatorial
body over which the latter holds par
liamentary sway. Mr.. McCormack
was a guest on the Vice Presidential
rostrum during session or the SEN
ate. He expressed the view that
proceedings there aren't so very diff
ferent from those in the Senate at
Helena. by keeping my ears wide
OPEN" the lieutenant governor OF
Montana remarked, II can usually
tell what our fellows are talking
about, after a few minutes. What's
been your experience, Mr.. Vice Presi-
dent?" According to an ear-witness,
Dawes replied: Sometimes I listen to
'em three days without getting the
hang Of it,"
Three warships of the United States
Navy are spending merry Christmas
holidays at the fashionable port OF
Villefranche, in the salubrious south
Of France, midway between Nice and
Monte Carlo. The squadron conslsts
of the cruiser flagship Memphis, n.y.
ing the pennant of Vice Admiral Guy
Hamilton Burrage, and the two de-
stroyers Isherwood and Case. the
former being the divisional flagship
of Capt. w. w. Galbraith. Capt. Gal
braith is we'll remembered in Wash.
ington as the late chief Of the Naval
Intelligence Bureau at the Navy De-
partment. The Riviera, now at the
zenith OF it's glittering season. always
greets eagerly the advent Of foreign
squadron. Our officers and blueJack.
cts are especially welcome. They
have the reputation Of presenting the
best.looking ships and the smartest
personal appearance OF any men-of-
war and sailormen that put into the
favorite haven of Europe's idle rich.
X ~
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