Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-30
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Comdr. John Rodgers would not
have thought that he met death in
gloriously because he crashed to his
end in a prosaic peace-time plane ma
neuyer. He was what our naval men
call a casualty of service" Whether
it is incurred in the face Of the foe or
suffered in the workaday duty of
preparation for war detracts IN no
way from the merit Of the particular
feat. Jack" Rodgers passionately
preferred the practical to the theo-
retical in aviation. 1t was at his own
request that he was only recently de-
tached from the assistant ChlefShlp OF
naval aeronautics and assigned TO ac-
tive experimental service with an AR
craft scouting squadron OF the racine
fleet. Rodgers had two outstanding
qualities of real greatness-he was
modest and he was deeply religious.
This observer had the privilege of ap-
pearing on the same broadcasting pro-
gram with Comdr. Rodgers on Navy
day, 1925, when the hero of the Ha-
waiian flight recounted in sailorlike
terms the story of that brilliant fail
ure. Nothing could have been more
dramatic or self-effacing; nothing
more touching than Rodgers express
ed belief that it was mainly the power
of prayer that saved him and his
gallant comrades.
X X X x
One of the things that are helping
Chief Justice Taft to recuperate at
Murray Bay is his pleasure over the
first political triumph of his son.
ID T,ff I've
in the Cincinnati primaries for the
Republican denomination for prescott
ing attorney. 1t was a stiff fight and
Charley" won out after a tWo-fisted
campaign against the anti-reform
forces in Hamilton County. His
friends-as we'll as his distinguished
father-believe that young Taft is
now definitely headed for a worthy
public career. 1t happens that the
Chief Justice himself made his debut
in politics in 1881 as assistant public
prosecutor Of Hamilton County. Mr..
Taft scouts all suggestions that he is
slipping physically, although he has
been compelled to realize that he
must spare himself more than he is
prone to do. The Chief Justice will
be 50 years old on September 10.
Throughout his five years on the SUI
preme Court bench Taft has been &C
customed to assign himself the most
difficult cases sent to that tribunal.
His admirers hope he will particularly
restrain himself in that direction.
x X X
Senatorial courtesy is taking a
brand new form in New Hampshire,
where there's a. merry primary con-
test raging. An imposing group OF
George Higgins Moses colleagues in
the United States Senate has gone on
record in pamphlet form in favor of
his return to Congress. Republicans,
Democrats and Farm Labor's lone
sentinel in the Senate (Shipstead of
Minnesota sing Moses praises elo-
ouently and appealngly. Among
them are Reed, Missouri; Ransdell,
Louisiana: BleaSe, South Carolina,
and Stephens. Mississippi Demo
crats). and Frazier, North Dakota
Non Partisan League Republican,.
The Pennsylvania and Illinois slush
fund revelations are enlivening
the New Hampshire campaign, too.
All over the State, men and women
are wearing buttons emblazoned I'm
paid Moses Worker" while former
Gov. Bass, Moses principal rival, has
offered a $4,000 reward for conviction
of any person using money Illegally
in the primary or the November
election.
Herbert Hoover, who Is summing
himself In California for the few days