Evening star., 1926-04-05
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC EILLIAM VILE

Rubber, reform or rebellion-which
of the three, If any, is the real rea-
son for President Coolidge's sudden
desire for q Survey" of the Philip
pines? Does Secretary Hoover plan
to trim the rubber claws OF the
British lion by tapping the virgin
resources of our islands in the Malay
Archipelago? Does the administra-
ton plan sweeping political conces-
sions to the Fflipinos? Is revolution
brewing in Luzon, Mindanao, Sanar
and the rest of the 1000 islands and
islets that comprise the Philippines"
Few authorities in Washington be
lieve that the underlying purpose o
Col. Carmi A. Thompson's mission Il
Manila has yet been made clear
Mystery is not confined to Capito'
Hill, where Senate Democrats are de
manding light. In no quarter has
the Presidents action caused greate'
astonishment than at the War De
partment, which is in responsible
charge of Philippine affairs. Secre-
tary Davis is understood to have been
taken completely by surprise by the
Thompson Survey" 1t may alter
his plans for a trip around the world
this year, including inspection of our
military establishment in the Philip
pines.
:; !; < 4
President Coolidge seems TO have an
incorrigible partiality for Cleveland
men when tough administration jobs
need attention. The selection of Col.
Thompson for the Philippines business
follows closely the designation Of
Henry G.. Dalton of the Lake Erie
metropolis to Survey" the United
States Shipping Board. 1t was Richard
F.. Grant of Cleveland, working with
Washingtons cognizance, if not at
Coolidge instigation, who settled the
anthracite strike. When the Govern
ment employed special counsel for the
Teapot Dome and Elk Hills oil prose.
cutions the President went to Cleve-
land law Office for one of them, former
Senator Atlee Pomerene. In 1925 Mr.
Coolidge sent Representative Theodore
E. Burton of Cleveland to represent
the United States at the arms traffic
conference in Geneva. At Paris, ever
since the war one Of Uncle Sans tick
ish diplomatic outposts, a Cleveland
er, Myron T. Herrick, has continued to
function as American envoy, despite
continual ambassadorial shifts at Lon
don and Berlin. Mr.. Coolidge was
nominated for the presidency at Cleve.
land. That may explain matters.
for Cleveland's going La Toilette in
1924. "They say" that if "Cap' as
pires to a second term, the G.. 0. p.
will 1eassemble at Cleveland in June,
1928.
Tsuneo Matsudaira, japanese Am
bassador to the United States, is with
out confirmation Of Toxic news that
n hetrothal ia contemplated between
his eldest daughter, Setsuko, and
Prince Chichibu, second son OF the
Japanese imperial house. Setsuko is
at present a 16-year.old pupil of the
Friends School in Washington. She
speaks English fiuently, plays basket
| ball, tennis and hockey, and dances
with the skill OF an American fapper.
Not long ago Setsuko appeared at a
| school party in bewitchingly pretty
Japanese costume, and, despite the
| slippers that go with 1t, proved equal
| to any ballroom steps of the period
and was in lively demand as a part
| ner. Before coming to Washington q
year ago, Setsuko's mother was chief
| lady y-in-waiting to the Empress of
| Japan and in charge Of all cere-
monials associated with the introduc-
| ton of foreign women at the Toxic
! court.
| In these days of prohibition war
| fare at Washington, his friends re.
call with pride that Senator Morris
| Sheppard, Democrat, of Texas, author
Of the eighteenth amendment, has al
most a 100 per cent perfect roll call
record Since he entered the Senate
90 "Eoe~ BaiiayS successor I'm 1si4