Evening star., 1927-05-02
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Herbert Hoover, unknown to the
world at large, has been in training
for a long time for the Mississippi
flood lob on which he's now engaged.
Ever since he settled down in Wash
ington during the World War, Hoo
ver's favorite pastime has been to steal
axvav into the woods with ms TWO
bovs and n. comrade or two ana pay
at building dams, levees ana breah'
waters. Many an idea for constfuc-
tive engineering schemes has come TO
Hoover. he says. from these miniature
experiments along the waters Oh
humble brooks and forest streams:
The Secretary of Commerce, in KHAKI
hreeches and flannel shirt, functions
as the foreman Of his gang on these
occasions and speedily infects ms com
nanions with his own enthusiasm Tor
the work in hand. HooVer's fondneSs
for everything concerned with ny.
draulics and geology springs OIL
course. from his profession OF a MIN
ing engineer. 1t happens that the
flood disaster in the southwest gives
opportunity for the play OF Hoover 5
dual talents-that of an engineer ana
that of an expert relief administrator
X x y
washington seethes with conVen'
tionites of both sexes, many tongues
and varied interests. The natlonal
conventions of the great political
narties may never come here. but
American men and women Immersed
In other activities favor the Capltai
more and more from year to year
as the ideal scene for their recurring
conclaves. The National League OF
Women Votes and the American so
ciety of International Law held the
boards last week. and this week the
pan.American Commercial Conference
and the annual meeting of the Chan-
her of Commerce of the United States
have the center of the stage. NO
sooner will the business men OF the
three Americas have left Washington
than the members of the American
Medical Association, in their thou
sands, will take possession of the
Federal city, and for a week conduct
what is expected to be the largest
and most important convention in the
professions history. Washington is
becoming the natural place for meet
ings of national organizations because
their members unfailingly derive stlm'
ulus and inspiration from close con
tact with the atmosphere in which
the urge anu SUI go VI puDll| oCA NANS
are more perceptible than anywhere
else in the United States.
* x X X
Not very much ever leaked out re-
garding what took place when car
Coolidge and "Al" Smith hobnobbed in
the Adirondacks last Summer. Equal
Nv little seeped through to an outside
and curious world when the President
and the governor met under the same
roof at a New York hotel, on April %
What did Ooze out to this observer in
Gotham the other day was an authen'
tic and hitherto unpublished Cal
and ZAP episode at White Pine Camp
in July, 1925. Smith, discussing New
York States comprehensive and con-
structive water-power program, cas-
ually suggested to Coolidge that the
United States Government ought to
buy the Erie Canal. "What would it
cost us?" queried the President. "Oh,
| about 5000 ,000, ,000," quoth the gov
moment, and then rejoined, Gov
ernor, / guess you've been listening
to some of that st. Lawrence water
way talk" That ended the incident
for the time being. When their visit
| was nearly over "Al" said to "Cal, y
What shall tell the newspaper men
we talked about?" Said Cal" Tell
'em you tried to sell me the Erie
| Canal and I told you to sell it to New
York City for it's water supplyr
X X X
| Some inside, close.ups Of the China
| situation have just been supplied to
| the White House and the State De-
/ Il fnnfF h
American Ambassador to Japan, re-
| Gently arrived in the United States
on leave AS the principal power
nearest to the trouble area, Japan is
peculiarly well informed on conditions
and DEVELOPMENTS In China. and Mr..