Evening star., 1927-12-02
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

Capitol Hill is undoubtedly on the
verge Of as thrilling a session as Con.
gress has held in many years. Twas
ever thus, on the verge of a presi-
DENTAL campaign, but this time con.
ditions are unusually propitious for
fireworks and sensations. The fates
OF many men, many measures and
both parties are at stake. Politics
consequently will discolor the situa-
ton from start to finish. Statesmen
will have one eye on the business In
hand, and keep the other peeled in
the direction Of the folks back home"
third of the Senate and the entire
House will be up for election in No
vember. 1928. Steps will be watched
with corresponding care. The Demo.
Gratis. as far as the Senate is con-
cerned, have decided to let the Re.
publicans, with their precarious ma
jority, stew in their own juice, and
not seek to organize the upper house
in the Democratic interest. But when
ever Senator Joe Robinson and his
followers see a chance to trip the
G. o. p, they may be depended upon
to do SO. A sheaf of Coolidge ap-
pointments awaits Senate confirma.
ton. The President may be in for
rebuff or two at the hands Of the
body which turned down Warren for
Attorney General, McCamant for a
Federal judgeship and Woods for
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
X X \
There'll be an uncommonly large
class of graduates from the House of
Representatives in the Senate of the
Seventieth Congress. Newcomers,
who served their apprenticeship on
the other side of the Capitol. include
Senators-elect Alben w. Barkley Of
Kentucky, Thomas of Oklahoma, Tyd-
ings of Maryland and Halves of Mis-.
souri,. Halves had couple of months
in the preceding Senate, as the spe-
cial-election successor of former Sem
ator Williams Of Missouri. All of the
former House members now raised to
the dignity of solons are Democrats.
Barkley ranks as a dark.horse presi.
Dental possibility. He's a protestant
dry and particularly strong with or.
ganized labor. Tydings will be one
of the baby Senators. He's just
turned 81.
Garland s. Ferguson of North Caro-.
lima. just appointed one of the Demo.
cratic minority members of the Fed.
eral Trade Commission, is distin.
guished Greensboro lawyer The Fer
gusons are among the oldest Caro-
Imam families, with proud Colonial ira
ditions. Commissioner Ferguson's
father was a judge of the State SUI
perior Court, in North Carolina. He
Is a cousin of Homer l.. Ferguson,
well known president of the Newport
News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co.
who recommended Ferguson's ap-
pointment, says that few lawyers of
the day have a more expert knowledge
Of business law" All five members
of the commission--three Republicans
and two Democrats-owe their ap-
pointments to President Coolidge. It's
the first time since the creation of the
body by President Wilson that any
Chief Executive nominated the entire
membership. "Progressives" say that
the commission Is correspondingly
conservative"
X Il
Lewis f. Pierson, president Of the
Chamber Of Commerce of the United
States, who has taken up the taxation
cudgels with President Coolidge, has
been a lifelong Republican and bank
man since he began as a clerk in New
York City AZ years ago. he Is now
chairman of the board of the Ameri-
can Exchange Irving Trust Co. Pier.
son Is also a director in host OF ma
tional corporations, including several
constituents OF the so.called Power
Trust. In 1909 and 1910 he was presi.
dent of the American Bankers Asso.
ciation. The Chamber of Commerce is
determined to carry its campaign for
maximum tax reduction to the floors
of Congress. 1t will be diverting
spectacle national business body
popularity looked upon as one OF the
bulwarks of the Republican admins.
tration fighting the latter's revenue
policy tooth and nail Politics has sci.
dom made stranger bedfellows than
the Chamber of Commerce and the
Democrats.
Many personal friends in Washing.
ton are the recipients Of letters from
Will HI. Hays, Czar Of the movies, call
ing THAR atfanfion IN his ea rrart