Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-06
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

his charming oonsort, popular
member OF diplomatic society, be-
comes Lady Broderick. Anglo-Ameri-
can relations resting nowadays on so
conspicuously an economic founda-
ton, Sir Johns activities have been
a prime factor in Washington's in
tercourse with London since the
World War. 1t is an open secret that
Broderick's services were of partic-
ular importance in connection with
the recent happy ending of the
Anglo American war claims con-
troversy, which once threatened seri-
Gus conflict. In its solution, Secre-
tary Kellogg's right-hand man, Rob
ert E. Odds, soon to become Under
secretary of State, played a stellar
role, too.
No man would have rejoiced more
enthusiastically in Lindborgh's tri-
umph than Lord Northcliffe, Napo-
leon of British journalism. More
than 20 years ago, when the merest
hop by a flying machine was news,
Northcliffe was blazing the way for
aerial progress. 1t was his 10000
prize that spurred Bleriot to fly the
Channel and startle mankind into a
realization Of what awaited it in the
air. Then Northcliffe gave $4,000
prizes for flights around the British
Isles and from London to Manches'
ter-child's play today. Beyond the
shadow of a doubt, had he lived,
Northcliffe would have hung up hun
dreds Of thousands Of dollars for the
first birdman to wing the Atlantic.
The spirit Of Fleet streets genius
h hnlnVQd
London Daily Mail when the paper
presented Lindbergh with a gold cup.
When this observer represented the
Daily Mail in Germany before the
war, Northcliffe directed him to nego'
tiate with Count Zeppelin for what
would have been the first privately
owned Zeppelin ever built. But the
German military authorities objected.
y X X
West Point, of which the country
commonly thinks in nothing but mill
tary terms, has become a seething
caldron of political strife. It's all
about the local postmastership. Rep
resentative Hamilton Fish, jr., of New
York, in which bailiwick the reserva-
ton is situated, is the storm center.
The National Civil Service Reform
League accuses Fish of playing poll
tics at West Point-a soft impeach-
ment denied by the giant young mem
Der from the Hudson Valley, who
points out that politics is virtually
non-eXistent in the Points exclusively
military environment. The Repre-
sentative objects to the appointment
of any of the persons on the "eligible
list" and favors a postmaster recon-
mended by the superintendent of the
academy and other leading officers
there.
X X * X
In connection with menacing devel-
opments in north China, some pecui-
iarly expert advice is now available
to the State Department at the hands
Of foreign service officer who has
to his credit 20 years of uninterrupted
duty at Picking. He is WHY'S Rug
giles Peck, who has the rank of first
secretary, and who began his career
as student interpreter and Chinese
language secretary to the American
legation in Picking. Mr.. Peck. who
was transferred to Washington la
September, was born in China or
American parents, who sent him 10
the University of California for edu-
cation. He speaks dialects of emma
like native of that unhappy land,
and few Americans possess Peck $ IN
innate knowleC of it's politics.
Copyright. 1927