Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-21
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

It's taken less than three weeks
of the Seventeen Congress to prove
that there is no longer any such
thing as party solidarity or party
leadership on Capitol Hill. Since De-
cember S there have been votes in
House or Senate on three major mat
ters On each occasion party lines
were broken in all directions and the
orders Of party leaders fiouted. In
the Senate, where the Republican
ajority" exists merely on paper,
and hardly that, topsy-turvydom was
to be expected. But in the House,
where the G. o. p. has majority
of 80 over all, the Republicans were
disastrously showed under the first
time they attempted to pass an adj
ministration measure-the new rev.
enue bill. The majority" command
ed by Representative Tilson, Repub-
lican, of Connecticut, succumbed to
the minority" led by Representa-
tive Garner, Democrat, of Texas.
Only a day or two before party 10y
alties were completely disrupted in
the Senate, when the Republican
| INA jority' attempted in vain to pre-
vent the barring of Smith and Ware.
On December 10 a supposedly safe
and solid Democratic Republican pro-
gressive phalanx was crushed by a
| Republican Democratic combination
| opposed to Senator Thomas J. Walsh S
scheme to investigate the power
trust" They are folds of tickle fol-
lowers that Charlie" Curtis and Joe
Robinson, respectively, lead. The party
| whip has lost it's crack.
Herbert Hoover's supporters. inter.
pref as sign OF his growing
strength, rather than his weakness,
the outbreak of the whispering cam
paign now in full blast against him.
Almost every week piles fresh fuel
upon the fire of tittle-tattle. Here s
an incomplete list Of the Charges"
leveled against the Secretary of Com
merce since the Hoover boom got
going: a. That he's an Englishman,
~ that he was born in Canada. 81
that he once angled for a British
title, az that he lived quarter OF
J a century in the British Empire,
sons plea for a Democratic Congress
in 1918, (6) that he favored in 1919
American entry into the League Of
Nations, ca that in 1920 he wasn't
sure whether he was a Republican
or a Democrat, 80 that up to that
time he had never voted in the United
! States, 90 and that he is ineligible
| to the presidency because he hasn't
lived in the country for IA consecu.
tive years.
There's authority for saying that
when the time comes all of the anti
Hoover accusations will be dealt with
and refuted Republican leaders who
favor Hoover's nominaton-like SEN
ator George II. Moses of New Hamp
shjre-speak of these barbs at Hoover
as hurdles" which he'll have to take
before he can win the prize. But
insiders profess no anxiety regarding
his ability to do so. AS to the most
dangerous and definitely political
charge against Hoover-namely; the
impurity Of his Republicanism-this
observer is informed that some con
elusive evidence can be produced. II
consists of a letter from Herbert
Hoover to Woodrow Wilson. written
when the war President offered
Hoover the post of food administrator
Hoover over his signature reminded
Wilson that he CHoover) is a Re
publican.
President Coolidge recently enter
tanned at a flapjack and Vernon,
maple.syrup breakfast party in the
White House a group that contained
New Englanders and Southerners
Talk rather naturally turned to the
subject of New England's textile de
preston and the emigration of mil
owners and workpeople from thai
region to Dixie. Mr.. Coolidge won
; dered IL the influx of Northern cotton
mill workers might not affect thu
labor situation In Southern textile
districts. Thereupon Senator Cole J.
Blease of South Carolina spoke al