Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-06
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Over on Pennsylvania avenue, i'm
mediately In front Of the Department
of Commerce. it looks as II Herbert
Hoover were digging in" for real war
fare. Intrenchments are being built that
must remind him of the excavations
he saw in France. Inquiry develops tnat
the dinosaur like machine at work Is
not a steam roller. but steam shower,
and that the intrenchments are NOT
Hoover defenses, but new resting places
for the mains and wires OF the wash
inrton telephone. electric light and gas
companies. Street widening operations
necessitate their construction. AS a
matter of fact, Republican maneuverS
at the moment are Of the digging IN
type. Messrs. Hoover, Work, Moses and
the other field marshals OF the @. O: r.
will devote practically all their ,lne
feet firmly on the ground from which
the real battle-eight or nine weeks
hence-will be waged. The current week
end conference of eastern Repuoiican
leaders will determine the character OF
the Hoover defense and offense on the
Atlantic seaboard. Smiths well known
m,rnose to Law siege to New York. New
Jersey and New England requires astute
counter measures on the part OF the
Hoover organization.
~
While his Fourth OF July address 10
New York's new voters was not designed
To he a campaign speech, AL Smiths re-
marks to what he called the "outpour-
ing in front of Manhattan's City Hall
gave the country pretty good line on
his platform manner. The governor
gets all of his famous punch into ms
radio talks. There was no lack OF fgnt
In his generalities about the Constitu-
ton and the civic obligations incumbent
upon our newest citizens. smith doeS
not rely upon well rounded sentences
or highly finished phraseolegy to I'M
press an audience. His language In his
iirst speech as the Democratic presi-
Dental nominee was forceful and
meaty. It had an unmistakable East
side flavor, but 1t smacked of sincerity,
Though the governor has never lived
in washington. he seems to know Con-
press. 1T makes no difference" he
declared. how much We may quarrel
among ourselves politically The Senate
and the House OF Representatives can
talk themselves to death. Sometimes
1t looks to the American public as
though they we're attempting 1t. But
while The Constitution remains. the
rights 1t guarantees are inviolable."
The country is reading every day
now about George Akerson, Official
spokesman of Herbert Hoover, Aker-
son Is expected to be assistant to the
President of the United States, II
Hoover makes the grade--or secretary
10 the Chief Executive, as the post Is
more popularity known. He Is big,
broad -shouldered broth of an American
bow. with the blue eyes and fair hair
that betoken his Scandinavian ancestry.
| Akerson halls from that province OF
sweden called Minnesota, where he was
newspaper man before degenerating
| into politician, Once upon Time ne
newspaper. He came under Hoover's
eve while serving as Washington cor
resnondent Then the Secretary OF
| Commerce had him drafted to be secre-
| tarv of the Federal Commission for the
Scsnuicentennial at Philadelphia. Ever
sjnce then Akerson has been at Hoover'S
right hand and proved himself an in
valuable adjutant He relieved the
chief of any amount nj routine work
during last years Mississippi River flood
relief activities.
|
Senator Key pittman of Nevada u
spending the week end with Gov 5mitn
at Albany prior to the July ii meeting
| az the Democratic national committee
nj New York The Westerner Is destined
| 10 be one of the most important fac'
| tors In the Democratic campaign lie
| Is chairman OF the committee on no"
| tification and is comforting with the
nominee In connection with that event
II Gov, Smith decides TO pitch his tent
at washington part OF the time be-
tween notification and election day, t's
within the realm OF possibilities that
| "Al' and his family may be persuaded
| TO occupy the glorious Pittman place
In the outskirts OF the District of Co
lumbia. II Is secluded, picturesque
ehtatn Of some Is OF 30 Aereh, with