Evening star., 1928-12-26
Politics at Large
By G.. Could Lincoln.

trip in Florida has set the tongues OF
the politicians wagging. AS matter
of fact, Mr.. Hoover had planned 10
spend several weeks in washington I'M
mediately prior to and after Christmas
He gave up this plan, however, wnen
he determined to make his good VIII
trip to Central and South America.
The President-elect, although he has
kept in close touch with events IN tne
United States by wireless ana caple'
has been away from the united states
for more than q month. There are
problems here which he must CONSIDER
before his Inauguration as PresloenC.
He must have firSt-hand information
and personal contact in order to reach
his decisions. He has the job OF pick
inp his cabinet. Naturally he desires
to Mace in his official family and at
the heads of the executive departments,
men-and perhaps woman-Wno VIII
command the confidence Of the people:
Naturally there is a great amouh. oi
nullino and hauling by trlenoS anu
Supporters of cabinet "posslolhtles'
X + y
Tho question whether there shall pe
snecial session or not OF tAe NV
Congress Immediately after Mr. noovto .to
has taken office has arisen IN asuto ~
form, When Mr.. Hoover promlseo " "
call special session OF OoIsleSS 1 ,S-oS1 "
deal with farm legislation Cns pr;or
ent Congress did not deal WIFI +t,;on ~ p;rot
to its close March 4, he said something
Fverv one expects the call OF speclal
session unless the farm bill goes
through Those who desire speclai
session. for one reason or anotner, m
Guiding the friends of tariff revision
NAV be expected to do their snare W.
ward blocking the farm Dill. ,rd
a situation has developed In regaIu
IN the nendine farm bill, which mas tne
Endorsement of the administration, tnaC
makes it necessary for Mr.. Hoover 10
take a. hand. in the opinion OF sup
porters of the bill who desire actlon
on it now. They hold that II Mr;
Hoover gives the bill his approval ana
asks that it go through at the presenG
session, it will have chance OF A1iai
passage. without such WORD from ML.
Hoover, however, there Is LITTLE chance
of the bills becoming law by MaEch =,
it is said. A plea for some PUBIC OF
private statement In regard 10 tne Ialni
bill has gone to Mr.. Hoover from sew
eral sources. 49,,
Mr.. Hoover may have reached the
conclusion that he can deal with this
delicate situation regarding the farm
bill better in Washington than ne can
in Florida. 1t will be possible for him
while in the Capital to get from Presl-
dent Coolidge personally his views as
to the suggestion that Mr.. Hoover urge
the passage of the farm bill now. Mr..
Hoover, If he acted without consulting
the President, might be accused OF
seeking to usurp the power OF the Pres
ident while he was still only President
elect. Furthermore, he will be able
better to size up the situation here and
determine whether even his own plea
that the farm bill be passed now would
be effective. 1t would be rather futile
for him to issue a statement asking
Congress to act on the McNary revised
farm bill now. only to find that the
opponents of present action would not
accede to the request.
Rome was not built in a day, nor
is it likely that Mr.. Hoover will under
take to pick his cabinet in so short a
space of time. The assertion has been
made In reliable quarters that when Mr..
Hoover left the United States to go
to South America he had made no
offers of cabinet positions, and that
he would make no offers of such jobs
until he returned to this country. Dur
ing his absence, some Of Mr.. Hoover's
close friends and advisers have been
picking up information and in some
cases sounding out possible cabinet
timber. Just how far Mr.. Hoover has
been committed to this campaign for
information remains to be seen. 1t
has been responsible for reports from
time to time that this or that man
had been selected and Offered" a job
in the cabinet by Mr.. Hoover. NaCu-
rally Mr.. Hoover Is anxious to have as
much personal information regarding
the cabinet possibilities as he can. He
can obtain it here far more easily than
In Florida. An invitation to man to
visit the President-elect in his Winter
retreat might well be construed as
an invitation to enter the cabinet, when
such a construction might be contrary
to the fact and embarrassing to both
Mr.. Hoover and his guest.
+ X 4
Stuart w. Cramer, North Carolina
manufacturer and graduate OF the
Naval Academy, is much talked OF as
a probable appointee as Secretary OF
the Navy. Mr.. Cramer, in the opinion
of those who are making cabinets just
now. has all the qualifications for the
lob. He knows about the Navy and Is
in sympathy with it. He Is a business
man and good administrator. He comes
from the South and there Is desire
on the part of many Republican leaders
to see the South represented in the
cabinet of Mr.. Hoover, in the hope that
II will be an effective step toward re-
tanning a hold on the States south OF
the Mason and Dixon Line which cast
their votes for Mr.. Hoover In the recent
election. It is reported that Mr.. Cramer
is among those whom the listening
nosts" of Mr.. Hoover have been sound
ing out with an idea of learning Wnetn-
er they are available for appointment
to the cabinet.
Christmas on Capitol Hill brought its
round of entertainment and celepratlon'
AS usual, Vice President Dawes gave
Christmas dinner to the Senate pages
and official staff of the Senate. James
w. Murphy, official reporter OF the
Senate. is the author Of poem entitled
THE v. P.'s Lament" In Shakespearean
style, which was read at the Gunner
1t goes:
Now Is the Winter of my discomfort,
And this is how: For nigh four years
Have upon the dais sat and heard
The rumbling roar of ceaseless words
Pound mine affrighted ears First,
Like tiny rivulets, seemingly reluctant.
'Scaping the stentorian lungs
OF great ambassadors of states, pro-
testing, anon,
With smiling mien and chastest Wlnkmg
OF the eye. I will be brief or just a
word:
Then, in ripening crescendo, gushing
forth,
And, finally, as a mighty torrent, un-
ending and unendable,
Engulfing time and space with thun-
d'rous iteration.
Like little wanton boys, they blow up
bladderS
And venture forth to play with wind;