Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-20
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC HHLI4N VILE.

Joe RobInson's vote OF confidence at
| the hands OF his Democratic colleagues
In the Senate Is no Idle compliment.
The Arkansan is serving his third sue
cessive term as chairman OF the minor
| ity conference.-the Official title--and
long ago conquered not only the deep
respect but the sincere affection Of his
confreres. On famous occasion In the
House OF Commons II was remarked
that the business OF an opposition Is
| to oppose" The sturdy Little Rock
statesman religiously pirsues that pol
| icy in the Senate. As Hefiin OF Alabama
now knows. Robinson opposes not only
| the Republican majority in the Senate.
but mutiny In the Democratic minority
Robinson's fiery temperament is use
| ful weapon In an opposition leaders ar
senal In his case II Is accompanied by
conservative Judgment in an emergency
and by ready eloQuence. Robinson.
youngster as statesmen go-being
| only 55-~has been continuously in pub
| lie life since he was a. He was in the
| House OF Representatives for i've terms
and was Governor OF Arkansas when
elected TO the United States Senate Is
| years ago.
It's an open secret on Capitol Hill
| that Senator Robinson's castigation OF
Hefiin is something many Senator's have
ionged for. but which none of the rest
OF them ever saw nj TO administer. Be-
fore the close of the Sixty-ninth Con-
greSs last March. circumstantiai reports
were In circulation that the Democratic
caucus had Helm under serious con-
sideration The Alabaman's Democratic
| colleagues, so the stories ran. were IT.
| ritated by his time consuming ha~
rangues about Mexico, These were inter-
| fering with the conduct OF important
Senate business. and minority leaders
were said 10 be debating ways and
means OF bringing about cessation OF
the Hefiin flood What. II anything. was
ever done In that direction never be-
came known But when Senator Robin"
son opened up his guns on Helm TINS
week those who heard the uproar re-
called the incident alleged To have
| taken place at the time the Alabaman
was In eruption year ago.
.
| Opponents OF the nomination OF Al
| Smith may not he aware that as long
ago ms 1872 men calling themselves
/
presidential ticket headed by Roman
| Catholic. lie was Charles O'Conuor, n
distinguished member OF the New York
har and personal counsel OF Samuel j
| TiIden The regular Democratic nation
Al convention In 1872. at Baltimore. had
Endorsed for President Horace Greeley.
previously nominated by the Liberal Re
nubIican convention at Cincinnati. A
minority group 81 the Baltimore dele
gates declined 10 support the Greeley
ticket and platform and subsequently
held straight Democratic" eonven-
lion at Louisville. There O'Connor was
named MS standard bearer. Before that
O'Connor had been nominated for Pres
ldent by the Labor Reform" eonven~
lion AT Columbus. O'Connors Summer
| nome on Nantucket Ialaud Is now oc~
cupied by IA present day straight DEM
ocrat Breckenridge Long OF Missouri
v
II zeal" Coolidge liked foot ball M
much aa Teddy" Roosevelt did, the
Whltr uo,ise might produce IA big SUCK
and order West Point and Annapolis I"
bury their gridlron differences, par
ticipant In pracr negotiations when
ended IA Aimiiar rupture between the
service achonls about 10 years ago has
told this observer what happened The
| academies couldn't agree IN 10 whete
the nest years game should be played
The result WAS n decision not To plaY
~ ali Throughout tho Army ana Navy,
IN CONSEQUENCE the same Aurt az hue
and ery went up that the present break
has caused One day President Roohr E"
welt Aummoned small group NJ mill
tary ana naval 0ftloers Ia the White
iia,ise he said Ia them, politely hut
f,rmly. that he liked fnot ball and that
he wanted The Army. Navy game 10 ba
played IN usual u wasn't long before
West Point and Annapalia appointed
smiAkariea, who met al hotel IN fhlla"
deiphia, made faces at one annihef Tor
a while, and then carfied out The com
mandef IN chiefs orders,
| y
Washington newspaper men, Who are
dlenehaa with what then cell shAnds