Evening star., 1928-03-09
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS


There's more than meets the. eye In
the f,ill-dreSS announcement that the
Democratic national committee has
wiped out It's entire indebtedness from
within the regular party ranks. II
means that the Democrats are prepar-
ing 10 make campaign funds a para
mount issue In the 1928 presidential
contest What 1t particularly denotes Il
that the Democrats intend comparing
their financial purity with recent reve-
lations before the Senate oil committee
as 10 the source OF the Republicans
sinews. Teapot Dome was at the Demo-
Gratis disposal In 1924 as fighting ina
terial. but John w. Davis. their pres!-
dentia! nominee. declined to exploit IL
on the ground that his Republican c3-
ponent. Calvin Coolidge. was not con-
nected with the oil scandals. Blu. since
WIN II. Hays recently disclosed the ac-
ceptance OF huge contributions 10 the
Official Republican party organization
from Harry +. Sinclair, many Demo-
cratic leaders have concluded there's
Iull warrant In 1923 for capitalizng a
situation Of which the party failed TO
taHe complete advantage III 1924
once again there's proof that biz
business plays no political favorites.
Silas II. Strawn. eminent Chicago cor
poration lawyer and President Cool
| idge's recent special commissioner 10
China, has just been revealed as a
contributor TO both the Republican and
Democratic campaign funds, Strawn
declined appointment as government
counsel In the oil scandals three years
ago because of professional relations
with banks interested In petroleum. At
me oil quiz before the Senate public
| lands committee II was brought out that
5trawn gave 81. 900 10 the q. q. p. when
WIZ Hays and Fred upham were wiping
out the 1920 campaign deficit. On tn.
same day Chairman Glenn Shaver listed
Strawn for 81 900 among the angels
VINO turned the Democratic deficit into
bulBinG surplus Stfawn's business
partnerships have been as bipartisan
as his campaign contributions John
Barton Payne. Democrat, was head of
S'fa"ns law firm before becoming Sec
| fetafy OF the Interior. and one Of the
! Chicagoans present partners ia Garrard
h winston, lately MIR. MELONS under
| secretary OF the Treasury.
| v y Il ~.
'Lindy" Is all right lie has not att-
Tered nervous breakdown. nor does he
reveal the slightest indication OF ste
ctlmbing TO so fashionable a malady.
| STORIES on that seore. which spread
alarm all over the country this week.
are authnfitatively declared Ia be with
out shted Of foundation. by William
i. MacCfackcn. 1r. Assistant Secretary
ot Commerce for Acronautics, the yarns
are branded bunk" and "applesauce -
MacCracken ranks M about the closest
friend Col l.indhergh has IN Washing
ION. NO man sees more Of the flyer
than Hoover's air lieutenant. and the
MacCracken home II "I.indy'S" faVorte
retreat In the Capital The world u
moet famous airman Ii the survivor not
only OF unparalleled flying feats. but,
whht II considerably more Of a strain,
Of toundly, 10 months OF hero wof~
shipping His friends know that Il Is
tliih. rather than the wear and tear of
| hlh travels. that unnerVes i.indbereh
II tho country would let him alone for
the next 90 days, II would celebrate the
nfSt anniversary ot his New York. Paris
hop IN The way "lindy" would like best
II
Refusal Ot the tenate foreign rela-
lions committee TO heed demands Tor
withdrawal Of the Marines from Mica
ragua comedies with the publication III
Machine Diplomacy" Just pub
lished In New York. rersnns named
J A. II iiopkins and Melinda Aiexan-
der are the authors aud they appear Ia
he sponsored by the Committee oi
Forty eight" nf the National Bureau oi
Information and Education Machine
Gun Diplomacy" Is advertised MS II
Volley at fren2ied finance" II purpotis
to 'desorihs the present methods oi
Wall nifsst, aided aud ahsttsd by
Washington" II asserts, referring III