Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-10
Capital Sidelights

in Congress. There is no Masters
Voice" behind the utterances in the
House of Representative Franklin w.
Fort of New Jersey. Whenever he wants
his views known in regard to pending
legislation President Hoover will do the
talking himself. directly, and not
through mouthpiece or agent. This is
plainly understood between the Presi-
dent and Representative Fort-Was I'M
derstood even before Mr.. Hoover was
elected, while Mr.. Fort was still conSid-
ering whether he should be a candidate
for reelection. They were agreed that
if Mr.. Fort was to be free agent,
speaking in the interests of his con-
stitueptS, he must not be confused with
Mr.. Fort speaking for the President.
OF course. President Hoover and Rep
resentative Fort are close personal and
political friends, and have been for a
dozen years. They first became asso-
ciated in the United States Food Ad-
ministration during war days, when
Hoover was food administrator and
Fort a volunteer worker. While Mr.
Hoover was Secretary of Commerce Mr..
Fort was counselor and friend, as we'll
as Representative, keeping in touch with
the activities of the Federal department
in which his constituents are so vitality
interested. 2Mr. Fort was one of the
earliest Hoover boosters and was his
floor manager in the Kansas City con-
ventien. He was one. of the board of
strategy" during the campaign and a
Republican headquarters lieutenant.
On account of all this, there are many
in Congress who are convinced in their
own minds that Mr.. Fort Is to be 1.-The
voice OF Hoover in the HouSe-but you
can bet your last dollar they are wrong
Fere's an illustration. In the closing
hours Of Congress Representative Fort
spoke against the Jones bill. which was
being pressed on the grounds that it
would put teeth" In prohibition en-
forcement. Three times he had been
elected as a bone dry in a reputedly wet
district He believes in prohibition and
hopes to see the day when both its OBJ
Servence and enforcement are uniform
throughout the United States. Yet in
campaigns that he has made he has
stated repeatedly that in his Judgment
increase of penalties for violation will
embarraSs the enforcement of law in
those sections which most vitality need
such enforcement. He stated this posi-
ton frankly to the House. They were
his views. speaking for his constituency
Very obviously. If he was in fact, or
supposedly, speaking for Mr.. Hoover his
speech would have far different mean
inr. So before the extra session opens
under Mr.. Hoover'S administration it
must be distinctly understood that Rep
reSentative Fort is speaking as legiS-
lator with delegated authority from the
voters of his district to be their voice
and cast their vote. and in no sense is
he spokesman for Hoover.
DIT - h. d - To-
in the incoming Congress, yet 1t well
may be that he is leaning President
Hoover both his eyes and ears.
X
Larry" Richie, one of President Hoo
ver's three private secretaries ex-aequo,
is a quick witted and nimble- tongued
young man of ready reSourcefulness.
Some of the folks around the White
House, while they are fitting into their
new positions quickly, have had to make
some adjustments in their personal re-
lations to conform with the dignity of
the Office. Some of those who have
been close to Mr.. Hoover for years and
have grown into the habit of addressing
him with touch OF familiarity, albeit
respectfully and affectionately, were
wondering II they should train their
tongues to say Mr.. President" when
ever they met the new Chief Executive
Larry" Ritchie came to the rescue
with a happy suggestion. He happened
TO think that Mr.. Hoover Is not only
President, but Is really Chief Executive,
SO he gave as his advice that they might
continue to call him chief" as they
have been doing for, To-, these many
years.
\ r ~
Although fifth in his line of noble
lineage Of statesmen. patriots and diplo-
mats, whose two Observation-Disclosures
John Quincy Adams and Benjamin w.
Crowninshield-served together in the
cabinet of President Monroe, our new
Secretary of the Navy, Charles Francis
Adams, has sense of humor as well as
quiet dignity. At his first afternoon tea
in washington society after being sworn
in, at the home of Representative Edith
N. Rogers OF Massachusetts,, one of the
lively young matrons laughingly told
him that it sounded like "Pinafore" to
her to see the leading amateur yachts
man suddenly indicted into ONCE as
Secretary of the Navy in charge Of all
the warships.
Secretary James w. Good of, the
War Department has the unique dis
tinction Of having originated in Con-
gress the legislation which gives the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to the Of
flee he now holds. When the Hay bill
dozen years ago to give broader author
ity and powers to the War Department
it was Representative Good, then a
member of the appropriations commit
tee, when the Democrats were in con-
troll, who called attention of his col
leagues to the fact that in times of war
the President, and under him the Secre-
tary of War, should have absolute and
unlimited authority. He offered amend
ments to- the bill which were the basis
for the authority exercised by President
Wilson In directing emergency and
titanic activities that won the World
War.
~ y
William r. whiting, Hoover's sue
cessor as Secretary Of Commerce. has
gone back to his gigantic and quality
famous paper plant in Holyoke, Mass.
He has taken with him one of the most
efficient men in the Federal service
just such man as Congress Is fire.
quently told can get better recognition
and pay in outside business. and Con-
gress refuses to believe it. This man Is
Harold Graves. erstwhile right-hand
man to Herbert D. Brown, CHIEF OF the
United States Bureau of Efficiency.
When Herbert Hoover started in to re-
organize the Department of Commerce
for greater efficiency Of service he COM
Wandered Graves-and Graves had q
whole lot to do with the development OF
plans for the greatest office building In
the world. which is now being erected
here as the new home for the Depart
ment of Commerce
Mr.. Graves also had more than any
other man to do with the working out
OF plans for reorganization Of the ad-
branch Of the Government
and prepared the report which was sub
mitted by the joint committee on re-
OF which Walter D. Brown,
now Postmaster General, was chairman.
The last four Presidents-WilSon.
Harding, Coolidge and Hoover-and all
cabinet members for the past II years
have known personally Of the very able