Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-21

AS to one Coolidge policy" to be
followed by the Hoover adm1nistra-
ton. there is already no doubt. That IS
the policy of doing more listening tnan
talking. During his recent fortnight IN
washington the President-elect fairly
deafened Republican politicians with his
silence. There's hardly Senator, Rep
resentative, national committeeman or
anybody else that ran the gantlet OF
buffers between Hoover and the out
side world. who isn't ready to admit
that the Californian has the Vermonter
reduced to conversational geyser COM
pared to his own verbosity. Like every
thing else he tackles, the President
elect had his two weeks in Washing
ton Systematically organized They had
definite purpose and it was fulfilled.
That purpose was to give Republican
politicians their day in court. The
Judge and the jury, viz, Herbert Hoo
yer, heard what they had to say, and,
as courts do, reserved Judgment.
Nv x x
One of the tales which gained cur
rency IN Washington following Al
Smiths recent financial talk over the
radio was that he will shortly enter
the United States Senate. The idea
would be that Senator Wagner OF New
York, by resigning, would enable Gov.
Roosevelt to appoint Smith his success
sor. Inquiries at Smith headquarters
in Gotham by this observer elected
prompt denial of the story. Yet an
other suggestion has cropped up IN
Washington since AIS cry for cash and
combat. It is to the effect that ne
might give practical demonstration of
his belief in the necessity of ceaseless
party activity by himself assuming the
Democratic national Craftsmanship. TWO
things would be accomplished by such
a move, its projectors point out. First
it would keep the 1928 organization to-
gether. Secondly, it would automatically
eliminate Smith as contender for an
other, presidential nomination. The
proponents of. the scheme might have
added a third probable result-the con-
tinued hostility Of Dixie Democrats.
X X X X
Not long ago a well known business
man was a witness in a District OF
Columbia court, giving expert testi-
mony. In the course of cross-exam-
nation by opposing counsel, the wit
NESS was asked to name the one he
considered the outstanding authority
in the United States on the subject at
issue. Unhesitatingly, he replied, i
am" During the noon recess, friend
said to the unblushing witness, Say,
you had a powerful ego in saying you
know more about this case than any
body else in the country" The ex-
pert rejoined, well, was under oath,
wasn't -"
When the Seventy first Congress Is
convened in special session by Presi-
dent Hoover and tariff revision is up,
the free list is going to come under
heavy fire. Various now unprotected
industries are going to do their best
to be taken off the list. The National
Boot & Shoe Manufacturers Assocl-
alton is already girding for battle on
| that line Boots and shoes have never
been subjected to foreign duties. It's
| the Czechoslovakian women's shoe in
dustry that is playing havoc in partlc-
| ular with the American footwear trade
| The average citizen isn't aware OF the
| large number of articles and commod-
| tiles now on the free list Farm I'M
plements, bread, typeWriters, coal, cop
| per, cotton, asphalt, silk, tea, coftee
cocoa. teeth, turpentine, gunpowder
| potash, shrimps, Holsters, ice ana
| nather: of pearl are a few of the hum
dred odd items now able to crash the
| custonhouse gate without hindrance.
| X X * X
Maji Sherman Miles. Coast Artillery
Corps u. S. A., son and heir Of the late
| Gen. Nelson A. Miles, contributes to the
current Coast Artillery Journal a timely
word Ion national defense. In an
article Sentitled 1.-THE Pipes of Peace"
Maj. Miles, one of the brilliant schol-
ars of 1 the Army, impersonating a
soliloquizing soldier says:
My business Is national security,
| not international reform. But the
truth@is, our generation said we were
going. to do away with war-and we
have not made good. Meantime let
us sayhfrankly, as we soldiers do In
substance say: 1.-THE world is cropping
towards peace. It may in time at
| tain it, In the meanwhile we carry
on under the old system of national
security by preparedness 1t has It's
obvious disadvantages. Tt is the
standing proof that the goal has not
yet been reached that humanity has
-