Evening star., 1930-12-17

Prof Einstein to the contrary not
withstanding, there is really nothing
new under the sun. Take PRESIDENT
Hoover's fisticuffs with Congress. They
get the front page. They are the talk
of all Washington. Out in the United
States where men are men, and women
vote. too, the war between the White
House and Capitol Hill is also theme
of animated discussion. But 1T Is the
Oldest of stuff. The fat volumes of the
Congressional Record, all down the 10
uuacious ages, are crammed with 1t.
Few administrations of the present gen
Grafton escaped conflicts with Congress.
Most Presidents courted them. The
placid Mckinley side-stepped strife;
Harding wasn't in Office long enough to
get it; Coolidge was so circumstanced
during his 5l2 lucky years that he
never needed to don the mitts. From
Grover Cleveland onward through the
regimes of Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson,
clashes with House or Senate, or both,
were the regular order of business. SO
Hoover is running true to presidential
form. A Chief Executive who incurs
the dislike of Congress, and particularly
if he arouses its wrath, is pretty GER
tain of popularity with the people. The
Californian may have been reading
"Our Times" by his friend Mark Sulli-
van. and derived historical inspiration
therefrom.
Once again those moss-backed twins,
Muscle Shoals and World Court, are
doing a duet in the congressional lime
light. The Alabama power plant white
elephant has been numbering across the
national stage for the better part of a
decade. The court is about to celebrate
its eighth birthday as unfinished SEN
aRa hue Tlrninpfp6
1928, and Hoover will find himself bat
tlihg for it in 1881. The court issue
presents a tragi-comic picture OF the
| Impotence of a majority in this So
called representative Government of
ours. On a popular referendum, it is
conservatively estimated that the coun-
| try undoubtedly would vote to In IA
vor of American entry. According to the
recent newspaper poll, the majority
would be nearer to l. On show
| down in the Senate at this time, 1t is
conceded even by court opponents that
ratification would ensue by something
| like rs to 20 or % In January, 1925,
| the Senate accepted the protocol, sub
| ject to five reservations then adopted
| by 76 to IT. Yet today 1t remains
within tn. province of bare fifth OF
the Senate to hold up Affirmative action
! indefinitely.
/
Not even the most implacable of irrec-
onciableS actually believe that the
safety and independs nee of the United
States will be jeopardized by its joining
the World Court. On the other hand
the most fanatical advocate of our en-
try knows perfectly we'll that it's not
going to usher in an era of perpetual
peace If we do join. What American
adhesion to the court will amount to-
and about all it can amount to, Is a
gesture indicating this powerful people
readiness to pull an oar in the troubled
international boat. Being in the court
Twill not obligate us to send our boys
to European battlefields." The moment
there's any danger of that happening
we can resign our membership under
conditions duly and definitely provided
The world would get a certain amount
Of kick out of our lining up with It
even on the non-committal basis con-
templated. 1t might help just little
to remove that war psychology" whose
disappearance Senator Borah considers
scheme. 1t might even promote the
sale of Idaho potatoes in Europe, OF
California citrus fruit, or New Hamp-
shire textiles. You never can tell.
| X x
Mrs. Patrick J. Hurley, wife of the
Secretary of War, underwent brand
new experience at the Army-Navy foot
ball game in New York on December
Is. For the first time in her life, she
says, she sat on the Army side. Mrs
Hurley the Juno of the Hoover ad-
ministration, was born in the Navy
Her father is Admiral Henry B. Will
son, u. S. N, retired, who commanded
American naval forces based in France
and later was superintendent of the
Naval Academy at Annapolis. Ever
since she was girl, which wasn't long
ago. the beauteous Mrs Pat has beer
roofing for the Navy and she admits