Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-20
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Sympathetic as nearly everybody in
Congress is with the veterans relief
legislation now awaiting end-of-the-
sion enactment, leaders are treading
warily lest 1t become the opening wedge
for a fabulous World War pension sys-
tenn. There. are whispers on Capitol
Hill of an entirely new and crystalliz-
ing compensation scheme which might
some day call for $500, 100000 of an
nual fresh expenditure. It could only
be met, authorities declare, by a huge
bond issue. Ordinary Treasury revenue
would not approximately suffice. Even
on the limited scale of aid at present
under consideration, substantial def
lett Is almost unavoidable. AS the
Spanish War Veterans bill recently
proved, a presidential veto cannot hold
back pension money, once Congress
takes the bit in its teeth and determines
to vote 1t. But how House and Senate
would react to another huge, enduring
compensation proposition IS a matter
on which opinions widely differ.
There Is to be no hiatus whatever
between the adjournment of the reg
ular session OF Congress and converting
OF the Senate special naval treaty ses-
sion. II. the Fourth of July comes along
about that time, as it prospectivcly will.
no allowance will be made on account
OF the holiday, and business will pro-
ceeds with only the one days respite.
senator Watson, Republican majority
leader, Is hopeful that Saturday, June
2S, may see the end of the story. as
far as the present session is concerned.
permitting President Hoover to call the
senatorial boys back to school two DAYS
later, viz, on June 80. Then it's to be
full steam ahead with the naval pact
or, at least, as full as Senator Hiram
johnson ct al. permit. Watson, being
an invincible optimist, thinks Senators
Will content themselves with 10 DAYS
treaty talk. But he is hearing of hor-
rendous and staggering revelations"
which pact opponents purpose spillinr
and that may prolong the agony. Ad-
ministrationists' chief fear is possible
lack OF quorum.
X 4
Mrs. Henry Wilder Reyes, gifted wife
OF the junior Senator from New Hamp-
shire, is about to publish a novel of
political Life, pivoted on Washington.
It's name is Queen Anne's Lace" and It
has been running serially in the maya
zine OF which Mrs. Keyes Is an asso-
ciate editor. Her hero, coming I'D from
behind in typically American fashion,
| reaches the White House, and his ex-
periences as President cap the climax
of the story. Mrs. Reyes recently re-
turned from a years literary expedi-
ton through South America. One Of
| her sons was graduated this month
from the Harvard Law School. When
he was boy his mother taught him all
| about the precept of the Spartan mother
| who, having inhibitions against alibis,
told one of her sons, as he made off for
the wars, TO come home with his shield
or on it." The day young Keyes got
his law sheepskin at Harvard he tele-
graphed his mother, With my shield"
X X
A man of particularly persuasive and
| persistent manner recently attempted to
pry his way into a private audience
with President Hoover. Secretary Aker-
| son, now a past master in the gentle
art of warding off pests at the execu-
tive Offices told the caller day after day
that his aspiration to see the President
| was in vain. Finally he impaired to
| Akerson the real" purpose of his per-
severance, "I want Mr.. Hoover to Law
the corner stone of a church." he said.
George thought that entitled the fellow
to presidential three minutes and let
him pass. The visitor remained at
Hoover's desk more than an hour.
What on earth did he want with you
all that time?" the secretary asked the
chief when the caller had gone. He
was trying to sell me some life insur-
ance," the President chuckled, land /
got great kick out of his line"
| y
Numerous Wilsonians in Washington
have just been interviewed by Tom
| Steep, well known New York news
paper man and traveller, who came in
quest Of personal data and recollections
about the World War President. He
| and another writing man have been
commissioned by Bernard M. Baruch
to collect mass of human interest and
anecdotal material about Woodrow
Wilson, which Baruch is assembling
for the eventual purpose of publishing
and distributing among the late Chief
| Executives close friends throughout
the country and the world. Washing
ton has recently heard of an anony-
mously written book entitled "Shackles
OF the FLESH" which purports to deal
IN intimately biographical fashion with