Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-14
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

If the country likes the three-power
naval treaty as much as President Hoo
yer thinks 1t ought to, Senator Joe T.
Robinson of Arkansas should be able to
capitalize his share of the glory in 1882.
When the long, long London trail be-
comes history, the part the Democratic
Senate leader had in making 1t will
rebound effectively to his credit. No one
member of the American delegation
welded greater personal influence at the
conference than the Arkansan. Known
as 1.-The man with the veto"-the head
of the Senate minority with more than
votes enough to smash an Objectionable
pact-Robinson's position in London
was unique and always highly respected.
Invariably, his authority within the
Yankee delegation was on the side of
consistently for more liberal treat
ment of the American newspaper men
at the conference. He stood unf1inch-
ingly against entangling naval questions
with political complications. Robinson s
friends consider him towering Demo-
cratic presidential timber. If his hat
goes into the ring in 1882, many Of
the laurels Of London will adorn it.
r y y X
President Hoover's reoccupatien of
the White House executive Offices syn
chronizes with the alright no-hand-
shaking rule to be enforced religiously
from now on. Henceforward nobody
will be permitted to glad-hand the
call upon him. The days, like these
of Springtime, when tourists would
come to Washington in droves and
file by the President in long pro-
cessions, are gone forever, as far
as this administration Is concerned.
The New Year day reception will be
maintained, but that's all. Mr.. Hoover
began year ago by letting 'em all
come. AS his right hand and wrist
began to show signs Of wear and tear,
handshaking days were cut down to
two a week. Now they've been abol-
ished altogether. The President con-
siders them an unnecessary nuisance.
So the hand-turnstiles, which Sergt.
Dalrymple of the White House police
force and his men used to click as
they checked of individual callers, are
now laid away.
Insiders foreshadow coming events
within the Republican national COM
mittee thusly: Chairman Huston will
not be requested to resign, but in due
course he will do so. There is to be
no hurry about picking his successor.
to do with presidential politics, will be
considered the exclusive province OF
the G. o. p. senatorial campaign and
congressional campaign committees,
headed, respectively, by Senator Moses
of New Hampshire Senator Steiwer OF
Oregon, chairman pro tenn and Rep
resentative Wood of Indiana. On such
occasions as it's necessary for the ma
tional committee to act, the functions
of chairman are to be exercised by
Ralph Williams of Oregon, vice chair
man, a shrewd and seasoned stalwart.
y X X
''King Cotton" was the character in
troduced in the merry skits staged the
other night by the Department of State
Club, to depict Joseph P. Cotton, Acting
Secretary of State. When he was before
the footlightS he wore a crown, but
otherwise comported himself along lines
which evidently have made him great
favorite among the departmental rank
and file. On another occasion during
the show Cotton was dubbed Uncle
joe" To the tune of familiar ditty OF
Dixie, the chorus sang this song:
"Gone are the days
When the department was free;
Gone are the days
OF the old diplomacy.
Now we're at work
In the Cotton field you know.
You hear 'obedient servants
Calling Uncle Joe'."
X X X
Now that it can be told, there was a
suggestion current In Illinois year