Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-10
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

An elaborate sham battle Of the vets
and the dryS viii start this week before
the House judiciary committee, when
public hearings commence on the host
Of pending bills to modify the Volstead
act or looking to the repeal of the
eighteenth amendment. All and Sundry
legislative proposals offered by those
opposed to prohibition will be on tap.
Perhaps target practice Is a more APP
propriate description than sham battle.
At any rate, there will be much heavy
cannonading, without any execution,
for not q man jack of the fighters on
either side has the remotest expectation
that single one Of the bills will be
reported out Of committee. Yet the
vets are Jubilant at the prospect, for
they appreciate that even the chance
to argue their case before committee
jury Is itself triumph, besides furnish
ing q f1ne publicity forum. The House
wet bloc, who will stage-manage their
part OF the show, have concluded not
to call former Gov. Smith, nor Nicholas
Murray Butler. Such headliners do not
require q congressional committee hear
ing to get their utterances into print.
But a large aggregation of slightly lesser
notables, who are arrayed against pro-
hibiticn are expected to speak their
pieces before the committee.
y
If present predictions are fulfilled
and Vincent Massey, Canadian Minis
ter at Washington, Is transferred to
London as Canadian high commissioner
succeeding the late Peter C. Larkin,
who died a few weeks ago, he will re-
join his former colleague at Washing
ton, DR.. Timothy A. Smiddy, now high
commissioner at London Of the Irish
Free State. It is an interesting CO.
incidence that the Irish Free State
was the first Dominion of the British
Empire to establish separate diplomatic
relations with the United States.
Canada was the second. DR.. Smiddy
was the Free States first Minister at
Washington, and Mr.. Massey Canada's
nrst Minister here. Both men are of
broad university training and attain
mentS, but Mr.. Massey, unlike his Irish
| colleague, foresook college teaching to
amaSs fortune in private business be-
fore entering upon a diplomatic career.
Both enjoyed high personal popularity
and esteem here.
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John w. Davis Of New York, Newton
D. Baker Of Cleveland, Secretary of war
IN the Wilson cabinet; George w.
WickerSham, chairman Of the Hoover
Law Enforcement Commission, and
Dean Roscoe Pound Of Harvard are
among the names prominently men,
toned In the discussion Of the success
sor to Charles Evans Hughes as a
! justice of the World Court. The election
OF World Court judges will take place
at the session Of the League Of Nations
IN Geneva next September. While there
Is no rule that judges be chosen from
any given nation, the court has had an
american member from the beginning.
Mr.. Hughes was filing the unexpired
term OF John BaSsett Moore. Usually
IN selecting World Court members the
League has chosen persons already mem
bers OF the older Court Of Arbitration
at The Hague. Since Mr.. Baker Is now
| an American member of The Hague
| court, some observers rate him as the
most likely choice for a World Court
Judgeship. Mr.. Hughes was also an
American member Of The Hague court.
and his place there will be filled by
Mr.. Hoover.
&A&
OF five outstanding figures in Amer
| lean politics Of 20 years ago, BRYAN
Roosevelt. Taft, Hughes and La Toilette,
the sons OF four and the daughter of one
are in the political limelght today
BryanS daughter, Ruth Bryan Owen
Is stellar figure in the House. Bob
La Toilette. jr, Is winning his spurs
| in the Senate. Teddy Roosevelt, ir.,
followed in his fathers footsteps as AS
sistant Secretary Of the Navy, and Is
now holding down the dif1cult post OF
Governor General Of Porto Rico
Charles Evans Hughes, jr., until q few
days ago Solicitor General in the De-
partment Of Justice, is being groomed
for the governorship Of New York, q
post once held by his father, and with
the retirement Of Chief Justice Taft his
son Robert Is reported in line for ap-
| pointment as Solicitor General Edi-
torial writer's cite the foregoing to dis
prove the ancient tradition that famous
fathers do not produce famous children
\ 4 X
Those gold star mothers and the
widows Of war veterans whose dead lie