Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-09
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Naturally the White House is gloom
encircled as the result of the President s
rebuff on the Parker Supreme Court
nomination. But Mr. Hoover is far
from convinced that he has suffered
any loss of prestige with the country
at large. The Senate has earned such
reputation for obstruction and oppo-
sltion that the Presidents friends be-
lieve the people will look upon its re-
lection Of Judge Parker as just one bit
more of its characteristic and incurable
cantankerousness. Another aspect of
the late unpleasantnesS is that it may
prove a blessing in disguise for Mr..
Hoover by generating popular sympathy
for him. The Parker reverse is the
newest OF a pitilessly long list of
breaks" which have gone against the
President. The country is altogether
likely to feel, administrationists argue,
that Hoover has had more than his
share Of hard luck during his maiden
months In Office and is now entitled to
bouquets rather than bricks.
x X
Those close to the Chief Engineer
assert it's not the bad breaks" he's had.
but his sensitiveneSs over them, which
really upSetS him. Long as Mr.. Hoover
has now been in public life, he has
never acquired thick skin. He is tenn
peramentally inclined to look upon
everything that goes wrong as more or
less of a personal affront He is so
conScientiously convinced that he's on
the right track that If matters take q
different course his pride Is hurt, The
Presidents professional past and back
ground have good deal to do with this
psychology Of his. Practically up till
the time he entered the White House
Herpert Hoover was in jobs which
cIothed him with autocratic power
Those around and under him had but
10 DO and die; theirs not to reason why.
When he became President of the Unit
ed states and head of a great political
party he found things different. He
could no longer give orders with assur
obeyed.
The Senate soon laughed out of
court the suggestion that the admin
istratlon had offered patronage brides
In return for Parker votes. But it is an
open secret that in nearly every other
direction the Capitol never knew such
mao pressure as was exerted to win
continuation support. The President
threw into the fight on the North Caro-
lnlan's behalf every atom of persuasion,
influence and argument at the White
Houses command. Oficial G.. o. P.
leadership was called upon to 60 to
bat for Hoover as on no other single
occasion since he took Office. Jim"
Watson had his coat off and sleeves
rolled up till the last minute, in the eff
fort to stave off impending defeat. He
planned to wind up the debate in a
hell-fire speech designed to riddle the
enemyS main position. Just before he
was ready to do it, Vice President
Curtis, in whispered aside, notified
Jim" that so many minutes had just
been consumed by the ovation to Dave"
Reed that all the time left belonged to
the opposition. Watson thinks he
might have averted the disaster if he'd
got the floor.
X X X X
Senators Robinson and Reed, the
Senate's representatives at the London
conference, are the envy of their COL
leagues for the new toggery with which
they've returned to Washington. Both
the Arkansan and the Pennsylvania
seem TO have come home with dazzling
array of what men are wearing III
Bond street and Piccadilly. The dark
blue shirts with collars to match, which
each of them is now sporting, are the
particular objects of admiration. Dur
ing the crowded days of the Parker
debate, many gallery occupants. spying
Joe" Robinson'S spatS for the first
time, concluded he'd gone English in
that respect, too. The fact is that the
Democratic leader has worn spats a
long time.
y y
Mrs. Clifford Pinchot, who lives in
Washington when the family isn't run
ming for office in Pennsylvania, is stump
ing the Keystone State on behalf OF her
husbands primary gubernatorial cam
paign. She's addressing herself especial
ly to woman voters. Mrs. Pinchot doesn't
confine herself to acclaiming Giffords
political virtues. She's putting on a
show, in addition. 1t consists of series
Of moving pictures illustrating the re-