Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-30
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

This revived talk of Coolidge for
| 1882 has just one breath Of life in it
| and that a very feeble one. The sols
and only chance Calvin would have OF
getting the Republican presidential
nomination next year Is that Hoover
doesn't want it. That chance, in terms
Of betting odds. Is about l to 1000
Every move now being made, and hence
| forward to be made, on the @. o. p.
| chessboard Is with an eye single to the
Presidents denomination. II there's a
change in the national Craftsmanship,
it'll be pro-Hoover change, which is
not to say that Senator Tess isn't as
orthodox, from the White House stand
point, as any man could be. II any
body else than Curtis Is groomed as a
vice presidential candidate, that, too,
will be in Mr.. Hooyer's interest. Any
administration that desires to perpetu-
ate itself can bring about the incum-
bent's denomination. Its control Of the
party machinery, plus the of1ce- holding
influence throughout the country, makes
it easy to rule the national convention.
President Hoover faces no difnculties in
that direction.
Now and then some politician de-
poses and says he wouldn't be sur
prised" If the Californian between now
end June, 1892, expressed a preference
to go down in history as a one-term
President. No one in the Hoover inner
circle considers such a development
within the realm of thinkable possibili-
ties. Hoover wants vindication of his
administration. The breaks having
been against him during his first term,
he Graves an opportunity to show what
kind Of President he can be amid the
normal conditions which most of his
predecessors had. He desires particu-
larly to see the country brought back
to prosperity while he's on the job. He
has some far-reaching plans for world
peace, which there hasn't been time, as
yet, to work out. Most of all-and this
is the feature of main interest to the
politicians-Mr. Hoover thinks he can
run and win again in 1892.
No cat is being let cut of the bag
with the statement that the Repub-
licans' dearest wish is to see the DEM
ocrats renominate Al Smith. They are
confident he'd be just as easy meat for
Hoover next year. as the Governor
proved to be in 1928 The G. o. P.
is undoubtedly ready to let the Dem
ocrats with Smith take the sopping-
wet end CT the prohibition issue and
10 to the country with Hoover on the
dry end. With Tammany sure to be
far more of Democratic liability than
it was three years ago, and the re-
ligious factor which initiated against
Smith believed still to be poison.
Hoover's supporters are more than
eager to fight it out again with the
New York idol Almost any horse
in the Democratic stable-Roosevelt,
Young Robinson, Baker or any one
Of two or three others-would be looked
upon as a more formidable opponent
than Smith. Hence and therefore
Hooverites receive without anxiety re-
ports that Mr.. Raskob is stealthily and
Wealthy organizing sentiment for Al
in all parts of the country.
x x 4
Rear Admiral David F. Sellers, Judge
advocate general of the Navy, spins a
yarn about Justice Wendell Phillips
Stafford, who will shortly retire from
the District of Columbia Supreme
Court bench after 81 years service. A
Filipino, who served in two different
ships under Sellers, came to Washing
ton to complete the fcrmalities neces-
sary to full American citizenship. What
mainly was required was identification.
The little brown brother sought the
aid of his old commanding of1cer.
Sellers agreed to accompany the Fill
pino to the District Court House.
Justice Stafford was available for the
purpose and conducted the brief cere-
mony. Have you read the Constitu-
ton of the United States2" the schol-
arly jurist asked Yes. SIR" the ap-
plicant replied do you understand
it?" Stafford added II do" the Fill
Pine said 'Well, young man." observed
Justice Stafford, you are not only ELI
gible for citizenship, you are qualified to
be a member of the United States Su-
preme Court"
X
S~a@ar- rov~l 9. C-reland, Democrat
If Man Ynrk has inst rang n nav