Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-05

In q seven-hour pow-wow between
Secretary Stimson and Senator Dwight
! W. Morrow of New Jersey the curtain
was unobtrusively raised last week for
| Premier Laval's visit to Washington
| "LindyS" fatherin-law was summoned
to the Capital to check up with the
| Secretary of State on the European sit
uation, Morrow having explored II
earlier in the Summer before Stimson
went to look 1t over. Senator Morrow
| still ranks as one of our French au-
| thorities," the distinction having been
won when Stimson told him of to be
| the American delegations go-between
with the French at the London Naval
Conference. The former Morgan part
ner was supposed to be the French
scholar of the delegation, too, though
he always insisted on referring to the
then Partisan premier as "Tardoo.
The Stimson- Morrow conference, which
| included daytime and nighttime ses-
sions embracing even luncheon and din
ner. is supposed to have laid the foun.
dation of the forthcoming seance with
M. Laval.
So much, there's reason to believe
was decided upon-to let Laval know,
if he wasn't aware of it already, that
the U. S. A. looks upon Franco-Ger-
man rapprochement . the bedrock OF
world peace, disarmament, and, in par
ticular, of any readjustment OF repara-
lions and war debts.
Secretary Stimson impaired one secret
to Senator Morrow, so little birds are
whispering, viz, that Laval, told the
Secretary of State in Paris that the
French premier is "open-minded' on
the subject of the Polish corridor. That
tiny strip of territory in Northeastern
Europe, which cuts Germany in two
and constitutes her Sorest grievance
may thus turn out to be the pivot
around which the Laval visit will re-
volve. It is not going to revolve very
far if the Frenchman sticks to his re-
puted resolve-to yield on the Polish
corridor and hand 1t back to the Ger
mans only If America Is ready to join
in a French security pact. Thumbs
are down on that proposition at WASH
ington, all the way from Hoover to
Borah.
There's at least one woman in the
country vitality interested In knowing
who's going to control the next House
of Representatives. She Is Mrs. John
N. Garner of Texas, who is not only
the wife of the Democratic aspirant for
the speakership, but also his secretary.
She has occupied that post ever since
Jack" entered public life. Even
though Mrs. Garner has been q grand
mother for some time, that additional
dignity has not cramped her efficient
secretarial style. She ranks as the best
buffer on Capitol Hill. A master OF
the tedious art Of managing politicians
and of1ice seekers, Mrs. Jack" never
let's any visitor to her husbands office
go away aggrieved.
Another Columbus day will soon be
upon us. Hardly anybody In the United
States has Just the kind OF an interest
in the annual commemoratlon OF the
great CHRISTOPHER that inspires Flerre
de Lagorde Boal, chief of the Western
European division at the State Depart
ment. Boal, one of the topnotchers
among the younger group of our diplo-
matte career men, traces his lineage d.
rectly back to the Columbus family. He
himself happens to have been born In
France. Of American parents. The call
of his native heath led him to enlist in
the French Army two years before the
United States entered the war. and he
served in both its cavalry and air
branches. Boal left Harvard for the
war just after having begun his studies
in Cambridge. His home town. Boals-
burg, Pa. was founded by his ancestors
who seem to have inherited the Column
bus complex for pitching their tents in
brand-new places.
\ 4 4
A lively contest Is on among the
higher-ups In, the Marine Corps for the
ue-ribbon post of commandant at
Quantico, Just vacated by Smedley
Butler. An oficer Of major generals
rank Is the only one eligible. so pro-
motion Of some brigadier will probably
ensue before anybody is named to head
the East Coast Leatherneck base.