Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-12
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Signor Dino Grandi, the Italian for
eign minister. who will visit Washington
in November, is one of the shining
lights of the Fascist party and fire.
quently named as Mussolini's heir.
Still two or three years on the sunny
side of 49, Grand has had an excep-
tionally brilliant career at Rome.
Washington will welcome him for the
second time He accompanied the Volpi
Debt-funding Commission to this coun-
try in 1926 in the capacity of under
secretary of state and played an impor-
tant role in the readjustment of that
81, 900 900, 900 transaction. Signor
Grand joined the Fascist ranks in the
movements earliest days following out
standing war service with Italy's Alpine
troops. Having resumed private law
practice in his native Bologna. he was
elected to the Chamber of Deputies.
promptly attracted the notice of II
Duce, and as soon as MuSsolini Invested
himself of the half dozen cabinet port
folioS he was filling Grandi was named
foreign minister. His rise in public
esteem, not only in Italy but abroad,
was the consequence OF his progressively
skillful conduct of Rome's international
relations, especially with France. At
the London Naval Conference Musso-
lini's youthful, studious. bearded spokes-
man was a dominating figure. He
learned to speak English during the pre-
ceding six weeks in order to address
plenary sessions of the conference in
the language of Macdonald and Stimson.
R X
Recurring Pan-American events like
the Fourth Commercial Conference,
which came to an end at Washington
today, always emphasizes the impor-
lance of the job which DR.. Leo s. Rowe
E1o hal 70
tor general of the Pan-American Union
has come to be about as indispensable
public official as Washington ever
had. He is really Uncle Sans min
lister for Latin American affairS-a
cabinet officer without portfolio"
Rowe's immaculate Spanish is the Won
der of all Latins who encounter him.
It's one of five foreign languages he
knows, the others being French, Italian,
German and Portuguese. DR.. Rowe
loves to tell of friend who heads
famous institution for the feeble minded
in Philadelphia. Have the feeble
minded an aptitude for anything in
Particular" the Pan-American chief
once asked him. "Yes," was the reply
"A gift for foreign languages.
X X
In the banking crisis, with which the
President Is now at grips in co-opera-
ton with the countrys 400-odd clearing
houses representing $4,000, 100000 OF
deposits, nobody contributes more ex-
pert counsel than John w. Pole, con-
troller of the currency. Mr.. Pole has
up his sleeve, for submission to Con-
gress in December, a far-reaching pro-
gram for Speedier relief of depositors
waiting for dividends from inSolvent
banks. He calls it "the Spokane plan,"
because shortly after he became con-
troller, three years ago, 1t was success
fully invoked in the case OF big bank
failure in the far Northwestern city.
Controller Pole looks like twin brother
of Woodrow Wilson. He was born In
the famous little town of Kings Lynn,
England, but has lived in the United
States Of America most Of his mature
life. In his day he's been civil engi-
neer, lumbernan and banker.
A we'll known Washingtonian was in
Madison, Wis, the other day and dined
at the Governors mansion with Young
Phil" La Toilette and Young Bob"
La Toilette. which Of you brothers
is going to be the first to run for
President of the United States?" the
visitor from the National Capital
Gov. La Toilette flashed back, with
Senator La Toilette offering no de-
murrer. The recent primary in the
late Representative Henry Allen Coop
er's district, resulting in the nomina-
ton of a Progressive against a stall
wart Republican, materially enhances
the La toilette dynasty's prestige in
wisconsin The district nominated
Cooper for Congress time after time,
but was anti-La Toilette in all other
respects. Hoover carried it by $4,000
in 1928, and ex-Gov. Kohler, q. o. p.
stalwart, twice defeated the Progress
SiveS there.