Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-20
The Political Mill
BY C. Could Lincoln.

within week the legislation neces-
sary to make entirely effective the
Hoover moratorium on tntergovern-
mental debts. But the Senate must
wrestle by itself with the protocol pro-
viding for the entry of the United
States into the World Court under the
so-called Root formula. The latter
proposal has received an important
boost within the last few days. The
American Federation OF Labor, acting
through its executive council, meeting
at Atlantic City, has gone on record
definitely as favoring the adherence
Of the United States to the World
Court and approving the Root formula.
This action by the federation will be-
yond q doubt have its effect on the
consideration Of the protocol In the
Senate, Opponents of the court in the
Senate have been Boosting that their
strength was on the increase and that
IL would be possible for them to pre-
vent the necessary two-thirds vote to
approve the entry into the court under
the Root formula, which has been
framed to meet the objections of for
eign members of the court to the
Senate reservation dealing with ad-
visory opinions by the court. But the
opponents of the court now are likely
to be compelled to revise their esti-
mates Of strength. In the past the
American Federation Of Labor has
adopted position Of neutrality with
regard to the World Court and the
Root formula. But now it has given
approval to the formula, declaring that
Americas interests are adequately safe
guarded hereunder.
-
President Hoover is committed 10 the
proposal that the United States enter
the World Court. He was strongly
urged by friends OF the court to in
sist upon action in the Senate on the
protocol at the last session. It was
obvious, however, that with the ses-
sion closing by law on March and
much domestic legislation pending, q
vote could not be forced in the Senate
before the close of the session. From
some quarters the President has been
urged TO call q special session of the
Senate TO deal with the court proposal
before the regular session Of Congress
gets underway. But so far there has
been no indication that he intends to
follow such a course. The irreconcila-
bles in the Senate are planning to re-
sist the ratification of the protocol pro-
formula and undoubtedly will wage as
| long fight as possible. In the end,
however, It now appears the court
supporters, many of them Democrats,
viii be victorious and the United States
will be in position TO go into the
court.
Democratic leaders in the Senate and
House, generally speaking, have already
given their assent to the legislation
necessary for making effective the Hoo
yer moratorium. Under the existing
law, interest payments by the foreign
debtor nations on the debts growing out
OF the World War and rehabilitation
after the war are not postponable. It
Is to defer all payments for q year that
the legislation viii be put through. Al
though there are signs that the Demo-
Gratis are In some cases antagonistic TO
the Hoover moratorium, It is believed
that the needed legislation viii be put
through. If the administration should
fail in this matter, it would be left
In a most embarrassing position before
the world. Already the foreign nations,
including France, Germany, Great Brit
ain and italy, have agreed to the mora
forum and have put 1t into effect.
When Congress assemblies beyond q
doubt Democratic attacks on the ad-
ministration, both because it did not
act sooner and because 1t acted at all,
will materialize.
Democrats also are resentfu1 of
Republican attempts to claim credit
politically for the moratorium. Senator
Caraway Of Arkansas has Just issued q
blast through the publicity bureau Of
the Democratic National Committee, at
lacking Robert Lucas the executive di-
rector Of the Republican National Com
mittee, because he recently said, in
effect, that President Hoover's mora
forum declaration was bold stroke
and had sought credit for the Repuh-
lican administration in the matter.
~
Although the new Congress is 50
evenly divided between the two major
parties as to make constructive legiSla-
ton, particularly on the eve of a ma
tional election, almost impossible, there
will be pressing for consideration many
important subjects. Among them viii
be measures dealing with Federal regu-
lation of electric power entering inter
state commerce, the regulation Of motor
BUSES and motor trucks, the railroads
and the naval building program. There
Is promised, too, another drive to COM
plete payment of the soldiers bonus to
the veterans Of the World War without
further delay. Added to these subjects
viii be all kinds Of legislative proposals
to give aid to the unemployed and
those in distress in this country, ranging
from a Federal dole down the line. If
1t were not for the fact that it may be
impossible to obtain a majority in both
Houses for any important legislation,
because of political alignment, and were
it not for the further fact that men,
bers OF Congress may desire to get away
as early as possible from Washington to
take part in primary campaigns and the
general election campaign the next Ses-
sion might run from December to De-
cember.
y 4
The Tammany Democratic leaders In
New York have suddenly discovered
that there Is lot of corruption in Re-
publican controlled. upstate cities in
New York State They have asked Gov.
Roosevelt to include in his call for q
special session of the Legislature de-
mand that the law providing for an
investigation of the conduct of the
government Of New York City be
amended so as to provide for inveStiga-
tons of these Republican cities. The
Tammany Democrats, 1t is clear, are
anxious to bring about such row over
the legislation now proposed to
Sd SAAO ueA1NS Va ZIG SO1taAAAA'
which Is investigating corruption IN
Greater New York that no action will
be possible. Gov. Roosevelt, however,
is inclined to take the position that
these investigations are the affair of
the State Legislature and to keep aloof
from the Tammany tactics. Indeed,
when the investigation Of the govern
ment of New York City was proposed,
he declared it to be legislative mat
ter. So the efforts Of Tammany to
side-track the inquiry now on are likely
to fall. And by the same token, Gov.