Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-09

Peace without victory has been effect
ed in the battle between Congress and
the President over drought relief and
doles. Neither side will admit any sur
render. The compromise" program
agreed to is as two-facing and diSputa-
tious as was the Wickersham prohibit
ton report. Mr.. Hoover has not yielded
one iota his unalterable opposition to q
donation from the Federal Treasury to
the Red Cross-and there is to be none
nor his opposition to food loans" as
such-and to doles. Yet Arkansas
Senator Robinson says that by the
terms of the compromise he attains his
real objective-funds to nourish and
clothe the destitute and the starving.
Another twenty million dollars is ap-
proprtated for "loans" for farm re-
Mobilization" The adroitly phrased
congressional authorization Is to be
literally construed" says Senator Rob-
inSon. He has assurances" on that
score. Time alone will tell. If per-
Torrance does not measure up to Dem
ocratic expectations they may be ex-
pected to cry betrayal" The admins
tration will likely rejoin-''We promised
nothing but literal compliance with the
express terms of the appropriation" To
the country at large, the important is
sue Is that the extra session menace
SeeHlb 1dQluB.
\ n
Friends of Gen. Smedley Butler are
the first to say that grievous injustice
Is being done to Secretary of the Navy
Charles Francis Adams by the surrep-
titiously circulated reports that the
Naval Secretary Is the moving spirit be-
hind the Butler court-martial, and is
keen to get the generals scalp The
real fact is just the reverse, according
to the intimateS of both men. Secre-
tary Adams Is represented as having
had no say in the question Of ordering
the court-martial. Loyal to his COM
mander in chief his role was but ito
do or die" In other quarters, the onus
for the martyrizing Cd of the popular
Marine, which was first passed to Sec
rotary Adams, is now being shifted to
Secretary Stimson. The latter Is pic
tured as having insisted that nothing
less than a court-martial would meas
ure up to the necessities Of the stu
alton.
Vice President Curtis was unpleas-
antly surprised last week to discover
from press reports under a Washington
date line that he was of mind to re-
tire at the end of his term and put
upon his party the burden of finding
ticket in 1882. He has not felt that
way at all. He has been willing to be
drafted a second time. So 1t was all
very disturbing to read that the slate
makers had already set about to pick
another running mate for Mr.. Hoover
in difference to Mr.. Curtis wishes.
More than that, according to the press
reports an available substitute was right
at hand in the person OF the tall and
handsome Secretary of War, Patrick j.
Hurley Hoover and Hurley" talk has
been going the rounds of the Capital
all Winter. Now the trial balloons have
been let loose over the country at large.
Age Is a factor to be reckoned with
when 1t comes to nominating a PreSi-
dent. So it is interesting to note the
ages Of some of the big names" in the
1882 President picture. A half dozen
of the leaders are punched together
right around the Cougar mark. Herbert
Hoover will be So in 1882, Dwight Nor
row SO, Calvin Coolidge will be just
turning so when the convention meets.
Ambassador Dawes, sometimes men,
toned as a dark horse, will be 81. On
the Democratic side CAP Smith will be
SO in 1882, Owen D. Young So, Sena-
tor Robinson of Arkansas, the Southern
white hope, will be so. Gov. Roosevelt
of New York, now at the head Of the
Democratic presidential procession, will
be mere boy of so when the nominal
ing convention meets Is months hence.
Unfortunately for Gov. Roosevelt, his
physique is not strong and that is a
real, but as yet imponderable, factor
in his case.
\ y \ X
If Congress legislates before March 4
to enlarge the cash privileges of the
soldiers bonus certificates, the veterans
may regard Owen d. Young as their
benefactor. Up to the moment of Mr..
Young's Endorsement of liberalization of
the loan privileges for such bonus GER
tificate- holders as were in need, the
leaders in both House and Senate,
both Democrat and Republican, were in
agreement not to report any bonus bill
at this session. But the Young pro-
nouncement threw a scare into the Re-
publican camp. Looking toward 1882,
could they afford to let Mr.. Young be
so generous and sympathetic and be
themselves so hard-hearted? And SO
over this week end there has been q
big effort to frame up and put over
q plan bit more liberal but allegedly