Evening star., 1931-12-04
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

John r. Curry, boss Of Tammany
Hall, was in Washington this week, Civ
ing the political situation, especially in
Congress, a closeup. 1t was his first
visit to the National Capital in the
capacity of the Tigers keeper. Any
body who expected to find Curry a
hard-boiled Bowery type, with half
| chewed cigar rammed into the north
west corner OF his mouth and talking
In accents of little old New Yoik," was
agreeably disappointed. The Tammany
leader Is far more like the chairman of
the board of great metropolitan
bank-well groomed, soft spoken, calm
and conservative. He is younger than
he looks, his white hair and military
moustache creating the appearance of
man well past 60 Curry has lust
turned So. He was born in Ireland, but
came to America in infancy. 1t was
mainly his dictum that decided the
Tammany House delegation not to
aspire to the majority leadership or to
any other post that might subject the
wigwam to the charge Of responsibility
for anything that may 60 wrong on
Capitol Hill. Mr.. Curry's New York
braves are on the Franklin D. Roose-
welt band wagon. They believe 1t is In
irresistible progress. They are bent
upon seeing that nothing is done by
them to impede it.
X #
The American Legion, now q million
and more strong, will be on the leqisla-
tive firing line during the coming Con-
gress with carefully formulated pro-
gram. The legion will make the widows
and orphans pensions the first order
OF business it would like transacted in
veterans behalf. World War widows
and orphans now receive pensions only
If the husband and father died of in
Juries or illness that was service-con-
nected. What's wanted Is that the de-
penoents be eligible for pensions no
matter what caused the breadwinner's
death. II they're put on that basis,
they'll be on level of equality with
widows and orphans of Civil and
Spanish American War veterans. The
legion is also asking for s42, TOT. 500 TO
provide 1856 new hospital beds. The
World War service men oppose any
slash in appropriations for the ARMY.
National Guard, r. o. T. c., C. MT. G.
| or the Organized Reserves. They also
demand the construction of the treaty
Navy. Another item on their wish-lis is
the creation in the Senate Gas in the
House, OF separate committee on war
veterans affairs
y
Everybody on the House side reioic.s
| to learn that Representative Clifton A
Woodrum, Democrat, of Virginia. has
recovered from a somewhat devastating
! illness in time to resume his duties tr,
| the approaching session. For a while
during the Fall, his condition made il
uncertain whether he would be here
Wnen Jack Gamers gavel raped
] ~
| In Congress has been known as the
sweet singer of the House. He Ia the
possessor Of a rich baritone voice and
Is master OF musical ceremonies when
| ever the Lower Branch succumbs tn
song. When the Seventy-first Congress
passed out, on March 4th last, Repre-
sentative Woodrum's sonorous voice led
| the House In Aud Lang Syne," Home
Sweet Home" and other numbers.
| =
| Congress gets another general In
the incoming House will sit Mai Gen
| Charles H. Martin, U. s. A., retired of
Portland, representing the third oregon
district. 1t is only the fourth time
In history that retired major general
OF the Regular Army has come to the
| MIL The others who held seats in
tne Lower House Were Andrew Jack
| go ",'o " imam IlelTy harrison, each
OF whom later became President of
the United States. Gen. Sickles of
New York was in the House in 1890
Gen. Martin Is well known In the Ma
tlonal Capital. He was assistant chief
Oh stan under Gen. Pershing after the
Worid War, and from 1924 to October
l. 1871, the date Of his retirement
commanded the Panama Canal Denart,
ment. Martin owes his election to
Congress to the fact that the voter.
OF his district drafted" him by writ
ing his name onto their ballots in th.
primaries. He is Democrat, and csr~
req 2 supposedly Republican strong
hold" s'i 'ioAis
| u X
william Warren Barbour, who be-
comes Senator from New Jersey in
place of DWIGHT w AGnrrAx. SNS ~