Evening star., 1932-08-12
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Philadelphia North American. Through
out the Spring and Summer Mr.. Van
Valkenburgh was in and out Of Wash
ington, serving as an unofficial liaison
officer between the warning wet and
dry groups. He YVES guest at the
Rapidan camp during the week end
preceding yesterdays ceremonies. When
"T. R." was President Van Valken-
burgh'S North American was regularly
the medium of ringing Roosevelt pro-
nouncementS, and the Rough Rider
had no more valiant or hard-hitting
spokesman than its militant editor.
Mr.. Van Valkenburgh lives the life OF
a gentleman farmer nowadays, but
seems temporarily to have abandoned
his acres and succumbed to the lure
of political battle.
Former Senator Atlee Pomerene,
chairman of the Reconstruction Cor
poration, is firmly of opinion that all
the lunatics in the country haven't
been locked up yet. He's just heard
from one, who is apparently still at
large, suggesting that the only way to
restore prosperity is for the r. F. G.
to lend its entire $3,800000, 900 of pos
sible resources at one fell Swoop. IT
the corporation said yes to only a slice
of the money-asking propositions al
ready laid before it, Senator Pomerene
is sure it wouldn't have much trouble
in getting rid of its capital on the
proposed lines.
X x *
Henry Field of Iowa, the chicken
stew sage of Shenandoah" who cast
Senator Smith w. Brookhart into the
outer darkness at the recent Hawkeye
primaries, is making his first visit to
Washington since fame and victory
roasted on his banners. He came to
give the Capital the once over, to make
the acquaintance of President Hoover
and generally survey the scene he
hopes to adorn as a full-fedged United
States Senator after March, 1888. Field,
a seed merchant and general store
keeper, broadcast himself into the nom
ination over Brookhart. He operates
his own radio station and tours the
Iowa counties with loud-speaklng
outfit mounted on truck. Mr.. Field
conveys the impression that ne VIII
campaign for election as an out-and-
out supporter of the Hoover admins
tration.
! Apropos current discussion OF Gov.
HOOSeVeILS dCIlOn Ill putting OAuIA1lC
Walker on the rack at Albany the same
day that President Hoover delivered his
acceptance speech, this observer Is sup
piled with a piece Of history said to
show that the Democratic presidential
nominee had a distinguished precedent
! for his "ethics." On q certain Spring
day in 1908 word was given out in New
York that on the following Saturday
Gov. Charles Evans Hughes would
announce he was a candidate for the
Republican presidential nomination. II
was the time when 1'T. r." was keeping
the place warm for his friend, Bill Taft
Thereupon, so the story goes, the Presi-
dent telephoned Speaker Joe Cannon
asking II Congress would be in session
on Friday afternoon. There seems tc
have been some prospect of adjourn
ment from Thursday to Monday, but as
"T. R." announced he had an impor-
tant message to deliver Friday after
noon. Congress was held in session
Thereupon, there came from the White
House a red-hot message concerning
foreign relations. 1t stole the show or
next mornings front pages and Gov
Hughes was relegated to a couple o1
paragraphs somewhere inside.
Copyright, 1232)