Evening star., 1932-11-23
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Pretty much the expected happened
at the White House yesterday. wher
President Hoover and President-elec'
Roosevelt met to match views on the
war debts. The conference was cordia
and candid on both sides, but ncon-
elusive. Gov. Roosevelt maintained
stoutly his program of keeping the con-
versation wholly personal and infor-
mali as far as any commitments or
his part are concerned. Newspaper
men whom he received at his hotel
Immediately after the historic pow-woV
in the red room were given the definite
impression that Gov. Roosevelt quit the
Executive Mansion heart whole and
fancy free, having left behind him nc
promise of any kind to recommend this
or that to Congress. When the Presi-
dent-elect accepted the Hoover invita-
ton to the conference the Governor
stressed, emphasized and underlined
that 'in the last analysis, the imme-
diate question raised by the European
debotors creates responsibility Whlcf
rests upon those now vested with execu-
tive and legislative authority" In the
those words indicated a decided re-
luctance to have the debts "buci
passed" to him 1t remains where II
was before-exclllsively on the door
step of President Hoover and the ex-
piring Seventy-second Congress.
X X X
Conferences with congressional lead
ers, held by Gov. Roosevelt late at
~ hy H.
dent Hoover, undoubtedly pegged the
situation as the Hoover Roosevelt dis
cussion left it. Great Britain, France
Belgium and the rest of 'em will have
to step up to the cashiers window on
December Is. pay the principal and
interest installments then due and trust
to luck for leniency through revision
later on. Opinion is universal in Wash
ington that there will be no default
ing by any OF the debtor governments
Their own self-intereSt is bound to pre-
vent that. Britain and France are
big creditor countries themselves. They
can't afford to set repudiationist ex-
ample to the smaller nations which owe
them money The pound sterling may
fall as a result of unfavorable weather
on the postponement proposition. But
the exchange market Is not expected
to be permanently or even seriously
deranged. John Bull has shown dur
the gold standard, that he has mex
haustible powers of recuperation
"Britons never, never, never will be
slaves"
Sidelights on Roosevelt day in Wash
ington: The President-elect came tc
town on special train of the railroad
the employees of which were not ad-
vised by the president of the company
to vote the G. o. P. ticket. .Locomo-
tive No. 5313 pulled the Governors spe-
cial train into town. Woodrow Wilson
usually demanded a 13 in the number oi
a railroad car or an automobile In
which he was to travel. Uncle Fred
eric A. Delano and Cousin Warren Del
ano Robbins were on the Reception
Frank. Bob" Lucas, chairman of the
Republican National Executive Com
mittee, and Mark Sullivan, Hoover
journalistic spokesman. were amone
those present at the Press Club dinner
to the guest of honor. What is there
in names? Secret Service men ir
charge of reception arrangements al
Union Station were two Jacks-Slye anC
Ready. SIye was In France with Presi.
dent Wilson. .Washingtonians catching
their first glimpse of Col. Louis Nc
Henry Howe, power-to-be behind thu
Roosevelt throne, found striking re.
semblance between him and the lat
William F. McCombs, manager of tht
victorious Wilson campaign Of 1872.
Gov Roosevelt's fondness for speaking
off the record" ie., to newspaper mer
when not talking for publication
Principal decorative feature of Pres
Club banquet menu, the Capitol of tn,
United States on a wet night. Member
of Roosevelt encourage said the pictur,
was prophetic. DOC" Rockwell, ban
Quet humorist, discussing question o
.'beer BY March, wise.cfacEed that