Evening star., 1932-01-25

The short shrift given by the Senate
last week to the Bingham resolution
appertaining TO prohibition repeal
referendum brought jubilation from the
dry cohorts. In one breath the drys
branded the Bingham resolution as
ridiculous procedure" and in the next
breath characterized its turn-down by
the Senate as ''refutation of wet claims
Of large accession to wet strength in
the present Senate" The resolution
sought to have the Senate record itself
rs welcoming" any steps that might
be taken by the Governors OF the
States to initiate an opinion referen-
dunn on the eighteenth amendment
within their respective CommonWealthS.
On roll call only Is Senators voted for
the Bingham proposition, but 25 Sena-
tors were recorded as not voting and
at least were paired on the affirma-
tive side. SO the wet bloc are by no
means downhearted. Furthermore, the
preponderant dryness OF the present
Senate has never been disputed. The
most interesting and Illuminating test
votes on the prohibition issue are
ahead and now at last in sight on the
House side. The leaders OF the wet
forces are reserving tne:r comments
until after a roll call is taken in the
House. They expect to have occasion
for jubilation then.
There is growing suspicion that when
the new tax bill makes its appearance
in the House it will but family ap-
proximate the recommendations of Sec
retsry Mellon. The opposition that has
developed among the constituencies OF
House members to the adoption Of a
tax on automobiles. radios. bank checks
and theater admissions and opposition
to the propJ-ed lowering of the exemp-
tions of the income tax is said to be
having very telling effect ON the con-
gressional mind. The array of protest
ants from the industries against which
4 sales tax Is proposed TO be levied has
been formidable. Their arguments have
all centered upon the contention that
the imposition Of taxes will retsrd busi-
ness recovery and add to unemploy-
ment. So just where and how the in
creased tax revenue is TO be obtained Is
sorely perp.eXing Chairman Collier,
Democratic chairman of the House
Ways and Means Committee, and his
colleagues.
Former Gems. Fechet and Mitchell OF
tilc Hfiuy HA SOAPo dIc EGAii8 llI Ava
alarm viewing. Gen Fechet told chap
ter of the D. A. r. the other day that
Ave nations surpasS the United States In
air force and that another may pass us
in the near future. Within "a hours of
declaration of war, he said, our lead
ing cities might be laid waste by an in
yading air armada. Gen. Mitchell, on
the same day, published q magazine
article saying that war with Japan is
inevitable, but that Japan is in deadly
fear" of our air forces and that we
could attack Japan by air either from
Hawaii or Alaska.
Huey Long of Louisiana, who will be
only 80 ON August 80 next, is sitting on
the top Of the world. HIS hand picked
gubernatorial successor, who viii preside
over the affairs of the State as Long S
proxy while the latter is busy with his
senatorial duties In Washington, and
the rest Of the Long ticket through the
State has just won a smashing victory
all along the line. The Louisiana courts
have thrown out suits brought to oust
Long from the governorship On the
ground that his election as Senator
Voided his title o. X. Allen, the Long
henchman, will not be inaugurated
Governor until May l. But Huey him.
self Is now venturing to quit the State
long enough to rush to Washington
and to be sworn in as a full -fiedged
member Of the Senate and thereby
achieve the unique distinction of hold
ing simultaneously the Office of Gov
ernor and Senator.
4 x i
That Of the 81 men who have held
the office OF President of our Republic
eight were Virginia born is circum-
stance of history seldom recalled to
! memory. The eight Virginians were
Washington. Jefferson, Madison, Mon
roe. Harrison, Tyler, Taylor and Wilson
Advance notices are now out of a book
to be published. appropriately enough
on Washington's birthday, February %,
In which the biographical sketches and
estimates Of these eight Presidents are
brought together between the covers Of
a single volume, Virginia Born Presi-
dents" 1t is compiled under the aus
pices OF Virginia's present Governor,
John Garland Pollard. Virginia Is
Deady TO furnish another President II