Evening star., 1932-04-08
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Glad tidings have reached the White
House during the past "a hours that
the 81 600 900 900 bonus bill is now not
assured OF passage even in the House
Of Representatives. Some super -opti-
mistic opponents go so far as to predict
that 1t may not even reach the floor
from the Ways and Means Committee.
President Hoover and others who are
fighting the proposition are much
heartened by the way the American
Legion has lined up alongside them
National Comdr. Stevens revelation
that, out of roundly Il 900 posts, fewer
than 300 are demanding the money is
likely to stiffen resistance in Congress.
1t is the Legion vote" that carries
| chief weight with the politicians. rather
than the Veterans Of Foreign Wars, prin-
cipal promoters of the new bonus drive,
although with their 10000 members,
| the V. F. W. are by no means snee1ed
at. The Legion, now 100000 strong,
is an immensely more formidable factor.
A Representative or a Senator who
votes against the pending measure
| would have perfect alibi with
service men unless he happens TO
come from one of the exceptional COM
| munities with a pro-bonus Legion post.
The overwhelming bulk of Legionnaires
NliO LIlC oCLlcIuc II Sdlu ~ nan
from Texas, whence Representative
Patman, father Of the bill, comes.
Insiders familiar with service men
politics are persuaded there will be an
intensive effort at both Chicago con-
ventions to nominate World War vet
eran for Vice President. In the Re-
publican camp, in this connection. one
hears oftenest of Secretary Of War Pat
Hurley. Young Teddy Roosevelt. now
Governor General OF the Philippines,
and Col Hanford MacNider of Iowa.
American Minister to Canada. There
are fewer Legion political figures Of note
among the Democrats. Probably the
most prominent is Col. Paul v. McNutt
Of Indiana. q former national COM
mander. Col. McNutt is running for
Governor in the Hoosier State this year,
so he may not have a vice presidential
rod up.
AS the names Of Hoover and RooSe-
welt seem to be the ones to conjure
with this year, a suggestion reaches this
observer which, II carried out would
place both names on the Republican
and Democratic tickets alike. 1t is pro-
posed that the G. o. p. put Herbert
j
the field, and that the Democrats NOM
mate Franklin D. Roosevelt and CAL
win Hoover as their candidates. Calvin
Hoover is a professor of political econ
omy at Duke University in North Caro-
| lima. He is the author of highly
| regarded book dealing with the Soviet
economic system. The patentee OF the
| Hoover Roosevelt bipartisan idea as
sumes that Prof. Calvin Hoover is a
Democrat, although both his names
| have an ominouSly Republican ring.
How the American electorate could
avoid dizziness in November In deciding
between Republican Hoover and Roose-
velt and Democratic Roosevelt and
Hoover is something that would have to
be carefully considered.
] Three men occupying high office at
Washington will all celebrate BIRTHDAYS
| next Monday April H. They are Chief
| Justice Hughes, Veterans Administra-
tor Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines and
| Samuel E. WinSlow, chairman OF the
United States Board of Mediation. MIR.
Hughes and Mr.. Winslow will both be
10 years old. Gen. Hines Is the baby
! OF the trio-he's a youngster OF 50,
The Chief Justice joins the septuagena-
| rians with the intellectual and physi-
cal verve Of man 20 years his Junior.
| The secret of his eternal youthfulness
Is the Joy he extracts from whatever
job he adorns. His work at the SUI
preme Court is no exception TO the rule.
y y
. Mabel Walker Willebrandt Is resting
up from winters legal labors al
Washington on her 5000 acre ranch st
Escondido. near San Diego. "Portis''