Evening star., 1932-01-27

There is manifestly better feeling
in and about the White House than
has been in evidence in recent weeks.
There is less tension and apprehension
over the financial outlook. There is
strong expectation the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation, launched in the
nick Of time, is going to mark the be-
ginning of pronounced betterment in
business. Administration spokesman
in the light OF bitter experience, are
now shy about counting the chickens
before they are Matched, but privately
they are prophesytng fine results from
tation program, of which the new
finance agency, Federal Land Bank
aid, closed bank aid and home loan
bank plans are the major elements. If
business now moves on the upgrade
the President is in position to claim
credit. Furthermore, the belief per-
sistS that as and if stocks and bonds
rise the Hoover political stock will
enjoy sympathetic rise, too. If, and
it is still a big if, things get mani
festly better during 1882, Mr.. Hoover
may yet be pubicized as the man who
saved the Nation. There is one big
hurdle yet to be taken, and that is
where and how to raise new tax reve-
nues and balance the budget How
that is to be successfully surmounted
is still an open question.
Reports forecasting the resignation of
Sir Eric Drummond as secretary gen.
eral of the League of Nations were
fully confirmed by cables this week
from Geneva His retirement from
that post in the near future appears
a certain eventuality. But there is no
apparent basis for a concurrent report
that Sir Eric was quitting the League
post as prelude to an assignment as
British Ambassador to the United
States, replacing the Hon. Sir Roland
Lindsay, P. c., G. G. M. G., K. G. B.,
c. V. o. The latter, so far as appears,
is destined to carry on for King George
at Washington for many moons.
The New York betting commissioners
have started their presidential book.
A 2-to-1 wager that the next President
will be Democrat has been recorded.
With respect to the Democratic nom1-
nation, the quoted odds are as follows:
215 to l that Smith will not receive
the nomination, 3 to l that Roosevelt
will not be nominated, to against
Ritchie, 5 to against Baker, to
against Garner and 10 to l against
Owen D. Young. On the Republican
side the odds are 4 to / that Hoover
will be the nominee, 10 to that Dawes
will not be the nominee, Is to against
Calvin Coolidge. Apparently the bet
ting fraternity have taken Mr.. Cool
idge's disclaimer of presidential desires
at its face value.
X X X
Washington's own series Of events
incident to Nationwide observance of
the George Washington bicentenary will
start with elaborate exercises on Febru-
airy 22-an address by the President be-
fore joint session of Congress, cere-
and at the Washington Monument and
colonial ball in eighteenth century
setting-and will conclude with a Hal
loween carnival on october 81, featuring
parade and open-air dancing on Con-
stitution avenue, according to the off,
cial program just published. The local
committee estimates that between 6,000,-
900 and 100000 visitors will be drawn
to the Capital during the nine-month
period of the celebration. On top of
that, no less than 165 conventions, large
and small, are booked for Washington.
In that aspect of the matter Mr.. Hoover
will be able to conduct his own re-elec-
ton campaign from the front porch OF
the White House.
Clifford Pinchot Of Pennsylvania ap-
pears not to be downhearted by the
political prospects. The Hoover grip
on the Republican nomination and the
lifelessness Of any concerted third party
movement seems not to have dampened
the Ptnchot crusading zeal. He is trav-
cling about the country speechifying
in the presidential manner and enun-
ciating the Pinchot version of progress
sive doctrines and formulas. He speaks
in Minneapolis this week, pleading for
the farmer. At the moment the Penn
sylvania Governor Is championing the
billion dollar prosperity bond issue
idea. The Bull Moose party is as nearly
extinct as the American buffalo, but
Pinchot still carries on in the Roose-
yeltian style. denouncing the nnalefac-