Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-03-08

President Roosevelt met the Wash
ington correspondents at the White
House this morning for the first time,
nous that, as far as the press Is con-
cerned, there is a completely salts
factory New Deal. Following the
Presidents request to shake hands
with and individually greet each Of
the scribes, he electrified them by
announcing that the ancient system of
written questions, handed up in ad-
vance of press conferences, would be
abandoned. F. D. r. will receive verbal
questions He will answer every one
he can or which he thinks should be
answered. He will supply background"
on those occasions when he may not
be quoted directly. The White House
spokesman" IS dead and not to be
resurrected during this administration.
The applause which the assembled
corps of Capital news men and women
dinned into the Presidents ears at the
end of their first joyous confab was
token Of their belief that presiden-
tial news, like the country itself, is on
the verge Of new era. If today's
experience Is criterion, there Is to be
an atmosphere Of cordially. informality
and directness in White House press
relations, of almost unprecedented
nature.
Communists are not the only people
who found their way to the White
House barred this week. The Demo-
cratic hunger marchers discovered
that their path was blocked, too. Under
ordinary circumstances, the patronage
army would have been besieging the
executive Offices by this time and
making President Roosevelts life bur-
den. But through Postmaster General
Jim Farley word went out that mo
job-seekers need apply" is the slogan
from now until urther notice. That
time will not arrive until the banking
situation is well in hand, national con-
fidence restored, and the ship OF state
on an even keel again. The financial
crisis, from the patronage standpoint,
Is blessing in disguise for F. d. Il.
Incoming Presidents, as rule, are run
ragged by party henchmen with de-
signs on the Federal pay roll. President
Roosevelt would have been subjected TO
high pressure for jobs for the mere
reason that his supporters have been
in the wilderness for IL long, lean
years. But the depression aggravates
matters beyond all precedent. WASH.
ington is filling up with $4,000 ana
SIC, 0O0-a-year men-execut1veS WnoV We
commanded those salaries in business
life-now eager to nab $4,000 or $500
Government positions.
\ \ X X
Col. Edwin A. Halsey, who tomorrow
will be elected secretary OF the senate,
began life as q page In that body IN
1897. by appointment of his uncle, the
late Senator Thomas S. Martin, Demo-
crat, of Virginia. Since then Ed" has
served as assistant secretary or secre-
tary of the Democratic membership,
both when it was the minority and
the majority. No man at the Cap1tol
Is SO well acquainted with the history
and procedure of the Senate as Halsey,
and no Senator matches his record OF
SO continuous years of service. Col.
Halsey has been busy ever since inaugu-
ration day rearranging the seats in the
chamber The Republican side of the
aisle, with a mere SO members. Will cut
sadly denuded and diSproportionat
figure opposite the phalanx Of SO Demo-
wegian pine from Minnesota and lone
eagle of Farmer Labor, will, as usual,
be placed amid the decimated Repub-
lican ranks.
Il 4 4
Another Democratic Senate veteran,
Chesley w. Jurney, IS TO be sergeant
at arms of the Upper House, in success
sion to the deposed David H. Barry.
With his familiar black sombrero, sym
Dol of his Texas origin, Jurney for
many years was the secretarial right
hand man of the late Senator Culbert-
son of the Lone Star State. After Gull
bsrtson passed from the scene journey
became secretary to Senator Copeland,
Democrat, Of New York, and has been at
the doctor-statesman's elbow for the
past 10 years. Once upon time Jurney
made an unsuccessful attempt to be
elected q member of the House OF Rep
resentatives from the Waco, Tex, dis
trict.
49, X
Lord Palmerston, one Of Queen