Evening star., 1933-02-01
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

while Big Bill was War Secretary, re-
tanned him as one of the White House
physicians. A fortuitous circumstance
on Woodrow Wilson's very first day in
office. March 4, 1913, brought Grayson,
who then had the rank Of lieutenant
commander in the Navy Medical Ccrps,
to the Democratic Presidents atten-
ton. Thereupon began their long and
affectionate friendship.
An impression is crystallizing that
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt is going to be
the most active First Lady the land has
known for many an administration, If
not for all time. She herself has just an
nounced that, far from confining her
self to housewifely and social duties, she
is going to fill definite, self-appointed
political role. Mrs. Roosevelt is going
to be her presidential husbands listen
ing post. She has established, she ex-
plains, Nationwide chain of key"
sources Of information, both men and
women, with whom she purposes keep
ing in regular touch, with a view to let
time how Vox Populi is reacting to cur
rent public issues. To what extent the
dynamic future mistress of the White
~
teaching, spe aking and broadcasting ac-
tivities has net yet been revealed. Mrs.
Roosevelt will have opportunity, at
dinner in Washington late in March, to
disclose, If she cares to, what her plans
in this direction are.
~
. Apparently the next duel between
capital and labor is going to be fought
at Washington If and when the time
comes-and some authorities say 1t Is
imrrinent-to tackle the question of
recognizing Soviet Russia Capital,
represented by the great manufactur-
ing and industrial interests Of the
country, along with important banking
groups. is widely favorable to establish
ing official relations with the Moscow
government. Labor, represented by the
American Federation of Labor. has Just
announced through its principal spokes-
man, President William Green that 1t
Is bitterly opposed to recognition, on the
ground that Russian forced labor would
be brought into direct competition with
American free labor If regular flow
Of trade intercourse between the two
countries Is encouraged.
On what Is called the legal battle of
the century, just waged in the United
States Court at Alexandria, across the
Potomac from Washington, may de-
pend, it's said, the failure or success
Of the whole Roosevelt power program
The litigants are the Appalachian Elec-
trio Power Co., which controls vast
hydroelectric resources in Virginia and
West Virginia, and the Federal Power
Commission. The company is repre-
IN hx, n
Baker, at the head of score of law
yers, while Huston Thompson, another
Democrat and one-time Assistant At
torney General in the Wilson admins
tration, is counsel for the power COM
mission. If through an order of the
court the present power act, as applied
In the Appalachian case, is declared
unconstitutional, and the company can
shake loose from license, which the
power commission Is demanding from
1t, then the power interests Of the
United States may be freed from Fed
eral control In cases where hydroelectric
energy is developed from non-navigable
waterways. Mr.. Baker argues that reg
ulation and recapture without due pay
ment Is unconstitutional. MIR. Thomp-
son chides the former Secretary Of War
with having framed the water power
act which. as q power lawyer, he is
now challenging.
i X
Washington is much interested in late
news that Sir John Broderick, for so
many years commercial adviser and
later commercial secretary Of the Brit
ish embassy. may be named one Of John
Bulls debt negotiators In the United
States. Recently British minister to
Cuba, Sir John has just been appointed
Ambassador to Argentina-with which
Great Britain has aAtrade and financial
ailiance-but London dispatches report