Evening star., 1933-07-07
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

in Wallace's ONCE went through the
routine form Of asking the callers
business, and when the Governor said
1t concerned trees. he was informed
that the man he really wanted to con-
suit was somebody named Jones' The
lanky boss Of Penn State nearly threw
f1t. Jones be blowed," or words to
that effect, he sputtered II know all
about him I appointed him to his
Job years ago. You get me into Secre-
tary Wallaces Office in three minutes,
see!" Pinchot got in.
Secretary Of the Interior Ickes a day
or two ago had the experience Of losing
his way in the endless corridors of the
Department of Commerce Building. A
group Of newspaper men discovered him
IN the midst OF an effort to find an ele-
vator or stairway that would lead him
to a part OF the outside, where his car
was parked. After being shown a con-
venient exit. Ickes said to the reporters:
Send a telegram to Mr.. Hoover and
tell him that the Secretary of the Inte-
rior got lost in his building"
AS has been said Of other good men,
you just can't keep these Columbia pro-
fessors down. Following the lead Of
Washington, Havana has Just drafted
one of the shining lights of DR.. Nicho-
las Murray Buffers citadel of culture
for the purpose Of formulating q new
election law for Cuba. He Is Prof.
Howard Lee McBain. dean Of the grad
uate faculties at Columbia since 1929
His specially is political science and
constitutional law DR.. McBain, Ca
madam by birth, Is actively cooperating
with Ambassador Sumner Welles in the
effort to bring peace between President
Machado and the Cuban revolutionary
reform group. DR.. McBain was a con-
fere of Profs. Moley, Tugwell and Berle
at Columbia.
A young woman Of no importance to
any one but her family and immediate
circle Of friends was entering the Emer-
gency Hospital not long ago when Mrs.
Roosevelt started to leave by the same
door. The former backed away to give
the First Lady priority. "Oh, wish
you wouldn't do that" said Mrs. Roose-
welt. II don't want to be treated any
differently than anybody else" Then
Mrs Roosevelt asked the nature Of the
young woman's errand at the hospital,
to find that her younger brother was
receiving bone-grafting treatments for
infantile paralysis. Mrs Roosevelt was
Immediately interested and at once re-
lated briefly the treatments undergone
at enc time by the President. Thereupon
the First Lady revealed that she had
been to the hospital to see an old lady,
q friend Of many years ago, now in des-
titute circumstances and i'll in q ward
ITndoF he
was being transferred to private room
and the Presidents wife had come to
superintend the proceedings.
XXX
When Cordell Hull was appointed
Secretary of State this observer asked
Senatorial colleague Of the Tennes-
sean what the latters chief qualifica-
ton for the State Department was
Came the instant reply: His sincerity u
1t was Hull's compelling sincerity that
won the day at London on Thursday
and saved the conference from prema-
ture death.
Throughout the Secretary of States
long congressional career his inveterate
genuineness of view and purpose was
his distinguishing trait. Combined
with modesty of bearing and studious
habit OF mind, plus q slow and quiet
manner of speech, Judge Hulls con-
freres in Washington always felt that
he was ruggedly honest in any attitude
he ever took, and 1t seldom failed to
carry weight even with opponents. A
year ago, at the Democratic National
Convention in Chicago, 1t fell to Hull's
lot to present and argue the dry mi
nority report Of the Committee on Reso-
Lett H{v.r
wet convention and did not prevail
Heard by tens Of thousands who dis.
agreed with him, they felt instinctively
nevertheless, that they were listening
to q man of profoundly sincere convic.
tions, and his reception was correspond.
ingly respectful. Secretary Hull ha!
just shown at London that common
honesty reflected In statesman Of hi
personality, still has its uses In diplo.
macy.
tcopyrtsht. 1sss1