Evening star., 1933-02-17
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Washington, scene of the assassina-
ton of two of the three martyred Presi-
dents and official home Of them all. Is
naturally shaken to its foundations by
the attempted murderous outrage on
President-elect Roosevelt. Things like
these obliterate party lines. Sympathy
for the Governor and for Democratic
Mayor Tony Cermak found instantane-
Gus and unqualified expression among
Republicans and Democrats alike. There
cannot, of course, be two Presidents at
the same time, yet when House and
Senate on February 8 in joint session
polled the votes cast by the eiectoral
college on January 4 Franklin D.
Roosevelt became the duly anointed
President of the United States. BY the
same token. John Nance Garner would
automatically have become President
If Roosevelt had been killed at Miami.
So the National Capital, like the coun-
trv at large. stood aghast at the mar
row escape of the man who may be de-
scribed as de facto President. tnougn
not, vet inducted into Office. The sltua-
tion bristled with dramatic posslblllties
unparalleled in national history. WASH.
ington opinion is pretty general tnat
Zangara's crime. despite MS maoness
symbolizes the spirit OF unrest ABROAD
not only in this land, but everywhere.
Il * X
Such an attack on the life OF HERBERT
Hoover any time since 1929 would naIo-
ly have surprised the Secret service
which. ever since McKinley's assaSslna-
tion. has been officially responsible LOT
the safety of our Presidents, IN adol-
ton to its fundamental duty OF sa1e-
guarding the national currency. Con-
trary to popular belief, that sleepleSs
branch of the Government Is not a oe-
tectiye force. Sometimes Chlef moran
men enact the role OF Hawksnaws IN
the regular line Of duty, but tney re
neither cops nor sleuths. Fresioens
Hoover has moved pretty Wen al ovei
the Union during the past four years
and. although for three-quarters OF tnat
period depression has hung over the
country. souring and soaring rlen's SOUS
and filing them with desperation, noun
ING sayoring of an attempt on the CAN
fornian's life has ever come 10 pubic
notice. Few imagined that Gov. Roose-
welt. before entering the White House,
would become an assassin'S target. Inc
law places Presidents-elect under the
Watchful eye of the Secret Service from
the hour Of their election IN November.
X X X r
Now that both branches Of Congress
have voted for repeal of the eighteenth
Observation-Disclosures the House has yet
to record the requisite two-thlros ma
iority-something the average American
a wear or two ago would have caiied
miracle has been accomplished. Even
ardent vets admit that Congress was
vanked of the water wagon with a
speed they never dared, in their more
honest moments, to predict. The Gus
tonary guess used to be that 1t would
take at least two or three more Con-
crosses, running up to 1884, 1886 or
even 1888, before wet sentiment would
be sufficiently strong to knock out ma
tional prohibition on Capitol Hill. Here
we are. with 1888 barely born, and the
noble experiment, deserted by some OF
its old-time stanchest supporters, Is
reeling against the ropes and about 10
take the count. 1t once was said tnat,
while the House might soon be swung
against the amendment, prohlbition was
safely anchored in the Senate Tor
long time to come. But Sheppard,
Borah, Glass, Capper, Brookhart ana
the rest of the dry Old Guard yester-
day saw their house tumble in on them
with stunning decisiveness. When SEN
ator Sheppard, author of the amend
ment, says it will never be repealed,
even If submitted to the States" his
friends are confident the wish Is mainly
father to the thought.
* X
Well, lame duck member OF the
House of Representatives may not be
able to make much of quack in Con-
gress, but he can hold up a State din
ner at the White House 10 minutes,
thereby achieving an all-time record.
That's what happened at the function
given by President and Mrs. Hoover
this week in honor of the Supreme
Court. 1t was q Southwestern member
who arrived late, causing anxious mo-
I, ents for executive aides, necessitating
sudden shifts In table arrangements
and generally cumming up the works IN
the State dining room, The wife -oa