Evening star., 1933-04-21
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Respectfully the suggestion is here
with made to President Roosevelt that
he take the air at his earliest conven-
ience and broadcast to the Nation one
of his clear-cut, brass-tacks statements
on imitation and the gold standard.
Beyond the shadow of doubt ne
would ring the bell from coast to coast
as successfully as he did on the night
Of March IL, when his resonant voice
was heard In almost every sitting room
Of the land during the banking crisis.
Il Is on such occasion as the coun-
try's absorbing interest In the cur
rency situation that the President likes
to use the radio. He did so periodically,
under kindred circumstances, while
Governor of New York. Hardly at any
other time in modern history has the
White House heard from the folks back
home so copiously and enthusiastically
as they recorded their appreciation OF
Mr.. Roosevelt's banking broadcast.
That they would tune in on him en-
masse now for q popular, compre-
hensible explanation of such mysteries
as imitation" price levels and of
the gold standard" admits OF no doubt.
The President still shows traces OF
sore throat and Prime Minister Mac
|
cumstances may initiate against a
Roosevelt broadcast from the White
House at once. But this observer ven
lures the prediction that it Is just
around the corner.
4
John s. Collier Of California, who
has been appointed commissioner OF
Indian affairs by President Roosevelt.
did not have the backing Of Senator
McAdoo. The latter's objections to the
appointment, among other things, were
based on the allegation that Mr.. Col
lier, as far as California is concerned
is "a carpet dagger" and that he comes
from Georgia. The distinguished junior
Senator from the Coast State is him
self a native Of Georgia. California,
Here I Come" has been the McAdoo
anthem for something less than fifteen
years.
Aboard the battleship Idaho. under
going reconditioning at Norfolk, an Of
ficer not long ago was putting squad
of Filipino mess boys through an in
the oficer asked q bronzed youngster
from Luzon,. if you saw man lying
on deck, who was still unconscious after
having been rescued from drowning?"
The first answer was: "Td throw him
a life preserver." Told that wouldn't
do. the boy was invited to guess again
ard call the officer Of the day." he sug-
gested. Informed that the of1cer OF
the day wouldn't be available, the
Filipino took one more chance, AMI
said: Il push him overheard and not
look where he goes"
3 \
Insiders are smiling to themselves
over what they describe as the pro-
cession Of interesting penitents who
are now regular apparitionS on the
washington scene. They are men and
women who once upon q time derided
the idea that Franklin D. Roosevelt
was presidential timber and insisted
that his only qualification for the
White House was his desire to In
habit it. Each day, It's said, brings
a fresh crop Of this gentry, which,
having cast OF its sackcloth and ashes.
now seeks forgiveness for sin as
triots. For the most part the group
Consists of people who had school, COL
leRe or social connections with the
President in days gone by. They were
classmates at either Groton School OF
Harvard College, and In other cases
neighbors in the Hudson Valley or the
swagger Sixties in New York City. The
stock argument against F. D. RS capa-
city for his present job, as 1t found
utterance among the classes herein re-
| ferred to, was that he was Q good fel-
| low, but shallow, vacillating. timid, and
generally lacking In presidential cali
Der.
+ 4
Japan Is distributing in Washington
and other strategic centers Of the
United States a. beautiful colored
Topographic map Of Manchukuo, u
which Is Of especially timely interest,
now that the Japanese army Is operat-
ing south Of the Great Wall In China
proper." Manchukuo Is mapped, Of
course, to include the late Chinese
Province Of Jehol. The map, which is
printed In English, as far as its geo
graphical designations are concerned,
| a1eo ahovus clearly the critical trfanQ1l.