Evening star., 1933-11-17
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Appointment of Henry Morgenthau,
jr., as Undersecretary and Acting Secre-
tary of the Treasury brings into the
cabinet circle the one who ranks, with
the single exception or Col. Louis
McHenry Howe, as closer" to the
President than any other man now in
Washington. Their intimacy ripened
during the days when Morgenthau was
New York State conservation commits
sioner in Gov. Roosevelt's cabinet at
Albany. Unquestionably Mr.. Morgen-
thaC's appointment means strengthened
Treasury support Of the Roosevelt
monetary policy. This view is fortified
by retirement from the department Of
Dean Acheson, universally reputed not
to have been a supporter Of the dollar
depreciation program. Mr.. Morgenthau
was an undergraduate at Cornell while
DR.. George F. Warren, author Of the
administrations gold policy, was pro-
fessor of farm economics at the univer-
sity, al it's widely assumed that
Morgenthau may have come under the
influence Of the Warren currency
theories, especially the commodity
dollar idea. For the past IL years the
Acting Secretary of the Treasury has
published New York State agricul-
tural periodical. II Mr.. Woodin
definitely retires from the cabinet,
nearly everybody in Washington believes
Morgenthau will become his permanent
successor.
Edward N Hurley, late Chicago busi-
ness maenate antedated Col. George
Harvey as the "diScoverer" Of Wood
row wilson's presidential possibilities.
Early in 1910 Wilson, then president Of
Princeton, was invited to address the
Princeton Club of Chicago by John
Maynard Harlan, who now is practicing
law at Washington. Harlan was coun-
sci for Hurley's company. One day,
while Gov. Wilson was at the lawyer S
Office, Hurley dropped in. Ed" said
Harlan. Il want to introduce you to
the man you Democrats ought to
nominate for President in 1912" Hur-
ley thought well Of the suggestion and
eventually passed it along to Roger
who took up the idea with Jim Smith,
rest is history.
Warm welcomes were extended at the
Department of Justice this week to
Herbert Hyde, vigorous young United
States district attorney for Oklahoma,
who Is making his first visit to Wash
ington since his recent triumphant
prosecution of the Bates-Kelly gang
in the Urschel kidnapping case. Hyde
looks boyish enough to be law school
freshman. Once upon a time he lived
in Washington as private secretary to
Senator Pine of Oklahoma. Hyde re-
tires from Office at the end of the year
to resume private law practice in Okla
homa City.
James j. Hoey. recent Mckee "Re-
covery party" nominee for borough pres
ident of Manhattan and just appointed
collector Of internal revenue at New
York, Is the first Democrat to receive an
important Roosevelt Job who was not
F. r. B. C. Qor Roosevelt before Chi
cago). At the Chicago convention, in
1882, Mr. Hoey, as member of the
Tammany delegation, voted to the last
for Al Smith, of whom he has been a
bosom friend for years. The appoint
ment is generally interpreted at Wash
ington as distinct Roosevelt compi-
ment in AIS direction
Former Federal Trade Commissioner
william E. Humphrey, while preparing
to contest, up to the Supreme Court. If
necessary, his dismissal from office by
President Roosevelt, has embarked upon
his annual hunting expedition. He's
shooting quail In Virginia, and win soon
20 cunning In Florida. Having killed
Kodiak bear In Alaska and O noun
tain lion In Mexico. one Of Humphreys
ungratified ambitions Is to bag an ele-
phant In Africa. Meantime he's out
for the Democratic donkey. Humphrey
will concentrate his fire on the consti-
tutional aspect of his controversy with
the President. and not depend upon po-
litical reliet through Congress. It's ex-
pected, nevertheless, that Senate Re-
publicans may have something to say
when Humphreys successor, George C..
Matthews Of Wisconsin, comes up for
confirmation.
Simon Michelet, president Of the Ma
tional-Get- out-the-vo Club, finds
Mat oermauy On November u put +