Evening star., 1933-05-10
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

War debts-the Banquo's ghost Of the
Hoover administration and no less
specter during the New Deal thus far
are going to be faced at last, and soon.
The showdown Is due before June /,
by which time President Roosevelt Is
definitely expected to present Congress
with some kind Of Q request for powers
to deal with the debts. II the request
were to be sent to Capitol Hill today
with the outright understanding that
the President wants authoriy to declare
o moratorium and, If necessary, to revise
the debts downward, the chances are
10 to / that Mr.. Roosevelt would en-
counter the first rebuff offered him since
March l. Congress Is not as 100 per
cent anti-debt concessions as 1t seems
to be. Indications are ample that what
House and Senate desire to escape Is
the onus Of making concessions. Tney
prefer to have some one else assume the
responsibility. Scores Of members OF
Congress were elected on an anti-can-
collation. platform. Many say 1t wouion.t
be safe for them to face the folks back
home II their votes were ever recorded
in favor Of debt reduction. But II,
somehow, the buck can be passed to the
President and thus save their faces
that would be a different matter. HOW
to accomplish this Is believed to be the
nut which both ends Of Pennsylvania
avenue are now trying to crack. That
q solution will be found In time for the
PRESIDENT to use the debts for bargain
inE purposes at the London Economic
Conference Is the general expectation
at the Capitol.
Assistant Secretary Of State Raymond
Moley. Grand kleagle Of the brain trust,
Is about to burst regularly into the
public prints. He has contracted with
a national news syndicate to write
weekly articles for the press on Ine
state Of the Nation" beginning June
1. Another high functionary OF the
brain trust, Prof. Rex TugWe!l, ASSIST
ant Secretary Of Agriculture, Is author
Of . book Just of the press. entitled
"The Industrial Discipline" It Is an
attempt to get at the underlying pnl-
dustry and tries to show the KIND OF
attitude necessary ON the part OF WORK
ers, II the industrial structure Is to be
successfully maintained.
Capt. Joel T. Boone, q. 8. N, who
was White House physician successfully
ver administrations, is preparing to go
to the west Coast for duty beginning
July / as chief medical oficer aboard
q. s. S. Relief. hospital ship Of the
United States Fleet. Before Capt. and
Mrs. Boone pull up stakes In the East
they will spend few days at Mercers-
burg Academy, in the foothills OF the
Blue Ridge Mountains, Of which the
famous young naval medic Is . grad
uate and now trustee.
~ i
As all the world knows, the prohibi-
tionists rely upon Dixie to hold the dry
fort against Field Marshal Jouett
Shouse's repeal forces. That being 80.
the country will watch with special In
terest the first tests Of repeal strength
in the South, which are due In July.
Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee viii,
respectively, on the 18th, 18th and 2Oth
Of that month, hold State elections Tor
conventions on the repeal amendment.
All three Of them now have laws which
debar the manufacture and sale OF beer
or other beverages of more than one
half Of per cent alcoholic content.
Not only was an ex-convict elected to
Congress last November, but also .
man who was not yet an American
citizen. The latter Is Representative
elect Henry Ellenbogen, Democrat. OF
the 35th (Pittsburgh) Pennsylvania
district, . native Of Vienna, Austria,
who will not have been . resident OF
the United States for the number Of
years required for naturalization until
June II, 1888. The legality Of MI.
Ellenbogen's election was contested By
- hn6aatnA AnoosSess& H0a4aAG ReoeA-