Evening star., 1933-12-04
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Republican Robert Lincoln O'Brien's
to the Craftsmanship of the United
States Tariff Commission is not likely
to cause patronage turmoil, even though
there's no dearth of deserving Demo-
craJS who aspire to places on the COM
mission. Mr.. OBrien, designated as
chairman when President Hoover ap-
pointed him to the commission in 1881
and redesignated in December, 1882, IS
serving a term which still has several
wears to run There are two Demo-
cratic vacancies on the commission, and
if these are filled during the course OF
the next year, it is possible that one OF
the appointeeS may eventually become
chairman in Mr.. OBrien's place. At
present, the only Democrat on the COM
mission is Vice Chairman Thomas
Walker Page of Virginia. Chairman
OBrien last year stirred up hornets
nest by boldly opposing before the ways
and Means Committee President
Hoovers theory that deprecated cur
rencv lessons the cost Of production,
Mr.. O'Brien held that notion to be an
economic fallacy. There was some
thought that deprecated currencleS
lustifled boosts of the American tarlh
on imports from the countries In ques-
ton, so the views of the Republican
Tariff Commission chief bore a certain
unorthodox aspect Despite his later
RpnIlbliCaDiSm, Chairman Obrlen
started out, soon after leaving Harvard
in 1891, under eminent Democrat1c
AUSPICES, because H0m 1882 O"'I, n.aY,v aY.v
he'r he was personal secretary to Grover
Cleveland The Tariff Gommis5ton nnent1a Is
of cix
down to four.
co, Theodore Roosevelt. late Cover
nor General of the Philippines, VINO
describes himself as "a fifth cousin OF
the President, since removed, mas JuSC
ioined in the attack on the admlnlstra,
lions monetary policies. He delivered
on address before the League Ior
Political Education in New YORK tne
other night, in which ne oenouiiceG
imitation as 'legalized connscatloh, any
discussed the economic disasters WlllCii
overlook since the beginning Oh LnS
tory all countries Wnlch Gepase4 so31od .iiG in
cIrrencies Young Teddy assalleo IN
rartici,iar the Treasury-R. F. c.. gold
pp',rchase p operations, declaring that the
plan has already failed.
Apparently Roosevelt strength Is 70 70
ha thrown behind the candidacy. Oh
Senator Se s Hiram w. johnson. Republican
Prooressiye, of California, in his fight
for re.eleCtion in 1884. That at . ieas.
is - the construction placed by some
Y Washington sf politicians on the boost
inst given Senator johnson by Elk,
brain Truster No. /, Prof. Raymond
Moley, in an address before a Los
Angeles Democratic club. According 10
word reaching the Capital, Dr. Moley
envisions MT a "new Democratic party
which will embrace many brave Re-
publican Progressives." Since Wnllan'
g. McAdoo's election to the senate,
Democratic leaders have contemplatte.o
the prospect of capturing botn Can
fornia senatorial seats, but Johnson
strong support of the RooseVelt-Garnef
ticket in 1882 now seems TO nave as
sured him, by way of reward, Deilio-
cratic backing in his aspiration 1or
fourth Senate term.
X X \ \
Secretary of Commerce Daniel y.
Roper will represent the admlnlstra-
ton as a speaker at the German uay
celebration in Madison Square Garoen,
New York City on December z. rms
is the festivity around which such bit
ter controversy ragged few weeks ago
when Mayor O'Brien refused to allow
the annual affair to take place in
municipal armory, on the ground that
Nazi interests we're connected with IL.
Since then, responsibility for the meet
ing has been taken over by the Steuben
Society of America from the United
German Societies, which have conducted
it for many years past. In addition TO
Secretary Roper, official participants
will include Mai. Gen. J. F. Preston, in
spector general of the United States
Army; Rear Admiral Yates Stirling,
commandant of the New York naval
district, and German Ambassador Hans
Luther.
X r X