Evening star., 1933-12-15

including security affiliates 1t was the
intention of Congress to eliminate bank
affiliates by entirely forbidding such
interlocking connections. Owing to the
omission of semicolon in the law as
finally drafted, it now seems that inter-
locking directorates between Reserve
r1Hmber banks and security houses are
not absolutely forbidden, but only SUBJ
Jocted to approval Of the Federal Re
Sc. We Board written ruling has just
been obtained from the Federal Reserve
Board attesting that the board has au-
thority to issue a permit for the rela-
tionShipS in question.
* y X x
It's mistakenly supposed by the aver
age American that the Platt amend
ment, which gives the United States
the right to intervene IL Cuba, and
which may soon be abolished, was spon-
sored by Senator Thomas c. C'Me,
Too'D Platt, famed New York Republl-
can boss. The author of the amend
ment was the late Senator Orville H.
Platt of Connecticut, who was serving
his fifth successive term when the
amcnSment was. adopted in 1851. Both
Platts were in the Senate at the time
x x x
In these days, when monetary mat
ters are paramount, Acting Secretary
Of the Treasury Morgenthau may have
decided to take over personal supervi-
sion Of the Secret Service from Assist
ant Secretary Hewes, since resigned,
because the basic function of that Or
ganization is the safeguarding of the
currency. After McKinley's aSsassina-
tion in 1901, the service was charged
with the additional duty of guarding
the life of the President of the United
States. But the eagle-eyed and sure
footed Treasury branch, headed since
1918 by its present chief, William H.
Moran, is in no sense a Government
detective force, as is commonly thought
It's a long time since cabinet meet
ings contained SO many vacant chairs
as just now, with exactly half the
members Of the Roosevelt official fam
lily on the absent list. Secretary Of
State Hull is in South America. Sec
retary of the Treasury Woodin is in
Arizona on leave. Secretary of War
Dern and Secretary of the Interior
Ickes are in hospitals. Postmaster Gen.
eral Farley is in Europe. Attorney
General Cummings, for the time being,
is the ranking cabineteer on duty. This
week, with Secretary of the Navy Swan
son confined to his home with cold,
only four out of 10 cabinet officers an
swered present.
x x X X
Senators Clarence c. Dill and Homer
T. Bone of Washington are setting an
example that is unusual. if not unprece-
dented, by spending the month just
before a new congressional session tour
ing their State, to familiariZe them
selves with constituents sentiments on
public questions. They're speaking
daily from the same platform in various
communities giving their own views and
then inviting expressions of opinion from
the people. Both Senators are strong
public ownership advocates and are
dwelling conspicuously on the power
issue. so much to the front in their
secticn. Their political stock is high
because of the part they played in
getting Uncle Sam to carry out the
Grand Coulee Dam project on the
Columbia River.
If as rock-ribbed Republican leader
as c. BaScom Slemp says prosperity is
just around the corner-under Demo-
cratic administration-it must be SO.
Calvin Coolidges White House secretary
has been visiting his ancestral congress
siollal district in Southwest Virginia
for years the Old Dominions lone Re-
publican area Slemp told home folks
that there are "the best of grounds for
believing that 1884 will be an excellent
year for the Nation and that our gen.
eral welfare will greatly improve"
DOWNRIGHT. 1033)