Evening star., 1933-01-25
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Behind the scenes Of current events,
the approaching contest over the
Speakership of the House casts big
shadow. So far it is anybody's victory
but Democratic Majority Leader Rainey
is still out in front. Sectional lines
probably will decide the issue. A count
of noses in the new House indicates
that there is a majority of 112 Demo-
Gratis from Northern and Western
States over and above those from
Southern States, even allotting border
States to the South. Representative
Rainey, as the only formidable candi-
date from the northern side Of Mason
and Dixon's line, is expected to marshal
pretty solidly the votes from that region
as against the three Dixie candidates.
McDufie of Alabama. Byrns of Tennes-
see and Rankin Of Mississippi. Repre-
sentatives O'Connor of New York and
Crosser of Ohio. are in the dark horse
class. What will count heavily in Mr.
Rainey's favor, apart from his other
claims to the Speakers chair, Is that
practically all the important House
committee chairmanships are in South
ern hands. The argument in the 1lli-
noisan's case is that Dixie can hardly
expect the speakership in addition to
the great basket Of committee plums
now and to remain in its posses
sion. SpeakerShip events will come to
head at Inauguration time, though
Democrats in the impending House may
not formally caucus until the eve of the
special session in mid-April.
X X X
There's no more burning curiosity on
any subject in Washington these days
than the extent to which the Repub-
lican progressive tail is going to sue
ceed in wagging the Roosevelt dog.
The acid test will be concerned not so
much with the inclusion of a pro-
gressive like Senator Cutting in the
cabinet, as with the expulsion from it
Of Democrats cursed with progressive
disapproval. Owen D. Young and New
ton D. Baker are the principal Demo-
cratic cabinet possibilities who make
the Norris group see red. Some au-
thorities believe that the Nebraskan
and his followers would not hesitate to
oppose Senate confirmation of any ap-
pointees like Young or Baker, who
carry the power" taint. The attorney
generalship is the portfolio which the
progressives are eyeing sleeplessly.
Wheeler of the same State or Donald
r. Richberg of Illinois would be ac-
ceptable to them. A quiet but persistent
drive for Richberg's appointment is
under way. He was active in the
| Roosevelt = for President progressive
movement last year.
Politics, from the news dispatches,
may seem to be .uppermost in Gov.
Roosevelt's mind at Warm Springs these
days, but when he is in Georgia there
Is nothing, as matter Of fact, that
engrosses more of his thought than the
welfare of the polio" self-applied
paralysis. The name comes from the
medical term for the malady, which is
poliomyelitis. In the founders num-
ber" Of "The Polio Chronicle" recently
dedicated to the President-elect, Gov
Roosevelt said over his own signature:
I'VE have a gospel to preach. We need
to make America polio conscious to
the end that the inexcusable case OF
positive neglect will be entirely elm
mated. We need to raise the common
conception of what constitutes reason
able effort toward physical comeback
To every physically handicapped person
and to his family we need to tmpart
the idea that he owes it to himself and
to society also to make supreme effort
to come back, to readjust himself, to
return to normal life in spite Of his
physical handicap. After all, many OF
these physical handicaps amount to very
little II given proper proportion to the
other things Of life."
X X
In what part of the Congressional
| Directory, the very latest issue Of which,
within sky-blue covers, Is just of the
press, would you expect To find com.
mittees on evening card parties, natl
nee card parties and dancing? They
have to do, let it be said at once, NOT
with the doings Of House or Senate
but With the activities Of the Congress
sional Cluh Khoaa memhefshin a com.